Are Cell Phones the New Credit Cards?

Calling all Canadians! Protect your cell phone number with the exact same caution as you would a credit card!

Canadians are being warned that in the ever-increasing mobile society, technology has advanced to the point that shoppers can pay for goods and services while on the run by typing in their cell phone number. Yes, the cell phone is now morphing into a credit card.

Warnings about this were issued after numerous Canadians alerted CBC News that they were scammed into signing up for expensive text message schemes after entering their cell numbers through quizzes and games. To their bewilderment, they actually signed up for "Premium Text Messages." These messages you pay for in addition to regular text message fees – an additional cost that can be as high as $5 per text.

Now, although this is really a scam, it is one example of how easy it is for your cell number to be used for nefarious activities.

Many people tend to provide their cell phone numbers to anyone, but it's information that should be treated with more sensitivity. Iain Grant, head of a Montreal-based telecom consultancy said in an interview with C.B.C., "Your cell phone number is far more than just a phone number."

Although it is not as common in Canada yet, in Europe, people use their cell phones to pay for small services. Several cell-related services are headed to Canada including fundraising. Last month, the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association assisted in the launching of mobilegiving.ca, a website that takes online charity donations simply by typing in a cell phone number. This is technology that makes many nervous because cell numbers are used as frequent, if not more frequent, than home telephone numbers. 

RFID tags are a part of every day life as they are embedded in items purchased at stores. They are essentially tiny microchips, some being only 1/3 of a millimeter in width, and they act as transponders. Several banks are working on ways to make cell phones into a credit card by adding in it, an RF chip.

So with this technology on the horizon, Canadians beware! Keep your cell phone number sacred and never give it to anyone unless it is a trusted source.