Text Message Scam

If you leave your mobile number in an advert selling your car, you may be leaving yourself open to a SMS scam.

What Happens

Some sellers receive text messages from people posing as potential buyers saying that they are interested in the car. The message goes on to say that they cannot phone the seller as they are in a poor reception area, and asks the seller to call them back. However, the number they leave is a premium rate telephone number, which means the seller racks up high charges on their phone bill.

What You Should Do

If you receive a text message asking you to call back just ignore it - after all if they're in a poor reception area, and they can't get through to you, why would you be able to get through to them? If they ask you to call a premium rate number, report them to the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS), who regulates the promotion and content of premium rate services in the UK and has the power to fine companies and bar access to services.

Premium rate telephone lines usually begin with 09, whilst genuine mobile numbers start with 07 and landline numbers start with 01 or 02.

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