Telcos move to stamp out spam messages

MANILA, Philippines - Alarmed by the increasing number of spam text messages globally, GSMA, the global association of telecommunication firms spanning over 200 countries, said it would initiate measures to proactively address this messaging threat to mobile networks.

Spam text is the use of short messaging (SMS) to send unsolicited bulk messages indiscriminately about loan offers, promotions, commercial offerings, advertisements, surveys, political messages or propaganda. It can also be intended for fraud or scams, like load solicitation messages or bogus raffle notifications where mobile phone subscribers are told they have won a prize.

In its study, the GSMA found that 70 percent of reports of spam text are for fraudulent financial services rather than the traditional advertising or promotional scenarios. In the Philippines, the most common form of spam text are social engineering scams, such as loan or spurious promo scams where the call to action was often to simply reply to the sender in order to then con the subscriber into transferring money.

Members of the GSMA in the Philippines include the top telecommunications companies Globe Telecom, PLDT, Smart Communications and Digitel.

The GSMA announced during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain that American telecommunication giants AT&T, Bell Mobility, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless have launched the GSMA Spam Reporting Service (SRS), a worldwide clearinghouse of messaging threats and misuse which have been reported by mobile users.

The GSMA Spam Reporting Service analyses SMS traffic and identifies and aggregates reports of misuse submitted by mobile subscribers of participating networks via a short code. The short code ‘7726’, which spells “SPAM” on most phones, will be used where local national numbering plans permit. Consumers will be able to direct alleged spam to a responsive feedback system, so that appropriate action can be taken by the operator. This action might include investigations, warnings and blocking of senders who have been reported by end users as sending unsolicited or fraudulent messages.

“As mobile phones are such a personal medium, SMS spam feels like a very personal violation and customers may be tricked into becoming victims of fraudulent and damaging attacks,” according to Jeremy Sewell, chief operating officer of GSMA. “The mobile industry is focused on eradicating this scourge. Protecting the consumer and increasing messaging security is a priority.”

In the Philippines, Globe Telecom said it has been implementing measures to curb text spam. These include barring the account from using any Globe ‘unli-text’ promotional offer to disconnecting the line. Globe has also put in place tools where subscribers can report numbers suspected of sending spam text messages. These numbers are then forwarded to the National Telecommunications Commission for appropriate action.