Cell Phone Scams Double in IL

WKMS | By The Associated Press,

Whitney Jones

Published December 5, 2012 at 8:40 AM CST

A consumer advocacy groups says scams adding charges to people’s cell phone bills have almost doubled in Illinois this past year. The Citizens Utility Board says scammers target cell users as wireless communication increases and new laws forbid cramming land lines. Cramming refers to third-party charges added to customers’ bills for services they never ordered. Crammers get access to phone bills through text messages that promise prizes or ringtone downloads. They then hope phone owners won’t notice the small, extra charges on their bills. The Federal Communications Commission is considering tougher laws to protect cell phone users.

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Whitney Jones

Whitney grew up listening to Car Talk to and from her family’s beach vacation each year, but it wasn’t until a friend introduced her to This American Life that radio really grabbed her attention. She is a recent graduate from Union University in Jackson, Tenn., where she studied journalism. When she’s not at WKMS, you can find her working on her backyard compost pile and garden, getting lost on her bicycle or crocheting one massive blanket.

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