Cell phone info

[sparkle2]

Not sure how accurate all this is, but I got the number off my cell and wrote it down just in case...


Subject: Cell Phones Information

Here is something worth knowing if you have a mobile phone ...
Have you ever wondered why phone companies don't seem interested in trying to prevent the theft of mobile phones? If you have ever lost, or had one stolen, and if you are on a plan, you still have to pay the plan approximately up to 24 months, and you have to buy another handset and enter into another contract.  This is more revenue for the phone company.
There is a simple way of making lost or stolen mobiles useless to
thieves and the phone companies know about it, but they keep it quiet. To check your mobile phone's serial number, key in the following on your phone: star-pound-zero-six-pound ( * # 0 6 # ) and a fifteen digit code will appear on the screen.  This is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it safe.  Should your mobile phone get stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code.  They will then be able to block your handset, so even if the thief changes the sim card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either. If everybody did this, there would be no point in stealing mobile phones.

You may want to send this to as many people with mobiles as possible.

No charge for directory assistance

Phone companies are charging us $1.00 or more for 411- information calls. When you need to use the 411 / information option!  Simply dial 1-800-FREE-411 or 1 800 373 3411 without incurring a charge.
This is information people don't mind receiving.
Works on home phones and cellphones


sparkle

[Bill]

Somewhat true
(depends on type of phone and carrier)

www.snopes.com/crime/prevent/celltheft.asp
for more info


The 1-800-FREE-411 thing is great tho and works great (use it all the time wife uses at work too).

[sparkle2]

Good to know, thanks. A friend of mine lost his cell on his way home from work and didn't notice it until the next morning - he reported it right away but whoever found it already racked up several hundred dollars worth of calls to some South American country - apparantly the thief and all his friends and family had spent all night phoning home...

sparkle

[Bill]

Downtown Chicago by the subway one saturday afternoon there was a guy standing there with a line of like 5 hispanic guys and I watched them give him cash and he handed them the phone and they started dialing and talking in spanish, could have been easily a stolen phone that the guy lifted and worked so he was selling free calls (who knows) could be they needed to order a pizza and paid him to use his phone, but I always did wonder about that kinda stuff.

Wouldn't you worry calling HOME or whoever you did know that the cops might go to them and say ok this call that you spoke 45 mins on was from a stolen phone, who called you etc?

[gwenied]

Good info! thanks ...............

[sparkle2]

Well by "home" I meant the country they came from. I guess they don't worry too much about Georgia cops showing up on Mom's doorstep in Guatemala! They SHOULD check stuff like this more closely though IMHO - like you said, they could be selling drugs.

sparkle