{"id":487,"date":"2012-07-19T00:52:49","date_gmt":"2012-07-19T00:52:49","guid":{"rendered":"\/blogs\/joe\/post\/Off-Topic-PSA-Beware-of-Cramming.aspx"},"modified":"2012-07-19T00:52:49","modified_gmt":"2012-07-19T00:52:49","slug":"off-topic-psa-beware-of-cramming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sqlskills.com\/blogs\/joe\/off-topic-psa-beware-of-cramming\/","title":{"rendered":"Off-Topic PSA: Beware of Cramming"},"content":{"rendered":"

Unrelated to cramming for certification exams, but back in March I started getting strange text messages in the middle of the night \u2013 sometimes multiple times a night.  The texts varied between celebrity gossip and animal trivia.  For example:<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cLindsay Lohan\u2019s dad, Michael Lohan, and girlfriend Kate Major are expecting their first child together. For HELP call 18888906150\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The source of the text varied \u2013 showing numbers like 835-77, 770-50 and 258-70 \u2013 but the text always contained a \u201cFor HELP call 18888906150\u201d part of the message.  I was worried to call the number, thinking I might get charged, and I was also worried about replying STOP, again because I\u2019ve heard you could be charged (or worse \u2013 they find out they have a live person on the other end who they can spam more).<\/p>\n

Unfortunately until this month, I didn\u2019t pay this issue much attention.  My excuse?  When you\u2019re woken up at 2AM \u2013 it is very annoying \u2013 but then by 6AM I\u2019ve already forgotten that it happened or have other things to attend to.  In the meantime, the frequency of messages increased, and after getting spam texts multiple times last night, I finally researched the number and found out a few things.  <\/p>\n

Turns out this was classic \u201ccramming<\/strong>\u201d \u2013 where a company places unauthorized charges on your telephone bill.  I reviewed my cell phone bill and found charges like the following:<\/p>\n

8. 06\/04 Multiple Types: 9.99 0.00 9.99
IQ30CALL8668611606
Short Code: 77050 ID: 35041
Provider: BuneUS
Contact: 1-800-331-0500
Renew Date: 07\/03\/2012<\/p>\n

10. 05\/18 Multiple Types: 9.99 0.00 9.99
MobibroAlerts
Short Code: 58497 ID: 36301
Provider: Mobibro
Contact: www.att.com\/mobilepurchases
Renew Date: 06\/17\/2012<\/p>\n

04\/02 Multiple Types: 72139 9.99 0.00 9.99
gossiprage
Short Code: 72139 ID: 35821
Provider: Wise Media
Contact: 1-800-331-0500
Renew Date: 05\/01\/2012<\/p>\n

Since March I\u2019ve been charged by three different providers \u2013 $9.99 each for these nightly text messages.<\/p>\n

Here is what I did, and we\u2019ll see if it helps (and your method will vary, so I\u2019m just sharing my experience so far):<\/p>\n