Cell Phone Myths
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© 2008, andrews.com, all rights
reserved
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I just don't understand why people pass on hoax emails.
Otherwise intelligent people get an email that, to me at least, is obviously a
hoax. And here these people, many that I like and trust, send it on like it's
absolute truth. Their friends sent it to them, and their friends to them...
what are all these people thinking?
I guess one of the reasons these things get passed along is that sometimes the
story is plausible. Sometimes they are well written and compelling. So how does
one recognize a fraudulent story, and what do you do if you just aren't sure?
Most fraudulent emails plead with you to send this message to everyone you
know. Generally speaking, as soon as I see that, I know it's bogus junk. Heck,
even if it's not bogus, it's junk. The story will often warn of danger or is
emotionally touching. They are usually from a friend of a friend of a friend
and have been forwarded over and over. They often quote an expert (doctor,
hospital, lawyer, university, etc) who confirms the story as fact (but they
didn't really).
But what if you think, well, just maybe, the story is real? Before you send it
on, check out the story at Snopes.com. They
have a great database of real and fraudulent stories and you can usually find
the truth there.
That said, let's take a look at some widely circulated cell phone myths and
hoax emails:
Cell Phone Numbers Being Released To Telemarketers
Every year like clockwork an email gets circulated warning that cell phone
numbers are about to be released to telemarketers and you have to put your cell
phone number on the FCC's Do Not Call
list by such and such date. If you don't, your gonna get a ton of calls!
While you can put your cell phone number on the Do Not Call list, there are
already regulations in place that prevent most telemarketing calls to cell
phones. There is no 'release' of cell phone numbers to telemarketers, and no
set date upon which you need to register your number with the Do Not Call list.
You can do it anytime.
Starting Your Car Via Cell Phone
This myth states that if you lock your keys in your car, you can call whoever
has the second remote for your car and they can hold their remote up to the
cell phone and press the unlock button. At the same time, you hold your cell
phone pointed at your car. The signal will travel through the cell phones and
unlock the car.
That would be pretty handy. But unfortunately, car remotes transmit signals by
radio frequencies. Radio frequencies don't travel over phone.
Secret Code To Activate A Weak Battery
The idea here is that there is a secret code that activates a battery reserve.
When the battery is low, you can tap into this reserve to extend battery life.
There is no code and no hidden reserve. There is a code on some phones that
reduces power consumption at the expense of sound quality, which would lead to
a longer battery life. If you are interested in that you can check your owners
manual to see if you have that option.
Don't Use Your Phone While It's Charging
If you do, it will explode, or maybe electrocute you, depending on which email
you get.
Any electronic device that is broken, or used in a manner which it wasn't
designed for, has a potential to be dangerous. But are cell phones inherently
unsafe when being charged? No. If cell phones were spectacularly blowing up or
electricuting people it would be a BIG deal, on the news, warnings from the
feds, all that stuff. Cell phone companies would be having massive recalls, not
wanting to be exposed to the liability. This story is a myth.
Worldwide 112 Emergency Number
This myth indicates that there is a world wide emergency number, 112, that will
connect you to emergency services, even if your network is unavailable, even if
you can't get a signal, an any country in the world.
There are parts of Europe that use 112, but it's not world wide, and you still
have to have a signal. Here in the US, use 911.
Student Avoids Assault By Dialing #77
In this story, someone poses as a highway patrol officer and tries to pull over
a college student driving her car down a dark, quiet, highway. She calls a
highway patrol dispatcher by dialing #77 and finds out the patrolman is fake.
The story goes on to say that everyone should be aware of #77.
A few states do use #77, but others use different numbers, and there are many
different law enforcement agencies. So instead of trying to figure out
different codes for different states and different agencies, use 911. If you
are being pulled over in a deserted area, put on your flashers and slow down as
a signal that you understand, call 911 and ask them to relay a message to the
officer of what your intentions are, then continue on until you find a well lit
location with other people around. You can still be cited for failure to heed
an officers commands, but considering the possibility of harm, it may be the
better option.
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