# Mobile Phone Spam...



## paulocon (17 Nov 2004)

Hi all,

A mate of mine received the following spam on his mobile phone this morning....

Need 4 Speed U'ground 2.Buy @ the Software Zone @ Smyth's & get a Memory Card 4 £4.99.To unsubscribe to this text service reply "Smyths stop" to 0868680002

Now, he says he never subscribed to anything and that Smyths would not have his mobile number.

Anyone any ideas how he would have got this message. When I tried to call the number from a landline, it rang out and I got the 'This customer has no mailbox setup, please try later'. Now when I call, it doesn't seem to connect at all.

Any ideas anyone? Also, will he get charged for this?


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## Jildy (17 Nov 2004)

Ring Smyths - Ask for their Marketing Department and ask them to remove your name from their text alert database.

They will tell you that you must have filled in a form in their shop etc.... that's how they got your details, which may or may not be true. I suspect that they bought a database from a 3rd party and gopt the details from that.

Jildy.


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## sunnyday (17 Nov 2004)

> will he get charged for this?


Unless you have subscribed to something like a news service/joke of the day/picture of the day etc. you are not charged for incoming texts. It's only when you reply that you get stung, and this can be quiet substantial in the case of premium rate text numbers like the 5 digit numbers sometimes used for competition entries.


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## rainyday (17 Nov 2004)

See [broken link removed] for advice on this topic from Comreg.


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## podgeandrodge (19 Nov 2004)

*smam texts*

I am recently receiving spam texts of the nature of "someone fancies you" text 57080 etc from an Irish mobile telephone number - 086-6060876 - which according to O2 is registered to Opera Telecom - a british company also operating in Ireland.  They have many agents from what i can gather who use their number to send this crap to people.  However O2 have confirmed that they have responsibility and ownership of the 086 phone number being used to send the spam.

I have sent an email to the company as follows which may sound like the rantings of a lunatic but hopefully will drag a response from them:

Your 353866060876 irish mobile number is responsible for spam text messaging me.I have not opted to receive this rubbish (Cupids Arrow, Win a Holiday etc). I have confirmed with O2 Mobile Operator in Ireland that this number is registered to Opera Telecom.  I am making a complaint to Comreg in Ireland about your (or your agents) activities in relation to spam messages.  I will be confirming to Consumer websites on the Internet that this number is registered to Opera Telecom in order that they can take the opportunity to contact you with any views they may have. I will be providing all these sites with the Opera email address (customerservices@operatelecom.com) and your telephone number in order that they will be able to individually complain to you.  I will also be writing to the Irish Independent and the Irish Times with the same information to ensure that you will have an even greater opportunity to hear the views of those who receive text spam from your mobile telephone number.   Thank you.



Maybe this is a waste of time but I'm mentally tired of receiving this stuff.  I appreciate that Opera may not be directly sending the spam.


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## EAMONN66 (19 Nov 2004)

*mobile spam*

all these unsolicited texts are illegal. you can report the company sending them to the data protection commissioner . before doing that however, i would ring them first and ask how they got your number. it might be listed against someone elses name due to a typo and if thats the case, they probably will rectify the mistake straight away. if they have your details, find out where they got them from and get your details removed from there too.


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## sherman (20 Nov 2004)

*Re: mobile spam*

A friend offered to sign me up to www.sms.ac. Apparently you get free intl. texts.I am a suspicious individual so I did a google, and the site has a shocking reputation for secretly billing you, spamming both mobile no. and email address etc.

If someone invites you to sign up, say no!


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## podgeandrodge (20 Nov 2004)

*mobile spam*

Opera have replied very quickly to me - they have asked for my mobile number and will check which one of their customers are sending the spam.  On the subject of whether unsubscribing to 57080 incurs a charge they have confirmed the following:

In premium SMS their are two billing options MO and MT.

MO: Mobile Origination = your inbound messages to us are charged to you and
our reply messages to you are non-premium.

MT: Mobile Termination = your inbound messages to us are non-premium to you
and our replies can be either premium or non-premium (depends on a "flag"
setting in the heading of the message).

57080 is an MT shortcode


Will let you know how they deal with the spammer in question.


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## wheeler (6 Jul 2006)

I started getting texts last night from 57082. Rang vodafone who told me how to stop it but said that I would be charged for ALL text messages received at 1.25 per message!

At about 1 text per minute I was panicing!

