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What is the Wireless AMBER Alerts™ Initiative?
The Wireless AMBER Alerts Initiative is a voluntary arrangement among the wireless industry, law enforcement agencies and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to distribute Wireless AMBER Alerts to subscribers. Subscribers must have a device capable of receiving text messages and must choose to receive Wireless AMBER Alerts.
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How does a Verizon Wireless customer opt-in for Wireless AMBER Alerts?
Customers can opt-in by going to www.verizonwireless.com, and choosing "send TXT messages" from the GetItNow. drop-down menu, or by logging directly into www.vtext.com, Verizon Wireless’ TXT Messaging site.
At the www.vtext.com, customers sign in with their mobile number and password. Once there, customers go to the "Alerts" page, and choose the "News and Tech" category. The Wireless AMBER Alerts icon will appear on that page, and when customers click on that, they will be prompted to enter the zip code for which they want to receive the Wireless AMBER Alert.
Verizon Wireless customers may also go to the Wireless Amber Alerts website (a website managed by CTIA). Once there, the customer will be asked for his or her telephone number, and after entering it, the Alerts page of www.vtext.com will come up on the screen, and the customer will follow the same instructions as above.
At the www.vtext.com, customers sign in with their mobile number and password. Once there, customers go to the "Alerts" page, and choose the "News and Tech" category. The Wireless AMBER Alerts icon will appear on that page, and when customers click on that, they will be prompted to enter the zip code for which they want to receive the Wireless AMBER Alert.
Verizon Wireless customers may also go to the Wireless Amber Alerts website (a website managed by CTIA). Once there, the customer will be asked for his or her telephone number, and after entering it, the Alerts page of www.vtext.com will come up on the screen, and the customer will follow the same instructions as above.
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If I opt-in for Wireless AMBER Alerts, will I receive every AMBER Alert issued?
No. During the opt-in process, customers will be asked to designate the zip codes for which they want to receive the Wireless AMBER Alert.
Note: All 50 states have AMBER plans, and a full list is available at the NCMEC's website.
For those states that have statewide plans, choosing any zip code in the state will ensure the customer receives any AMBER Alert issued in that state. However, if they choose five zip codes in a state with a statewide AMBER plan, they will receive the same Alert five times.
For states with regional plans, customers must choose a zip code located in that region in order to receive an Alert issued in that region.
Note: All 50 states have AMBER plans, and a full list is available at the NCMEC's website.
For those states that have statewide plans, choosing any zip code in the state will ensure the customer receives any AMBER Alert issued in that state. However, if they choose five zip codes in a state with a statewide AMBER plan, they will receive the same Alert five times.
For states with regional plans, customers must choose a zip code located in that region in order to receive an Alert issued in that region.
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If I decide I no longer want Wireless AMBER Alerts, how do I unsubscribe?
To unsubscribe, a customer should visit the vtext.com site and delete the Wireless AMBER Alert from his or her list of alerts.
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Will customers receive the Amber Alert if they are traveling outside of their home calling area?
Yes. Wireless AMBER Alerts will be delivered the same way as any other text message, so they will be sent if the customer is in a roaming area.
TXT messages are stored and saved for five days, so if a user’s handset is turned off, if the mailbox is full or if the customer is outside of the roaming area, several attempts will be made to deliver the Wireless AMBER Alert within those five days.
TXT messages are stored and saved for five days, so if a user’s handset is turned off, if the mailbox is full or if the customer is outside of the roaming area, several attempts will be made to deliver the Wireless AMBER Alert within those five days.
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If a customers is visiting New York, but has signed up for Wireless AMBER Alerts in the Los Angeles zip code, will they still receive that LA Alert? Will they receive a NY alert as well?
When a customer is traveling, they will still receive the Wireless AMBER Alerts for the zip codes/areas they chose when they opted in to the program. So, if a customer is visiting New York, but has signed up with a Los Angeles zip code, and an AMBER Alert is issued in Los Angeles, the customer will receive that alert.
If an alert is issued in New York, the customer will not receive that alert even though they are physically in New York at the time the alert is issued.
If an alert is issued in New York, the customer will not receive that alert even though they are physically in New York at the time the alert is issued.
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What are the criteria for issuing a Wireless AMBER Alerts™?
NCMEC will initiate the transmission of AMBER Alerts to wireless carriers after law enforcement has issued the alert and the following criteria, recommended by the U.S. Department of Justice, has been met:
- There is reasonable belief by law enforcement that abduction has occurred.
- The abduction is of a child age 17 years or younger.
- The law-enforcement agency believes that the child is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death.
- There is enough descriptive information about the victim and the abduction for law enforcement to issue an AMBER Alert to assist in the recovery of the child.
- The child's name and other critical data elements, including the Child Abduction flag, have been entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC).
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