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Spam Text Revenge
This topic was created by Red Bren.
Spam Text Revenge
I received the following spam text today - "Freemsg 63336: Want to know what 63336 knows about you, your friends or love interest? Reply GOSS + full name & town to 63336 NOW. £2.50/msg. STOP to 85558."
My question to the group is how do we stop this kind of thing? Should we put in a requests under the Data Protection Act for all the information they have on us? And if they have nothing, report them to the Advertising Standards Agency for misrepresentation?
Re: Spam Text Revenge
There were some ads on TV today: "Want to know what ? knows about you? Go to ?.com to find out"
Unfortunately,I can't remember the name, sorry. Channel might have been E4, but can't swear to that either.
Re: Spam Text Revenge
I got these messages after trying out the 63336 question answering service online (you get one question free at 63336.com - where they harvest your email in exchange for one question answered - which usually costs £2.50). I sent a stop to the 85558 number and the messages stopped and I haven't been billed anything for any of the messages to do with this. They seem to be a pretty above board company - I can only think that you've either tried out the free question and forgotten you've done so - or someone else has entered your phone number on their website.
Untraceable SIM cards
... makes this a thorny one. And the spammer could well be abroad.
In the UK you complain first to your mobile phone provider and then to ICO. But what good does that do? Any success stories from them?
Re: Untraceable SIM cards
Nope, the phone companies don't do jack, and nor does the ICO, even when the sender is readily identifiable.
I got bombarded by sms spam from Thorntons, the mediocre chocolate makers, in the run up to one christmas, usually arrive in the small hours. I formally notified them to stop processing my data as per the DPA, and then when they persisted, contacted the ICO, and they did jack.. the problem continued, I did it again, their reaction was the same, despite the fact that they were easy to identify. My number is on the TPS, I had formally notified them that I didn't wish for them to contact me, and I had never previously done business with them, but the ICO couldn't give a fuck.
Obviously, I will avoid their underwhelming chocolate for ever more, and will miss no opportunity to make sure that others do the same (usually by feeding them something better). Twats.
Find out who issued the shortcode and complain to them?
How does a routine SIM card get itself a network shortcode without the co-operation (ie paid for services) of a licenced telecoms provider?
Does the same logic apply to shortcodes as applies to 07/08 non-geographic numbers? I can't work out whether it does but, for those numbers...
The special numbers are issued from a number space which is managed by Ofcon. The current list is online (currently at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/numbering/index.htm) and from it you can find out which licenced telecoms provider is responsible for any given number (or, hopefully, mobile shortcode, but it's not immediately obvious where they are listed).
The licenced telecoms provider hopefully won't be the company spamming you, but the licenced telecoms provider theoretically risks punishment (maybe losing its operating licence) if one of its numbers is being used outside the authorised terms, so it is in their interests to make sure their customers are not doing Bad (Possibly Prohibited) Things. Such as the ever-popular unsolicited calls to TPS-listed landlines.
The licenced telecoms provider is legally required to have a formal complaints policy.
Find out who issed the number (shortcode), give the provider a ring, tell them one of their numbers is being abused, see where it leads. If you get nowhere, make a formal complaint (they are legally required to take them seriously, ie spend time and money on them).
Best of luck. These folks are [censored].
Anti SPAM SMS software
SFR in France now provides anti-SPAM SMS software:
http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sfr.android.sfrantispam
SMS
HI Red Bren
i received two SMS exactly like this in on 13 May 2012 @ 20:31 and @20:31 - when i received my bill i happened to notice i was charged 1.25 and 83p for these SMS - im just about to go complain to my network 02and see where that gets me, if i get any more info on the company behind it i will inform this thread.
Cormac
63336/85558
Texts to 85558 are free.
You will only have received a marketing text if you (or someone with your mobile number) have used the 63336 service in the past. 63336 was previously known as AQA.
Re: the poster who has been charged for these texts. 63336 only takes money if you text them. It is likely that these are charges levied by your network provider.
63336 is a reputable and well established company. If you have any concerns feel free to contact feedback@63336.com
Re: 63336/85558
63336 is a reputable and well established company.
Sorry Mr Marketing Droid, but round these parts "reputable" and "SMS Marketing" are mutually exclusive.
Please crawl back under your rock.
