Have you been receiving messages that look like the picture to the left? Here's what you need to know:
The number 1-757-739-5056 is based out of Norfolk, Virginia. They promise a $1,000 Walmart gift card if I visit a bogus website and enter FREE.
DON'T DO IT -- THEY ARE TRYING TO HARVEST YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION.
However it's not a working number.
I called it from a landline and got the "this is not a working number" message.
Another number 1-440-941-2805 sent a message that I had won a free iPad 2.
Really? An iPad 2-- I prefer the New iPad, thank you.
It's a Google Voice number which transfers you to another number and no one answers.
I didn't leave a message.
Here are some tips to deal with these annoying text messages:
1. Am I being charged for these messages? The reply - no. For some reason the numbers are not counting against my plan.
2. Obviously since these numbers are bogus there's no need to reply STOP -- noone will see it.
3. You can block numbers by subscribing to their paid service (AT&T charges $4.99 a month per phone, with unlimited number blockage)
So as annoying as they are, you'll just have to ignore them for now unless you switch numbers.
AT&T promises not to sell your information. I'm not sure if that's actually true or not.
To be perfectly clear - my husband's phone is not registered with any texting programs or clubs. He is receiving the same messages I am. So it's not something we registered for online.
So tell me what you think?