43% of all text messages are spam?
posted Mar 1st 2005 1:35PM
This stat seems a little hard to swallow, especially considering that we've gotten exactly zero spam SMS text
messages over the past year, but supposedly 43% of all text messages sent to cellphones last year were spam. The source
of this "fact"? A company called Wireless Services which is in the business of handling text message traffic for
various carriers; coincidentally, one of the services they offer is SMS spam blocking. SMS spam is definitely a big
problem in lots of countries (mobile spam is worse than
regular spam now in South Korea), but considering how few complaints there are about it here in the States, either
the problem isn't that big or the wireless carriers are doing a good job of blocking SMS spam before it gets to
us.
[Via IT Facts]
I get spam from network providers every time I move from country to country in Europe. Seriously, its not that big a problem in Europe.
In the last 4 years of owning a phone, I have only recieved 6 spam messages. They all seemed to ask me to text a reply or ring a number as I had apparently won "a prize" that needed claiming. I expect the mystery prize would have been a huge addition to my phone bill and a nice income for the spam scammer.
I have had a cell phone for 4 years, use SMS a lot, and I have never recieved a spam SMS.
okay.. if I have to start paying for incoming spam sms, I am going to flip out..
I'm an AT&T wirless/Cingular subscriber and there was a time where I received somewhere on average of 5 spam text messages a day. It has really cut down recently. I probably still see 3-5 a month though.
"42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot."
-Steven Wright
http://www.weather.net/zarg/ZarPages/stevenWright.html
I've had ATT for over 2 years now and I have not had 1 bit of SMSpam. I don't buy the 42,7 percent-UNLESS those people send SMS messages to companies for free ring tones and other "special" offers. You're just aking for trouble. You also have to take into account if you got someone elses phone number and now you are dealing with their junk.
you've never received a text spam? madness.
my mobile network spams me, with video adverts, for like washing machines and stuff.
i've asked them many times to stop, they agree, but continue to send me spam texts and videos.
3 suck.
I've been on AT&T and Cingular. I'm still yet to receive a Spam Text Message.
Maybe they're classifying requested messages as spam?
I once received a text message spam. I was so angered about that I made sure to call them and complain (they provided a 1-800-number which I called from a pay phone). When I called they said they would be happy to take me off of their list, I just had to give them my mobile number. I declined though I fortunately have not received a spam text message since.
Marc
Cingular phone for 3 years now. Not one spam message.
Maybe the US is ahead of the rest of the world for Mobile phones...
A bit off-topic, but the girl on the left of the picture works in a department a few doors down from me. They're all (former) students at the University of Bradford in England.
Not had any SMS spam in a while, personally.
I used to get them all the time...I don't know if other carriers allow this, but anyone can send email to Verizon customers by emailing their cell # @vtext.com...oddly, a lot of them were in Spanish. Once I turned off that option, allowing only legit cell-to-cell SMS, it vanished.
Most countries have legistlation in place to protect consumers from recieving SMS/Text spam. If you do recieve one - please contact your local communication authority. Since each message costs something, whether 2 baht, .19 Euro cents, or 3.99 for 300 messages. It cost the sender something.
You are required by law in Australia to give permission to recieve SMS spam. If have not the sender maybe find 75,000 and/or shut down.
The US market is one of the very few that charges recipients for recieving messages, unlike the rest of the world.
We have to fight to protect the sanctity of SMS - we cant let it become hotmail.
I live here in the US and I've had Nextel and ATT and both of them don't charge for receiving messages. They only charge you to send messages. Many, many years ago we were charged for incoming messages but that was over 4 or 5 years ago.
With Cingular (coming in via number@mobile.cingular.com I imagine) I get 2-3 spam SMS a day. In fact I had to pay more for a larger SMS package because it was costing me money, which was very annoying to say the least. When I called to complain, Cingular said they were looking into the SMS Spam problem. Not sure if that means they'll start filtering or what, they wouldn't give any more detail.
I work at Wireless Service Corp, and it is the later. Very few people actually receive SPAM on their phones because all of the carriers block it using filtering. We have probably been filtering text messages the longest, and each month we see the problem getting worse. On an average day we block over 4 Million text messages.
haven't had text spam but can anyone suggest the best solution for email spam/junk filtering on handhelds? my treo 650 has none of the filters my desktop has, so it's all landing in the inbox. and should i worry about virus protection or internet security using the handheld? thanks!