Scenario: You receive your cell phone bill and after examination, realize that there are several calls that you did not make.
Scam: Your phone has been cloned and criminals are using your number to make calls and facilitate their criminal activities.
Two types of cell phone fraud, cloning fraud and subscriber fraud, plague the industry today. Each cell phone is manufactured with factory settings unique to the phone, including an electronic serial number (ESN) and telephone number (MIN). If your phone has been cloned the criminal has programmed his own phone to transmit your ESN/MIN combination. The system cannot tell the difference between the phones so the legitimate subscriber gets the bill for all the calls. Cloned phones are used to help criminals communicate anonymously. They may also be used in "call cell" operations in which criminals sell long distance calls to people looking to call internationally. You may find thousands of dollars worth of charges on your phone at the end of the month and you never made any of them.
Another type of cell phone fraud is called subscriber fraud and is related to identity fraud and false documents fraud. Fraudsters obtain your personal information and use it to open a cell phone account. They can run up enormous bills and you must prove that you not only did not make the calls, but did not open the account and should not be responsible for the charges.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of Cell Phone Fraud we want to know. Contact us and take ACTION NOW!
Cell Phone Fraud
The most effective way to prevent cloning is to get service that uses authentication. Check with your cellular phone company to find out what anti-fraud features they have.
Report a lost or stolen cell phone immediately.
Ask your phone carrier to eliminate overseas toll calls or North America toll calls if you don't intend to make them.
Always use the phone's lock feature when you are not using the phone.
Don't leave your phone unattended, or in an unattended car. If you must leave it in your vehicle, lock the phone out of sight.
Frequent wrong numbers or hang-ups, could be an indication that your phone has been cloned. Report these to the phone carrier right away.
Early detection is the key to minimizing the aggravation of subscription fraud. Be sure to check your credit report at least once a year. Look for any "inquiries" from a phone company that you did not authorize. If the fraudulent account has gone to collection, it will likely be noted on your credit report. You will not be responsible for paying the bill, but you will need to have it removed from the report.
Ensure that your personal information is kept private when purchasing anything in a store or on the Internet.
If you fall victim to cell phone cloning, contact your cellular telephone provider immediately. You will know if your phone has been cloned when you receive your bill - there will be many calls that you did not make.
If your current phone company does not offer authentication:
Keep documents containing your phone's ESN, in a safe place.
Check your cellular phone bills thoroughly each month. Look for phone calls you did not make and report them immediately to the phone carrier.
Cell Phone Fraud
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Scenario: You receive your cell phone bill and after examination, realize that there are several calls that you did not make.
