Cell phone fraud occurs when a person uses, tampers or manipulates your cell phone or your cellular service, without your permission.
What are the Types of Cell Phone Fraud?
There are two main types of cell phone fraud:
- Subscriber fraud: someone uses your personal information to set up a cell phone account.
- Cloning fraud: someone copies the electronic serial number and telephone number of your cell phone, which lets them make a duplicate cell phone and the calls on that cell phone are then billed to your cell phone.
How Can I Protect Myself from Cell Phone Fraud?
To protect yourself against subscriber fraud, be very careful when giving out your personal information. Make sure you only give out your personal information to legitimate businesses. To protect yourself against cloning, find out if your service has authentication services that prevent fraud. Also, always check your cell phone bill for calls that you did not make.
Should I Talk to a Lawyer if I am a Victim of Cell Phone Fraud?
If you think you have been a victim of cell phone fraud, it is very important that you speak with an experienced consumers' rights attorney to make sure you aren't held liable for any fraudulent charges. A consumers' rights lawyer also can help you seek any possible remedies and represent you in court if necessary.