“Following the recent disaster in London, the East Anglian Ambulance Service (in england) have launched the “In case of Emergency ( ICE )” campaign.

The idea is that you store the word ” I C E ” in your mobile phone address book, and against it enter the number of the person you would want to be contacted “In Case of Emergency”. ” (So that medical personnel can readily find your next of kin.

What’s interesting is that this seems to be getting a lot of press around the world, and even in the US I’ve already heard of people doing this….

Suprisingly, I just saw an article saying that there is now an email hoax making the rounds telling people to NOT do that, because it leaves you open to getting a virus on your cellphone.

I’ve seen this article on Snopes.  The virus bit is new, though!

Thanks for pointing out it was on snopes, they’ve now added this:

“Quickly following on the heels of advisories to add “ICE” entries to mobile phones were hoax warnings that doing so would trigger premium charges thanks to malicious text messages or viruses randomly sent to phones to scan for such entries:
To all those who received a copy of the e-mail recommending that the word ICE be added to their phones address book (In case of emergency contact). I can not say for sure that information I have received this morning is legitimate, but better to warn you all.

I am very sorry to report that some small minded idiot has created a text message that is being sent out randomly to mobile phone users, this text has a programme included that searches your phones address book for the word “ICE” or “I.C.E” and if found, you are charged for a premium rate message.

It is a real shame that this sort of abuse happens, could I please ask all of you that have added ICE to your phone address book to remove it immediately. I am very sorry for any inconvenience this might cause.

————————————————————————————————————————

You know the email that’s gone round saying put ICE then a contact number in case of emergency? Well don’t do it cos….

Be very careful with this one - although the intention is great it is unfortunately phase one of a phone based virus that is laying a path for propagating very quickly. Passing it on is part of the virus interestingly, such is the deviousness of the people who write these things.

We have already seen the “second phase” where a program is sent as part of a ring-tone download that goes into your address book and looks for something it recognises - you’ve guessed it, an address book entry marked “ICE or I.C.E.” or whatever. It then sends itself to the “ICE list”, charging you for the privilege.
These warnings are hoaxes: no such danger exists. As the East Anglian Ambulance service noted on their web site:
Email hoaxers are threatening a campaign to encourage people to store contact details in their mobile phones.

The ICE (In Case of Emergency) scheme gained widespread coverage in the wake of Thursday

Sad.  Some people have no scruples.

Exactly my thought. On one hand I’m not sure that American hospital personnel will adopt this or not, but why scare people away from it, just in case? That’s just evil.

When I started reading this, I assumed it meant people were setting their “ICE” to Domino’s Pizza or something.

Well, shoot, I’d at least set it to my doctor…what would my mother do for me in an emergency?  She certainly couldn’t take out my appendix if it needed it.

Maeg, it’s for emergency personnel to dial once they’re fixing you up, or if you’re dead.
Your doctor would be a bit pointless, as it would be for paramedics etc anyway.
It’s so they can contact your family.

Good point.  Then maybe I should input “Jesus” or something - and I could be brought back if I were dead.  Or “A Millionaire” so they can give my family money.

You have Jesus’ phone number?
Cool!

1-800-4-MYGOD.

It’s a toll-free #.  Naturally.

I don’t think people will have any problems contacting my parents seeing as they are listed on my phone as Mum mobile, Mum & Dad, & Dad mobile. And Brother is Bro’.

I think the ICE idea was good, but would give anything to Ice the Twat who instigated the virus.