# What's The Scam Here (Text and Dating Profile) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 6, 2010, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scam-here-text-and-dating-profile/556206 "2010-10-06T02:49:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scam-here-text-and-dating-profile/556206/1 "2010-10-06T02:49:16Z")
OK I have a profile on a dating site (for gay people) and twice I’ve gotten this or a very similar message > [@](#): > > I like your profile and figured to drop you a line. you might be the > guy im looking for,i dnt know but it seems you got carisma for me..Lets chat on my mobile make me important by sending me a text.well you can reach me on my phone but im using private number issued by the marine and army company.My phone is set to private for me to screen every message. if ever you wanna get in touch w/ me you need to txt my code first just type NICE send it to 4 6 4 4 9 afterwards type YES then send it again to 4 6 4 4 9. ..anyway it just like ordinary texting… [note: I changed the numbers, so if you try it I don’t know what you’ll get] For starters this guy is supposed to be in Chicago, but who in America says “mobile” they say “cell phone” or “cell.” Also there is never a pic attached to the sender of the message I don’t have a cell phone, so I don’t know anything about texting or whatever ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scam-here-text-and-dating-profile/556206/2 "2010-10-06T02:54:00Z")
The mangled English and the request to “take it off site” makes me think scam. The spelling makes me think idiot. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scam-here-text-and-dating-profile/556206/3 "2010-10-06T02:54:52Z")
That type of thing is often how you sign up for texting services. Have you never seen an ad on TV about getting jokes texted to you by texting a certain numeric code to a certain number? Or getting on a ringtone list? ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scam-here-text-and-dating-profile/556206/4 "2010-10-06T03:00:57Z")
The scam is to get you to sign up for the “dating” service or whatever it is. Sending the messages as described will result in an expensive reoccurring service billed to your phone bill. Googling the number in the ad should turn up what you’d really be signing up for. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scam-here-text-and-dating-profile/556206/5 "2010-10-06T06:36:16Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > That type of thing is often how you sign up for texting services. Have you never seen an ad on TV about getting jokes texted to you by texting a certain numeric code to a certain number? Or getting on a ringtone list? It’s definitely this. When you text the number it adds a special charge to your phone bill. This charge can be anything from a quarter to pretty much any amount you want. People use it for legitimate uses like telethons and fundraisers, (I know a radio station around here had something like that going recently) but it’s also a good way to get a bunch of extra charges added to your phone bill without your consent. It’s the new way of doing 419 scams. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scam-here-text-and-dating-profile/556206/6 "2010-10-06T07:05:29Z")
Forewarned is forearmed Thanks