Major iPhone concern

[DJ88]

Hey guys, I've been lurking on this site for awhile reading all the awsome iphone impressions and opinons and I can't wait to join you guys as an iphone owner in a few weeks. Unfortunately a major concern about it sprung to mind today.

I'm already a cingular/AT&T customer paying the 39.99 a month so I'm planning on just paying the 20 extra for unlimited data and 200 texts, but the problem is in the texts. Some workers at the AT&T store told me that browsing the internet could expose my number to potential text messaging spammers and I would be helpless against an onslaught of spam text messages that could exceed my 200 limit and start overcharging me. I asked if there was anyway to block text messaging on the phone and they said there was no way to do it, the only option I have is to pay the 20 more extra to have unlimited texts.

So my question is to all of you people who have the phone is have you had any problems with getting texted unwanted spam or messages? I'm pretty sure the people at the store were either trying to scare me and tricking me into getting the unlimeted texts plan or just stupid.

Anybodys experiences or knowledge about this situation would help me out a ton.

Thanks!

 

[siurpeeman]

i'm sure they were scaring you into buying more texts in your plan. i've never been bothered by unwanted text or spam, on my iphone or any other phone i've owned with cingular/at&t. good luck with your iphone purchase.

 

[p0intblank]

It sounds like AT&T is trying to get more money out of you. I've never heard of this happening to anyone. But then again, I never really thought of it.

 

[growinglogic]

That is a bunch of bull.

 

[diabolic]

Browsing the web isn't going to expose your phone number to anyone.

 

[psycoswimmer]

Can't you just choose to not open the texts that have a subject looking like:

F - R//EE c 11 l 1 s! & v1 A g r 4 $2 . 50

 

[Goldenbear]

Yeah, it's a bunch of FUD, in order to scam... I mean scare you into spending more money.

If you're really worried about it, you can always call and have them disable text messages for your account (or individual lines on a family plan).

 

[growinglogic]

Update: I just checked all the headers* and a few other places and nowhere in there is my mobile number or unique identifier besides the IP address.

Sleep tight. Nobody is stealing your number unless you give it to them intentionally.

* Basically a bunch of information sent from you browser (Safari on iPhone) to the requested server (web site.)

 

[Tazzy531]

Apple would be absolutely pissed off to know that their partner is spread FUD about Apple's product.

This is why Apple has always wanted to and will always try to keep as much control from manufacturing to end user experience in their hands.

 

[DJ88]

Sounds great guys. I was 99% sure they were feeding me bull but I just had to be absolutley 100% sure

Back to anxiosuly waiting for next few paychecks haha.

 

[Furgster]

no problems here

 

[/dev/toaster]

I think there are only a handful of people who would ever need an unlimited text plan. 200 text messages is a drop in the bucket, but 1500 is more then most people should ever need.

I upgraded to 1500 mostly because I get server alerts via Nagios for work. It would only take 1 minor screw up to raise my bill a few hundred dollars.

The unlimited plan is pretty much a rip off.

I have seen SMS spam before, but its kinda rather. Problem is, I can see it being the future of spam

 

[AppleIntelRock]

an AT&T store rep. told me that if I didn't personally give him $30/month in cash... my iPhone would spontaneously combust. Yea ri.......

*BANG*

... my iPhone

 

[BWhaler]

Seriously, never, ever listen to or trust those scumbags at an AT&T store (or any other cell phone company for that matter.)

They are the used car salesman of our generation. They only care about gettig as much money out of you as possible...

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Sounds like the time I was desperate and had to buy a camera a BestBuy. The salesguy told me that the Canon LCDs were very fragile and could crack under high heat conditions (it was summer during a heat wave) and that it wasn't covered under Canon's warranty...but A HA! it was covered under the BB ext warranty. The guy was stunned when I told him I'd pass. "But, he said, replacing the LCD panel could cost you hundreds." Whatever.

 

[TheChillPill]

You guys actually have to pay to receive a text?

To fellow UK users - I think we should quit complaining about our plans now (except the data tariffs, of course)

 

[whooleytoo]

- If you browse to a webpage, you don't send a phone number to the web site host, only your IP address* and whatever user-agent info the browser sends. Which doesn't include a phone number.

- It's possible, but extremely unlikely, that there could be a Javascript exploit in Safari such that visiting certain sites could expose personal information, but that's true of any browser on any platform. If that were to happen, being spammed by txts would be the least of your worries. (You're probably far more likely to be hacked by Bluetooth on any phone than by a web exploit on the iPhone).

- Even if you were genuinely likely to get spammed, they're encouraging you to pay up for the spam attack? Seriously?

- You have to pay for incoming txts? Yikes!

This is ridiculous. If this happened to me, I'd contact Apple and let them know the FUD AT&T are spreading. Given that the killer feature of the iPhone for AT&T & Apple is the internet access, reps scaring customers out of ever using the web browsing capabilities is a major own goal.