Dorothy and Robert got their first cellular phone so they could keep in touch with their grandchildren, who were off traveling around the world. Since international calls weren't cheap, they often used SMS to send quick messages back and forth. Dorothy and Robert's plan allowed them to receive a limited number of messages each month for free, with a small fee for additional messages.
One of their grandchildren introduced them to a Web site that allowed users to send group messages. Dorothy decided to sign up so their grandchildren could add them to their groups. As a part of the registration process, Dorothy entered their cell phone number. Since all of their grandchildren's friends used the site, she assumed it was ok, and did not bother to read the privacy policy.
After signing up for the site, Dorothy and Robert began getting advertisements through SMS. It started as a trickle, and then became a flood. The mobile spam quickly used up their free incoming messages, and charges began piling up. Dorothy went back to the Web site, whose privacy policy allowed her to opt out of getting future advertisements. The phone company would not refund the charges they had already accumulated though, so they still got stuck with a hefty bill.
To learn how to protect yourself from cell phone spam, see Email - Unsolicited Mail
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