With the increasing popularity of mobile phone usage and text messaging, cellular phone users are seeing a staggering increase in the number of unsolicited or unwanted text messages.
Short Message Service (SMS) is another way of communication that send short text messages between mobile phones or from a portable device over a network to a cell phone. Cell phone spam or mobile spamming is an unsolicited electronic message directed at the text messaging service of a cell phone.
Why Cell Phone Users Should Be Concerned About Mobile Phone Spam
According to an article recently published in The New York Times that provides statistics from Ferris Research, a market firm that tracks spam, “In the United States, mobile phone users received nearly 4.5 billion spam texts in year 2010, more than double the 2.2 billion received in year 2009.”
Not only a text message could be frustrating, annoying and pervasive, but it can slow down your phone, lead to unwanted charges on your mobile phone bill and can put you at risk of viruses or “smishing” (similar to the e-mail frauds known as “phishing”) if you use your cell phone like a PC.
Using a Cell Phone Number Reverse Lookup to Track Down Spammers
So far, it has become very difficult to track down who is sending those unsolicited text messages. Unless there’s a phone number associated with the unwanted message, you won’t be able to use mobile phone number reverse directory to track down the name and location of person who’s been spamming you.
Steps you can take to try to block those unwanted messages:
1) Use Reporting Services
Some reporting services allow users forward a text spam to specific number that spells SPAM on the keypad, then carriers will be use that information to block the numbers associated with those unwanted text messages.
2) Keep Your Number Private & Forward Unsolicited Messages
Keep your number private and provide it only to those you trust or know. Forward any unwanted messages to the FCT.
3) Contact your Wireless Carrier
Your cell phone service provider may have information on those unsolicited text messages you are receiving. Such information could include the name of the business if it’s coming from a specific business or even the phone number that can be enter into reverse directory to get additional information. If the results are “Not Found”, most likely the phone is not listed and you have to use a reverse cell phone number look up directory that charge you one-time fee ranging from $10 to $15.
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