How the scam works:
Similar to the Holiday E-cards scam, this one comes as a downloadable item on your computer or phone. You want a specific song to be your ringtone (or a picture to be your wallpaper), maybe during these holidays. That’s when you go on the Internet and look for it.
Unfortunately, several ringtone and wallpaper “providers” are just scammers who will wrap the file into a Trojan virus or key logger – software that records what keys you press and then access your personal files.
Another version of the scam is that the ads you find require you to send a text message to a certain number and then get unlimited free ringtones or wallpapers. The fraud happens when you send the text message – you are automatically signing up for a service that will charge you silently a few dollars a month.
How to avoid:
Always get ringtones and wallpapers from reputable sellers only, which you can find by extensive research. Look for testimonials and reviews, but make sure they are real. Some of the most reputable companies out there are Funtonia, which has over 1 million ringtones and wallpapers, and FlyCell.
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