Watch CBS News

Telemarketers Take Advantage Of Texting Technology

BOSTON (CBS) - Telemarketers are now turning to texts instead of phone calls and there's little you can do to stop it. Ads for prescription drugs, a second income, help getting rid of bill collectors, or even to find your secret crush. These are just like any other texts, so unless you have unlimited texting, the quick messages can add up in a big way on your next bill.

And if you've signed up for the Do Not Call Registry that won't help. The popular service doesn't cover text messaging.

Carl Howe, the director of research at the Yankee Group, says it could be time for a Do Not Text Registry. And thousands of cell phone users agree. The same group that runs the Do Not Call Registry, The Federal Trade Commission, has received more than 4,500 complaints about cell phone spam. But the FTC tells us texts are harder to block than phone calls and at this point a Do Not Text Registry just isn't feasible.

WBZ-TV's Kate Merrill reports

To battle cell phone spam, Howe suggests consumers may want to be more careful about when they give out their mobile phone numbers.

Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint will give you a credit for spam but you have to ask for it.

Tracking down the spammers is no easy task. That phone number attached to the text is usually a fake.

If you'd like to file a complaint about spam on your cell phone log onto the FTC website or call 1-877-FTC-HELP.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.