Anyway - unsubscribed and in process of trying to find out how my phone number started receiving them.

Today however another text came through and I called Opera Telecom again. They admitted I shouldn't have received the one today but still haven't figured out how they got my number in the first place. 

I then asked if I would be charged for the message today to which they replied that I would for 1.25
When I asked for a refund they said 'Really - it's only 1.25. It's hardly worth sending a cheque out'

Jeese.. anyone else subscribed to this without their knowledge?


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## Machiavelli (6 Jul 2006)

I received 1 spam sms message last year. I complained to the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner who investigated the matter and concluded the company responsible was in breach of the Data Protection Acts. The company had some neck in the fashion that they collected the numbers.
Here are excerpts from communication I had with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC):

Response from the spamming company to initial query sent by ODPC:
_Mr. Machiavelli's_ "Mobile number had entered in to our database on the 24th June 2005 when he had entered into a competition with us on the short code 53131.The terms and conditions for this service did state that your number would be entered on to our promotional database. By entering this competition the user of the phone agreed to these terms and conditions".

Hmm, where was I on 24th June? Google is my friend!
[SIZE=-1]_U2 fans who attended the Irish band's sold-out gigs in Dublin over the weekend were urged by Bono to text their support for the 'Make Poverty History' campaign. _[/SIZE][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]
[/FONT][/FONT]_Over 16,000 concert-goers voiced their support for the Global Call Against Poverty campaign, using their mobile phones to send their names with the code word 'AFRICA' to 53131. The campaign represents a global movement which aims to double aid from the richest countries to the poorest and to change international trade rules in the lead-up to the G8 summit of world leaders on 6 July. _

I forwarded the above paragraph to the ODCA and subsequently received the following:
This resulted in this Office issuing of an Enforcement Notice requiring x to delete all records of mobile phone numbers recorded in association with the Make Poverty History Campaign at the U2 concert on 24, June 2005.


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## Technologist (15 Aug 2007)

Just got this one from 'FREE' (no phone number given)

"Ur Awarded 100euro credit &HandsFree set! Text HEAD to 57675 to accept NO CHARGE 2collect! info0818286606 xxxxxx reg+subing u@¤36/mth.optout?txt optout 57700"

I never opt-in to anyting and I don't sign up for premium rate 'services'.

What's the scam on this one?

Why can't mobile operators verify the sender numbers and block hacked ones like this one?


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## kevboyce (15 Aug 2007)

I just got the FREE text message too, my first ever spam text.

The only other company to pester me on my mobile was NTL who have been cold-calling me this past month. I emailed them to stop and they replied yesterday that they took me off their list.

But now I start to get spam texts... coincidence?


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## ClubMan (16 Aug 2007)

kevboyce said:


> The only other company to pester me on my mobile was NTL who have been cold-calling me this past month. I emailed them to stop and they replied yesterday that they took me off their list.
> 
> But now I start to get spam texts... coincidence?


Probably.


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## Technologist (16 Aug 2007)

kevboyce said:


> The only other company to pester me on my mobile was NTL who have been cold-calling me this past month. I emailed them to stop and they replied yesterday that they took me off their list.


NTL knocked on my door at 8pm past night. Didn't even bother with the courtesy of asking if he'd caught me at a convenient time or asking my permission to be advertised at, just straight into the sales pitch for broadband. Five minutes later I got the text spam from 'Opera Telecom'.

Coincidence?


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## ClubMan (16 Aug 2007)

Technologist said:


> NTL knocked on my door at 8pm past night. Didn't even bother with the courtesy of asking if he'd caught me at a convenient time or asking my permission to be advertised at, just straight into the sales pitch for broadband. Five minutes later I got the text spam from 'Opera Telecom'.
> 
> Coincidence?


Why do you think that _NTL _might be behind this?


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## beetroot (16 Aug 2007)

Vodafone have a number you can report spam text messages to, just forward the message to 50005 (no idea what happens to them though). I have found that if you use the services of a company (in my case a local pool & bowling complex, home heating company) they have the right to contact you by text but once you inform them to stop then they are legally obliged to.


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## Technologist (16 Aug 2007)

ClubMan said:


> Why do you think that _NTL _might be behind this?


Its was a 'black helicopter moment', just kidding.

But to get mobile and front door spam in the space of 10 minutes was quite a coincidence.

