Be careful about entering your cell phone number on the 'Net

[evd]

by Deb Shinder

I only give my cell phone number to a handful of people - my immediate family members, a couple of close friends and a couple of business associates - fewer than a dozen in all. And I never, ever, ever enter my cell number in any Internet form. Here's a recent message from a reader: "after reading this article it reminded me of something in the computer world that is going on currently and that is the use of a cell phone number when playing a game on the internet (specifically Facebook) an typing in your cell number to get your results texted to you. Not only did I play this game I was not pre warned on the computer screen that a monthly charge of $9.99 would apply to this particular instance, and being a newbie to my cell phone (and not a texting person) when I got my text message I didn't read anything past the results and there fore was surprised with a charge on my bill that I didn't understand how it got there until I asked Verizon what Premium Texting was. Boy did I feel duped by society....I now have learned what it is all about and have put a block on my phone to this type of thing, but am still very annoyed that my phone company allows this type of rip off to the consumer." Don't find out the hard way like she did.

[TD52]

I do not have text....so they can play all they want..the only text I can get is from the phone company and it is a read only..and I do not have to except it