Here's a stranger one sent to me and my wife same 440 area code different numbers following. They stressed us specifically by name like "heyyaaa so and so" "add me on yahoo messenger." When we respond it tells us they have no reception... Its just crazy cuz they had separate numbers but said the same thing and knew us by name.

440-670-3278 makes unsolicited calls which are charged to the recipiens phone

unwanted call, it wastes my minutes!!!

This was very helpful. Thank you.

They are using multiple numbers because I received a text from 440-864-0570. I deleted the same message. Thank you

I think they changed their phone number again or have multiple numbers because I just got one from
440 864 3583...
saying exactly the same thing about being a winner for an iPad ...

how do I prevent this from coming?
or do I have to bear with it as long as I hold a phone....?

This site is tablet-tryout (dot) com.  Their identity is protected by whoisguard, but whoisguard does not condone protecting spammers.  Report them at http://www.whoisguard.com/report-spam.asp.

They must have switched phones... now it shows a message coming from 606-259-1978.  Be advised of this scam... I bet that the number appearing is spoofed.

Got same from 440-864-8710.  "Your latest entry into our contest has made you a winner. Goto Http://bit(dot)ly/IXeU1o to claim your iPad..."  Link goes to tablet-tryout(dot)com

They just started with me...And they also are flooding facebook with the same scam. I reported them to facebook last night and they started sending text messages six hours later. Sounds like they have some access to facebook accounts too because I reported them and now my phone which is attached to my facebook account is getting spammed.

...and it continues...My latest entry into a contest...that I've never entered...has made me the WINNER!!! of a new iPad...If I just goto http://bit.bogus-link.com and enter my code I can prove that I'm a bigger idiot then the idiots that send these text messages.  

Can't the cell phone companies BLOCK these kind of things

got the same message, thanks for the heads up. Delete!

THIS IS A WELL KNOWN SCAM.  If you want to know more, keep reading.

SMS Text message scams:

These scams are very common.  Millions of such text messages are being sent.  Here are the things you need to know.

(1) The message did not come from Walmart, Best Buy, Apple, Target, or any other legitimate company.  This is a scam.

(2) If the message is about a loan, trouble with your mortgage, etc., it is also a scam.  If you apply for such a loan you will be giving the scammers all of your personal info, which will allow them to steal your identity, empty your bank account, target you with phony collections activities such as the payday loan scam, and any other crimes they think up in the future.

(3) If you get a text message from an unknown sender asking you to call a phone number (often claiming to be from a bank or credit card company) DO NOT call the number.  If you are concerned that such a call might be legitimate, look up the number for your bank/credit card/whatever for yourself, and call that number to check if the message is legitimate.  (It is almost certainly a scam unless you have told your bank to send you text message alerts,)

(4) Walmart/Best Buy/Apple/Whoever did not give the scammers your phone number.  The volume of these spams is so huge, that it is inevitable that some recipients will have just been shopping in the store whose name is used in the scam.

(5) The scammers who sent you this message do not "have" your phone number.  They are blasting huge blocks of numbers which are assigned to cell phone carriers.  You might look at getting these messages as "winning" a random drawing.  Lucky you ;) .

(6) DO NOT visit the links contained in such messages.  Some of these are malicious web sites which will infect your computer.  The scammers will have full access to all of the information on your computer, and they will also be able to commit criminal acts using your computer to hide behind.

(7) PLEASE do not post working links from scam text messages.  If you want to post a link, break the link.  Instead of posting www.google.com, simply post www.google (dot) com.  Having such links can be useful to those of us interested in getting these web sites shut down, but we do not want them to be in a form where someone will be tempted to click on the link to satisfy their curiosity.

(8) Please do not bother the folks at your local store about this scam.  They don't know any more about it than you do.  If you must get some validation beyond this post, contact the national headquarters for the company in question.  Unfortunately, they can't tell you as much about it as those of us who try to track these creeps down, but they are very aware of the scams, because they are disruptive and harmful to the companies whose names are being used.

(9) For those who are wondering, I can't tell you who is originating this scam.  I can tell you that they use Internet hosting companies in the US as well as overseas.  I have had good luck getting the hosting companies to shut these sites down, but the scammers are prepared for this, and it only disrupts them for a few hours at most.

I hope you find this helpful.

got the same text again!

SMS Message: "Your latest entry into our contest has made you a winner! Goto bitly.com/IXeU1o to claim your iPad, enter code 9857 to qualify. Claim before 4-17-12"

Was smart enough to come here first! Deleted it afterwards.

SMS MESSAGE FROM 4409858933: "Your latest entry into our contest has made you a winner! Goto bitly.com/IXeU1o to claim your iPad, enter code XXXX to qualify. Claim before 4-17-12"

Delete!

SMS MESSAGE FROM 4409858933: "Your latest entry into our contest has made you a winner! Goto bitly.com/IXeU1o to claim your iPad, enter code XXXX to qualify. Claim before 4-17-12"

I clicked on it thinking it was a response from another legitimate contest that I've entered. It directed me to tablet-tryout.com, where I entered the 4-digit code. After entering the code, it stalled at the next page, displayed a message to the effect of having to re-enter the code elsewhere and was in the process of redirecting me to that page. AND THEN myAT&T APP ALERTED ME THAT MY CURRENT BILL IS AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING, AND IT ASKED FOR MY PASSWORD. Not sure if that's a coincident in timing or a phishing attempt so I immediately closed all programs, uninstalled the myAT&T application and turned off my iPhone for several minutes before turning it back on. I wanted to see if the myAT&T alert would still re-appear asking for my password even after I had uninstalled it. Nothing yet...

DON'T CLICK ON THE LINK, IS MY ADVICE.

I got a message from the above number saying I won a contest and to got to bitly.com/IXeU1o to claim the prize. That turns out to be a site called tablet-tryout.com. The contest was counting triangles and came with a message from a friend.