Watch Out! Email Scams Abound!!

Urban myth/e-mail scam about cell phone numbers being publicly listed in a directory:

Cell phone users must register their numbers with the "National Do Not Call" directory by a given deadline to prevent their cell phone numbers from being released to telemarketers.

Status: FALSE CLAIM

This email is a scam that has been circulating through emails since 2004. It is NOT true. DO NOT call the number listed.

Origins: In spite of warnings, this scam continues to proliferate. It began with a misunderstanding about the proposed creation of a wireless directory assistance service.

Please DO NOT Forward any e-mails you are sent about this and letter others know that this is an old urban myth making the rounds for the last 4 almost 5 years.

If you ever wonder if something that you receive in an email is true or false, you can almost always assume it is false. Current e-mails about religion, politics, the Internet, celebrities, you name it...are almost all filled with misinformation and even downright scams trying to influence others and fill them with misinformation for either fun, profit or a political agenda. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true. If it sounds too preposterous to be real, it probably is too preposterous to be real...etc. etc. etc.

-----------False Scam E-mail Example-----------

Subject: Fw: Cell Phone Numbers Go Public today

REMEMBER: Cell Phone Numbers Go Public today REMINDER.... all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies tomorrow and you will start to receive sale calls. .... YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 888-382-1222.It is the National DO NOT CALL list. It will only take a minute of your time. It blocks your number for five (5) years. You must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked. You cannot call from a different phone number. HELP OTHERS BY PASSING THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS.. It takes about 20 seconds.

Confidentiality Notice: The information contained in and transmitted with this communication is strictly confidential, is intended only f or the use of the intended recipient, and is the property of Countrywide Financial Corporation or its affiliates and subsidiaries. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use of the information contained in or transmitted with the communication or dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited by law. If you have received this communication in error, please immediately return this communication to the sender and delete the original message and any copy of it in your possession.

---------end of Scam E-mail------

The easiest way to check for scams is simply to check out Snopes.com or you can simply type in the primary line from anything in question and bring up posts such as this one.

P.S. I appreciate Shasta's comments on this post...but due to a computer glitch, I lost the original post site and had to re-position it in a draft mode spot! Thanks, Shasta for your comment that you wish others would double check before mailing mulitiple forwards out!!!