Citibank SMS SPAM
Yesterday, I again received two SMS SPAM from CitiBank on my Globe phone and it goes like this:
From: 2327
Date: 8/16/06 1:07 pm
CITIBANK: Get P500 back on ur very 1st PayLite transaction of at least P15k from Aug 2-Oct 31 '06. Call 9959999/4233000 4 details. Per DTI-NCR # 2602. S2006
Immediately following is this message was another one saying:
From: 2327
Date: 8/16/06 1:07 pm
This message is from CITIBANK. To stop receiving messages. reply CITIBANK OFF To accept messages, reply CITIBANK ON.
People may argue that this does not constitute SPAM since it provides for a way to opt out. However, most Email SPAMs also has an opt-out clause at the end of their messages -- which actually verifies your email address opening up a floodgate of succeeding SPAMs. Other people may say that the sender (in this case Citibank) is kind enough to give people a chance to opt out BUT...
Won't replying to this message entail a cost on my part? The last time I checked, it costs more to send to four-digit numbers (around P2.50 versus the P1.00 for regular SMS). Why would the burden be on the SPAM receiver to spend for opting out of this marketing "service"? In cast that the opting out is "free" (as if anything in this life is indeed "free"), the burden is still with the receiver of the SPAM who did not ask for it in the first place.
CALLING NTC!!!!!!
From: 2327
Date: 8/16/06 1:07 pm
CITIBANK: Get P500 back on ur very 1st PayLite transaction of at least P15k from Aug 2-Oct 31 '06. Call 9959999/4233000 4 details. Per DTI-NCR # 2602. S2006
Immediately following is this message was another one saying:
From: 2327
Date: 8/16/06 1:07 pm
This message is from CITIBANK. To stop receiving messages. reply CITIBANK OFF To accept messages, reply CITIBANK ON.
People may argue that this does not constitute SPAM since it provides for a way to opt out. However, most Email SPAMs also has an opt-out clause at the end of their messages -- which actually verifies your email address opening up a floodgate of succeeding SPAMs. Other people may say that the sender (in this case Citibank) is kind enough to give people a chance to opt out BUT...
Won't replying to this message entail a cost on my part? The last time I checked, it costs more to send to four-digit numbers (around P2.50 versus the P1.00 for regular SMS). Why would the burden be on the SPAM receiver to spend for opting out of this marketing "service"? In cast that the opting out is "free" (as if anything in this life is indeed "free"), the burden is still with the receiver of the SPAM who did not ask for it in the first place.
CALLING NTC!!!!!!
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1 comment:
I was a victim of this CITIBANK SPAM. Never did I subscribed to their SPAMMING of Marketing Promotions nor did I request that my number be included in such.
To quuote the statement of Citibank: "Aneth Lim, assistant vice president for public relations of Citibank Philippines, said the SMS promo was meant to target the bank's credit card holders and people subscribed to their mobile phone services.
Lim said Citibank strictly enforces the opt out policy in all its SMS promotional activities.
"We're closely working with Globe, our service provider, on sending this promo. We comply with all regulations," she added, stressing this will not entail cost for the subscribers."(INQ7.net, August 17, 2006).
That is not true.
How can the subscriber opt-out without charge, ladies & gentlemen, they are using a globe number 0917 890-23-27. ("CITIBANK: Get 1,000 bonus rewards pts when you convert 3 retail transactions to paylite. Valid until July 31,2006. Call (02)423-3000 now! DTI-NCR# 2079,S06")
Everytime a customer replies to that number top stop the messages, they get no response. I am thinking that the GLOBE number is connected to a computer which uses the number as access to send spam to hapless victim at anytime of the day.
NTC should call the attention of Citibank and Globe.
Sent an email to Citibank to raise my complaint and the response was:
"We wish to inform you that we have forwarded your opt-out request to the
appropriate unit as of July 27 to have your name removed from our
Marketing list. Kindly allow at least 10-12 weeks for your request to
take effect."
12 WEEKS!!!!!?????
Opt-in from other content providers is done REAL-TIME!!! as soon as the request is done by subs.
Oh well..
NTC, its your call then.
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