Beware To Text Messaging Scam

“Congratulations! Ur Sim# had won as 3rd prize winner worth of (P800,000.00 + N70 cellphone! Via electronic raffle draw during 5oth anniversary celebration’s of D”PHIL CHARITY FOUNDATION!! DTI-NCR. Permit# 51581/Send ur name, age, and add! to claim ur prize! cll now! Ds is Atty. Enrico T. Lopez (sec. reg.# A-1986317542)”

09298451675

11:52 am 08/20/2009

Did you received this kind of text message? Well, I received it too. But only a stupid man could be victimize by this old style text messaging scam. And they pick a wrong number because I am not the potential one to be their next victim.

If there’s no government body that could help us from stopping this activity why not educate ourselves. Yes, education would be  the key to lessen their victims if not to eradicate them. The following will be very helpful:

YOU NEVER JOINED SUCH A PROMO. If you received such message don’t get excited. You need to ask your self if you ever joined any contest or submitted anything for a prize and if not that is surely a scam, therefore, never reply anymore. Because no one will offer such huge amount without an exchange.

IT USES A NORMAL ELEVEN DIGIT NUMBER.You have to aware that companies offering promos via text messaging never uses a normal eleven digit number like 09298451675, instead, a three or four or five special number like 25810 or 2856. So before texting or calling them try to check out the number first.

INAPPROPRIATE METHOD. If you truly wins they will make a call and ask for some verification. A text message is improper and unprofessional, and most of the time resulted to lack of claiming instructions. Notice the specimens above, does it look a winning information? For me, it’s a mess.

IT USES NAMES WITH GOOD TITLES.  The bad individuals behind this scam uses such names and titles to make believe their target. The truth, real promos or contest never uses it. If you think it’s real, I advise you to check the detail on the Internet and this might gave you some factual information about it, which help you to decide.

You see, education is a better way. The next time you receive a strange text messages like above just simply think the four keys above. If you want to help others to be aware of it share these to them and spread to everybody.

Take note, if you really want to know if the promo is real make a call never use a text message. One thing, if they ask something that will make you to spend begin to wonder because in reality they will never ask you to buy or give something. However, they usually require you some verification papers or documents.

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