This story from Jessica is a good reminder that scammers don’t care about the technology, they care about about fooling you. That means they’ll use whatever method is available—in this case, SMS.
text messaging
Chinese Dairy Companies Apologize For Melamine Scandal Via Text Message
By 1.9.09
Twenty-two dairy companies sent out a text message to millions of Chinese consumers last week to apologize for selling tainted milk products. According to the BBC, it read, “We are deeply sorry for the harm caused to the children and the society. We sincerely apologise for that and we beg your forgiveness.”
Congress Asks Wireless Carriers To Justify Text Message Rate Increases
By 9.10.08
The similar price increases, coming at similar times, Kohl said, “is hardly consistent with the vigorous price competition we hope to see in a competitive marketplace.”
Lawsuit Says Verizon's Text Message TV Show Contests Are "Illegal Gambling"
By 3.29.08
A class-action lawsuit has been filed in California against Verizon and several third-party companies, alleging that they promoted illegal gambling by enticing customers to pay to enter contests in which there was an “infinitesimally” small chance of winning, reports RCRWireless. “The suit centers on 99-cent charges levied on wireless consumers who played contests associated with popular TV shows like ‘Deal or No Deal’ and ‘Sole Survivor.'” The plaintiffs claim that the contests were less promotional sweepstakes than “illegal lotteries designed to generate revenues far in excess of the value of the cash awarded.”
Get Info On BPA-Free Baby Products Via Text Messaging
By 3.21.08
If you’ve got a baby and you’re concerned about buying unlabeled products that contain Bisphenol A or BPA—which some studies have indicated may lead to adverse health effects in humans—the website Z Recommends has just launched a free text messaging service that lets you query their database of companies while you’re standing in the store. They’ve also got a printable wallet-card you can carry with you, which serves as both a cheat-sheet for the text service and a quick reference source for major companies.
T-Mobile CSR Lies About Making Changes To Account, Causes $75 In Overage Fees
By 2.22.08
Ric L. is having problems with T-Mobile’s CSRs—specifically, they don’t seem capable of actually making any changes to his account or recording anything about his calls, and when that leads to $75 in extra fees, they say they can’t fix it and offer him “free” text messages. Ric says he suspects the CSR he talked to “takes the responsibilities of his job about as seriously as a cat with a ball of yarn,” but we all know that’s incredibly disrespectful to cats everywhere, who take their various activities quite seriously. Read Ric’s email to T-Mobile after the jump.
AT&T MMS Pics Are Being Reduced Without Explanation, If They're Sent At All
By 2.1.08
What’s up, AT&T? Your MMS messages have been acting wonky since the beginning of the year, according to posters on HowardForums. When they do come through, they’ve been reduced to a tiny postage-stamp size, whereas in the past they were delivered unaltered. We’ve been testing the service all morning with our N95 and not a single photo MMS gets in or out.
Potential Solution To Rogers Wireless SMS Fee Hike
By 1.10.08
A reader tells us that on March 4, 2008, Rogers Wireless will increase the price of international text messaging to 25 cents per message, which he thinks might be another “get-out-of-contract-free” opportunity similar to what Verizon opened itself up to when it hiked its fees this month. However, according to the portion of the contract Andrew sent us, and based on what a commenter wrote on a previous post, we think what might happen instead is Rogers Wireless will simply let you continue under the terms of your old contract if you call up and insist. It’s worth a shot—post how it turns out if you try it.
After Twitter Snafu, T-Mobile Reminds Customers Who's Boss
By 12.21.07
Last weekend, T-Mobile users who sent SMS updates to their Twitter feeds found that their messages were being blocked. Naturally, tempers flared. Many customers contacted T-Mobile to complain about the problem, but T-Mobile had no answer for the sudden blockage. (It turns out it was a technical glitch on Twitter’s end.) What’s interesting is that T-Mobile’s Executive Customer Relations rep responded to one user’s complaints with a hardcore reminder that when it comes to customer rights, his pretty much begin and end with being required to pay his bill on time. Nice PR work there, T-Mobile.
My name is Marianne Maestas and I am with the Executive Customer Relations department of T-Mobile. I am contacting you on behalf of Mr. Robert Dotson in regards to the email that you sent him yesterday evening.
Tell The FCC, Congress To Support Net Neutrality
By 11.8.07
Net neutrality advocates are gathering momentum to take Comcast to the woodshed for an old fashioned populist beating. Comcast believes that deliberately destroying connections to the popular communications protocol BitTorrent amounts to “reasonable network management,” which the FCC permits. Advocates figure if they can’t ride the net neutrality pony to Congressional passage now, it will forever lie dormant in the stable munching on BitTorrent packet hay.
We Post Sprint Supervisor's Direct Line, She Changes It, Leaving Message Blaming Us
By 2.26.07
In the message, Judy advises customers to call Sprint’s main line at 877-812-1223 and wait their turn for incompetent service just like anybody else.
Illinois Attorney General Sues Cell Phone Txt Msg Spammers
By 1.23.07
Blackston said the defendants haven’t been served, and she couldn’t predict how much money the state might collect.
Using Your Sprint Phone Is Enough To Cancel Your Cancellation
By 10.16.06
Uh oh. Another obstacle to hurtle over in trying to cancel your Sprint Account for hiking text message rates before their October 31st deadline. Reader Drew wrote us in, informing us that his cancellation was shot down:
Text Message Packages Hamstring Sprint Cancellations
By 10.12.06
An important caveat for those trying to cancel their Sprint service over the recent rate hike: If you’re on a text message plan, where you get say 1000 message for $10 or 300 messages for $5, this trick may not work for you, at least not at first blush.
Sprint Retention Department Phone Numbers
By 10.11.06
Here’s two extra phone numbers that may help you if you’re trying to cancel Sprint.
Defeat Sprint’s Rate Hike Cancellation Lies
By 10.11.06
Sprint’s retention department is trying its darnedest to prevent customers from jumping out a window of opportunity that would let them cancel service without penalty.