Anyhow the Data Protection Commissioner has had a bunch of complaints on this one and is investigating.

The industry self-regulation body 'RegTel' (which is funded by the premium rate operators) has not responded to my complaint. I'm not surprised.



			
				beetroot said:
			
		

> if you use the services of a company (in my case a local pool & bowling complex, home heating company) they have the right to contact you by text but once you inform them to stop then they are legally obliged to.


Yes, but they cannot pass your details on to a 3rd party without your permission. So, the heating company could text you to book another service when its due, but they can't give/sell your details to a ringtone company. Also, information collected for one purpose cannot be used for another without your consent.


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## Technologist (18 Aug 2007)

Just got another one, similar modus operandi but different short-code:

"Ur Awarded 80euro credit & MP4Player with Video&Music! Text CLAIM to 57030 to accept & collect! MTL 0818300048 Sub ¡ 5euro/week. Optout? Txt quit 57030 "

According to regTel's website, the code 57030 is operated by something called 'Zamano'.

Is there an outbreak of unsolicited spam at present or is it just me?


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## DrMoriarty (18 Aug 2007)

This is an old thread that's been resuscitated at various points over the last three years (see also this one).
Maybe these pestilences occur cyclically, like other patterns of disease/infestation...?

Best advice is to:
(a) _NEVER _text _ANYTHING _to these premium-type numbers,
(b) check your bills asap,
(c) complain forcibly, in writing, to the companies concerned at their Head Office addresses, and CC to all the regulatory authorities — RegTel, ComReg, etc. If the content of the messages refers to a third-party company, add them to the loop and assure them that they've lost a customer for life.
(d) expect nothing from the so-called 'regulatory' bodies but mumbled disclaimers about it being beyond their remit...


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## Technologist (18 Aug 2007)

drmoriarty said:
			
		

> (d) expect nothing from the so-called 'regulatory' bodies but mumbled disclaimers about it being beyond their remit...


You mean a regularity body that is actually a private company funded by the premium rate industry and which operates a voluntary code of practice? Next thing, you'll be telling me there's no Santa Claus.

You'd think it would be possible for cellphone companies to allow customers to block SMS messages which don't have valid originating numbers?

Does this happen anywhere?


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## DrMoriarty (18 Aug 2007)

Technologist said:


> You'd think it would be possible for cellphone companies to allow customers to block SMS messages which don't have valid originating numbers?
> 
> Does this happen anywhere?


In Ireland (I don't know about other countries), the mobile phone companies themselves pocket a substantial slice of the fees charged by the premium service providers. Why would they mess with that, or allow the 'regulatory' bodies (also funded by them) to develop teeth?


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## beetroot (18 Sep 2007)

After a couple of months getting spam messages (at least a couple every month) I decided to do something about it. Using the 5 digit code at the end of the sms I checked the operator on regtel.ie then contacted the operator. It turned out to be Operatele (who were very helpful btw). They got my mobile number from a) texting into a quiz on the Matt Cooper show b) ordering tickets for a Corkadorca production show in Cork. Maybe it's my own fault for giving out my mobile, but I never asked for unsolicited texts (often of a sexual nature). The lesson is, be very very careful about giving out your mobile to anybody.


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## Technologist (19 Sep 2007)

I never use SMS services (except person-person) and still got SMS spam.

I've initiated a complaint with the Data Commissiioner, but I'd guess the culprits will eventually get off by claiming it's a typo.

 My phone company won't block SMS from dodgy sources with clearly bogus originating numbers (like 'FREE' and 'CREDIT'). It should be possible to opt out of all non person-to-person SMS but the phone companies are biased towards the 'service' providers.

The only hope is that one of the phone companies will offer privacy prtection as a feature to attract customers who are being presently being pestered.


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## gipimann (20 Sep 2007)

In the past 3 weeks I've had SMS spam from a gym (I was a member over 3 years ago), a hairdresser (where I regularly visit), a beauty salon (where I visited once) and a garage (where I bought a car 5 years ago, and haven't contacted for 3 years).   The hairdresser & garage texts were sent from regular mobile phone numbers and did offer an opt-out reply, the other 2 were sent from landlines which I phoned with no success.

Are texts cheaper than putting fliers in the door now?


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## Seagull (21 Sep 2007)

If enough people react to these messages by getting back to the company sending the spam, and telling them they are not going to do any further business with them because of it, and actually follow up on the threat, it might stop.


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