You may receive a call where the calling party will tell you that he or she is your relative who is in a trouble and ask for money. To tell whetrer this is true, just ask the person some questions that only your real relative can correctly answer. If the questions are answered incorrectly, you have probably just been called from... a jail. Most jails are equipped with GSM jammers, but some are not, and mobile phones are illegally brought to them. Of course, there are no "paying automats" in jails, and due to this fact, the prisoners have no other option for adding money to their accounts than to call random numbers and tell recipients of the calls scary stories about "relatives in trouble".

 

If you receive a message containing automatic APN setup data which you have not ordered, especially when it originates from an unknown number, do not activate it. Trying to access the internet via such an APN may result, for example, to calling a premium rate number (as a CSD access number). Almost every mobile phone software menace can be prevent by usage of mobile safety software, allowing safe usage of your phone in any country.

If someone will tell you that you can download a better, "exclusive" version of Jimm or other mobile IM client by sending an SMS, that person is trying to sell you what in reality is free. Most mobile IM clients, with only a few exceptions, such as Mundu IM, are freeware. Jimm's official site even has a large warning message saying that on it.

 

By the way, it is better to download all Java and especially mobile smartphone software only from developers official sites. Unofficial "mods" of them can make calls or send messages to premium rate numbers (in case of Java you will, however, in most cases be asked by the virtual machine whether you allow the software to call a number or send a message or not) or just steal your passwords. And, of course, do not install any software that you accidentally received via Bluetooth or MMS from unknown senders.

Someone in the street may tell you that his or her mobile phone is discharged an ask you to provide your one for "just a minute". That's one of the methods of how phones are stolen. In some cases, the person takes your phone, then returns it, but after you find that you were given a precisely made dummy which looks almost exactly as your phone did. Tell the person that you can call the required number yourself or send a message to it and ask what to tell the party you are calling. Be careful, however, to avoid dialing premium numbers or sending messages to them. And, of course, if the person is scaring you with violence, your phone, even if it is a very expensive one, is much cheaper than your own life and health.

Never believe calls and messages telling you to call or send an SMS somewhere to become consulted about realty or other subjects.

The so called "stimulating lotteries" (when some kinds of goods are sold with special numeric, alphabetic or alphanumeric codes which should be registered via SMS or internet in order to get some chances to win a prize) are not phone fraud. The cost of SMS is usually really the same as stated on the packages of goods, and registration of codes via the internet is free at all (except price of traffic). And if you win a prize, you really get it.

What to do after someone tried to trick you (or successfully did it)? Immediately contact the customer support of your network operator and tell what happened, including the phone numbers, emails, UINs etc. of those who tried to perform (or performed) the fraud. This will help both your operator and its loyal subscriber community to help fight mobile phone fraud together.