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Last updated on Wednesday, August 13, 2014
(UNDATED) - Police say the fake gift card texts scam leads to monthly charges on your cell phone.
This is how the scam works:
You get a text message saying that you just won a $1,000 gift card from a major retailer. It sounds too good to be real, but you decide to check it out anyway. You follow the link in the text, and it leads to a legitimate-looking website with the colors and logo of the real company.
On the website is a form that prompts you to "claim your prize" by entering your name and address and confirming your cell phone number. When you enter your phone number, you receive a text message with a secret PIN. You type the PIN into the form and hit submit. Your gift card is on the way... or not!
There is no gift card, and "winners" found themselves unknowingly signed up for $9.99 per month premium text messaging service. The scam, known as cramming, happens when a company uses your cell phone bill like a credit card, adding a charge for services that you never knowingly purchased. This scam is so prevalent that the FTC got involved and shut down six providers.
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