Informal SMS SPAM from Globe Telecoms?
Yesterday, while I'm having my Sunday afternoon siesta when my cellphone sounded an incoming SMS. I quickly grabbed my cellphone thinking it was an emergency (everyone who knows me doesn't want to disturb me during my Sunday afternoon siesta because I turn into a monster once that happens). The message I received goes like this:
From: +639164554544
Date: 8/6/06 12:48 pm
CODE: 23014 3DTI#:00-163-3 due to insistent public demand, Globe is giving FREE 100 worth of load.just pass this msg. to 15 users.dial 222 after<true nga>
I smell something fishy about this text message. Here are why:
Point #1: I do not know the sender of the text. If I do know the number, I should have appeared as a name -- therefore this is a SPAM.
Point #2: The number appears to be a "vanity number" -- number that is bidded out because of unusual combination (4554544 is, IMHO a vanity number because it is quite easy to remember and dial).
Point #3: The message has some sort of a "code" and a specific DTI Registration number.
Based on the things I pointed out above, this may be some sort of an SMS SPAM which, by the way, is being closely monitored by the NTC. The NTC has had a lot of complaints against SMS SPAMs and they have strongly discouraged the major telcos from using it as an advertising/promotional campaign. Since this particular message came from a "private" cellphone number, it will not be counted as an SMS SPAM if I choose to complain to NTC about it.
Is Globe sending its promotional SPAM through private individuals?
Is this just a fluke or will I be receiving "information" about future Promotions and Advertisements through "private" numbers?
I sure hope not...
technorati tags:SMS-SPAM, Globe-Telecoms
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2 comments:
I use Smart and lately, I've been bothered by similar text messages. They are outright advertisements but sent thru private numbers. So I guess both Smart and Globe are spammers. I hope that they would stop soon, because those text messages are very annoying.
It's really annoying to receive these spams from Smart (i'm using talk'n'txt). It's really getting into my nerves specially at times when I am at busy moments. My friends and family members knew when to text and not to text me. But when these spams is sent to my cell, I wish I could sue the company for making me panic.
I usually treat SMS at an unexpected moments to be emergencies. But these spams? B-------! Even if you call the company to tell them about it, the would just tell you stupid response - and that's another b-------!
How I wish I could be Harry Potter's friend, so that I could let him vanish the people there at Smart!
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