[RedRabbit]

Hello,

Im in the midst of writing a blog post for my blog about the local mobile carriers so I thought maybe Il ask for opinions on whether or not I can label this type of advertising as spam.

Mobile carriers here send out SMSs every other day or so if not on a daily basis and one of the network operators has an automated voice calling your phone and starts to tell you about a promotion they have. Usually the promotions are about winning money or something if you send "Win to 3974" etc.

When you buy the sim pack there is no option that tells you whether you want to receive these or not. You simply go to a counter buy one and they give you an instruction booklet with all the numbers for customer service etc. So they dont ever ask for your permission if you want to receive messages from them or not. There is nothing you sign and there is nothing on the little booklet that says you will automatically be subscribed to receive promotional messages.

The other thing is that there are no instructions on how to opt out. I actually called their customer service to find out how I can do that and one of them has a USSD app to opt out, even then after a week I received a promo sms from them. The other operator does not have an opt out method but funny enough after the call I have not received a single text from them. Usually its sent out daily.

So my questions are is this normal of mobile operators in your country to send texts on a daily basis?
and can the above described be considered as spam?

Thanks

[modi123_1]

Quote

So my questions are is this normal of mobile operators in your country to send texts on a daily basis?

No... especially when some of us are not paying for unlimited texting...

Quote

and can the above described be considered as spam?

Yes... or phishing. Depending if they are actually from your carrier.

[Celerian]

Most of the time these are not from your carrier, but a third party company that has managed to get your phone number, either by you entering you phone number on a website, or some company selling your information to their partners. They can get obnoxious if they're occuring a lot. You may want to check with your carrier, because if the problem is bad enough, some carriers will let you change your number without cost. Sometimes you can also block these messages either by number. Some carriers, like Verizon, can even block "Premium SMS" messages. This service is normally free.

Occasionally you will get the spam messages like "Jokester" and if you happen to accidentally send anything but "STOP" you are signed up to their $9.99 joke a day service. Call your provider immediately and cancel the service. They will be able to see that you only had the service available for a few minutes and will remove the charge for you. Of course, all of this depends on your carrier and the regulations set forth by your government.

The ones I can't seem to avoid are the Middle-Eastern guys named Dave and Sam who would like me to remember the last time I bought a medication like Viagra or Cialis from them. They never let me speak to their manager, they apparently don't know what "Take me off your phone list" means. It is impossible to find any true contact information for them, and because their number doesn't show up, you can't block them. To top it all off, I'm inclined not to ignore the call since medical numbers usually are blocked.

[BenignDesign]

Just because things work one way in our country, doesn't mean they work that way in every country.

[jon.kiparsky]

In my book, any electronic messages sent in bulk are spam unless the recipient has signed up to receive them. The usual response from the company's side is that you signed up to receive "updates and offers" when you signed up for the service, but if you keep raising the issue, using the word "spam", they'll generally get you off the lists to stop you using up expensive service rep time.

[h4nnib4l]

Celerian, on 20 June 2012 - 09:38 AM, said:

The ones I can't seem to avoid are the Middle-Eastern guys named Dave and Sam who would like me to remember the last time I bought a medication like Viagra or Cialis from them.

You try something for your little problem ONE TIME...

[Celerian]

Except not even once have I used those types of medications nor bought from this company. I don't order medications online or over the phone, so I'm not sure where they got my contact info.

@B9: Hence why I said, "Of course, all of this depends on your carrier and the regulations set forth by your government."

[jon.kiparsky]

Celerian, on 20 June 2012 - 10:13 AM, said:

Except not even once have I used those types of medications nor bought from this company. I don't order medications online or over the phone, so I'm not sure where they got my contact info.

I'm quite certain that isn't true. I wouldn't have sent you that solicitation if you ...

rather, I'm sure the the marketer of those medications wouldn't have sent you that solicitation if you hadn't expressed an interest in them.

[Celerian]

jon.kiparsky, on 20 June 2012 - 10:15 AM, said:

Celerian, on 20 June 2012 - 10:13 AM, said:

Except not even once have I used those types of medications nor bought from this company. I don't order medications online or over the phone, so I'm not sure where they got my contact info.

I'm quite certain that isn't true. I wouldn't have sent you that solicitation if you ...

rather, I'm sure the the marketer of those medications wouldn't have sent you that solicitation if you hadn't expressed an interest in them.

So it was you! *shakes tiny fist*

[jon.kiparsky]

Celerian, on 20 June 2012 - 10:18 AM, said:

So it was you! *shakes tiny fist*

If those pills are working, you could shake something massive instead...

[modi123_1]

Tiny hands... not good at holding whoopers.

[h4nnib4l]

They must not be, or else why would he be mad that you... I mean they... were calling, trying to refill the scrip?

EDIT: Ahh, THAT must be why he doesn't want any more! I guess that would be pretty frustrating...

This post has been edited by h4nnib4l: 20 June 2012 - 08:36 AM

[BenignDesign]

Celerian, on 20 June 2012 - 11:13 AM, said:

@B9: Hence why I said, "Of course, all of this depends on your carrier and the regulations set forth by your government."

Yeah... I stopped reading after the first paragraph. Too many words for a Wednesday.

[RedRabbit]

Celerian, on 20 June 2012 - 07:38 AM, said:

Most of the time these are not from your carrier, but a third party company that has managed to get your phone number, either by you entering you phone number on a website, or some company selling your information to their partners. They can get obnoxious if they're occuring a lot. You may want to check with your carrier, because if the problem is bad enough, some carriers will let you change your number without cost. Sometimes you can also block these messages either by number. Some carriers, like Verizon, can even block "Premium SMS" messages. This service is normally free.

Occasionally you will get the spam messages like "Jokester" and if you happen to accidentally send anything but "STOP" you are signed up to their $9.99 joke a day service. Call your provider immediately and cancel the service. They will be able to see that you only had the service available for a few minutes and will remove the charge for you. Of course, all of this depends on your carrier and the regulations set forth by your government.

The ones I can't seem to avoid are the Middle-Eastern guys named Dave and Sam who would like me to remember the last time I bought a medication like Viagra or Cialis from them. They never let me speak to their manager, they apparently don't know what "Take me off your phone list" means. It is impossible to find any true contact information for them, and because their number doesn't show up, you can't block them. To top it all off, I'm inclined not to ignore the call since medical numbers usually are blocked.

Celerian I know exactly what you are talking about, however I have not subscribed to anything, let me put it this way, I just moved to Zambia been here for 3 months, I bought a sim card and put it in my phone and these messages get sent on an almost daily basis. I did not subscribe to anything, nor did I join anything or reply to any of their messages I have learned from my experience in South Africa.

It is the carrier that is sending them no doubt at all, I think they are taking advantage of...for the lack of a better word, the ignorance of the populace when it comes to tech stuff and I just created a blog to address such issues so I wanted advice before I hit the publish button.

[Celerian]

You certainly could be an advocate for reform against these spam messages. If its the phone companies in Zambia that are flooding you with these messages, chances are its allowable by law.

And since its a blog you are operating (Personal, I'm going to guess) then you can really express any opinion you wish, again within reason.