The eastern province of Jiangsu has cut services to 600 mobile phone users who were suspected of sending text messages to commit fraud, according to local telecommunications authorities.

 

Typically a text message fraud begins with a note to a cell phone user saying they have won a lottery prize and that they need only to pay a fee or taxes to collect the prize. Later they discover the whole thing was a hoax.

 

Over 101 cases of text message fraud have been reported to a hot line since September when the province began cracking down on illegal messaging, sources with the provincial administration of telecommunications said.

 

Part of the problem is that subscribers are not required to register their cell phone numbers. In the hope of curbing illegal activities Jiangsu cell phone subscribers must now register their phones under their own names, the sources said.

 

Jiangsu is also urging telecom operators to help prevent fraudulent text messaging.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 28, 2006)