How to Avoid Phone Spam
Spam is a nuisance, whether it comes by direct mail, email or phone. Phone spam is the latest marketing ploy, and it can be especially aggravating on cell phones, which can receive these advertisements through calls or text messages. Not only does it cause annoyance but it can cost you money if your cellular provider charges you for incoming texts. Once phone spam starts, it can be hard to stop. The best way to stop it is to keep it from starting in the first place.
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Avoid free offers. Many online companies offer free ringtones, games or entertainment services to be delivered to your cell phone. In the fine print, these offers state that they will provide your phone number to other providers and marketers. These offers aren't really free; you will soon be inundated with spam phone calls and text messages about other offers.
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Erase all of the information from your phone before you sell your phone to a company that buys used phones. While it seems like a good idea to get some extra cash and get rid of a phone you are no longer using, the buyers can use your address book to start sending spam to you and everyone listed on your phone.
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Do not give out your phone number when completing online subscription forms. If it is a site that offers something you really want to subscribe to, go ahead and subscribe, but don't give out your phone number. Be wary of sites that make entering your phone number mandatory. Most likely they want to use it for marketing and advertising purposes.
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Add yourself to the national "Do Not Call" list that is regulated by the Federal Communications Commission. By law, companies aren't allowed to send unsolicited phone calls or text messages to anyone on the list. If you are on the list and still receive calls, take down the phone number of the caller and report it to the FCC. They look into the companies that violate the rules of the "Do Not Call" list.
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