Cell-phone spam: How to curb it

Cell-phone spam still trails computer spam, with the typical cell-phone user receiving at most a few spam text messages per year rather than the thousands that may bombard their computer-based e-mail accounts. But in some ways, cell spam is more annoying. It can cause your phone to ring or vibrate at inopportune times and possibly cost you money—typically 10 to 25 cents per message if you don't have a text-messaging plan.

Since 2005, the CAN-SPAM Act (Controlling the Assault on Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing) has prohibited commercial e-mail and text messages to be sent to cell phones without "express prior authorization." Unfortunately, the law leaves commercial entities lots of loopholes. For example, it doesn't prevent your carrier or its partners from sending you upgrade offers or account notices. Also, non-commercial organizations such as charities and political campaigns can shoot you all the messages they want on your dime.

Here's what to do to minimize your chances of getting unwelcome text messages:

1. Act fast. Call your carrier as soon as you receive a spam message. While that may seem like overkill, immediate action may pay off in the long run. No hard-and-fast rules govern the removal of text-message charges; you may have more luck having a handful of charges waived than waiting until, say, several dozen have accumulated.

2. Block cell spam at the source. Virtually all spam messages come over the Internet via a SMSC (Short Message Service Center) or e-mail/Internet gateway, possibly from overseas. Go to your cell account online and access your e-mail and/or messaging preferences. Then activate the setting that blocks messages over the Internet.

   You needn't block all messages; some carriers like Verizon allow you designate certain addresses from which you don't want to receive texts. That way you can still receive "good" messages from your bank, airline, and other vendors with whom you have relationships. You can also ask the customer service rep for help accessing your account.

3. Report problems. File a complaint with the FCC by filling out online form 1088.

4. Register your cell number to block spam. You may already have registered your landline with the National Do Not Call Registry. You may not know, however, that you can also register your cell number to block telemarketers from sending communications of any type to your cell account.

5. Don't invite more spam. Free or inexpensive ringtones and games from third-party vendors may be tempting. But each such download may unwittingly put you at risk of spam messages or other headaches, such as fraudulent charges and identity theft. The bottom line: As with your computer, never download to your phone from a service you don’t know and trust.

For other tips to protect your privacy, personal data, and computer from online security threats, check out our free Cyber-security section on ConsumerReports.org.

—Mike Gikas

Comments

[Adrienne]

I have always had a non-listed and non-published home phone number. It has worked so far for the home. My cell phone I do not give out on the internet usually unless absolutely necessary.

Today I got a text from e-mail message to the website highbeens.com which I checked is a Viagra site. I immediately registered and will be changing my settings.

I have passed this article along to my friends to help us in this War on SPAM.

[Joseph]

@ Mike Gikas,

I did the same thing as you, Mike. I tried Googling an unknown phone number that turned out to be a telemarketer and came across WhatNumberIsThis.com. To recount, I'd filed several complaints against a couple similar numbers with the FTC. These people were calling on my cell phone about some sort of auto warranty program that was about to expire. Well, I only have a bike at the moment so I knew it was a setup.

The FTC didn't seem real interested in stopping the calls but after I Googled around and came across the WhatNumberIsThis.com site, I found out who the company was and filed a formal complaint against them with the Better Business Bureau. That seemed to fix it.

Joseph

[Ron Sipherd]

I've observed a growing volume of phone spam to my land line phone; two or more a day Monday through Friday at present. Adding to this thread some ideas, products and services to address that (which differs from cell-phone spam but can be just as annoying) would be useful. So far I've found only one device (haven't tried it, don't want to hawk it) that claims to handle it besides the cumbersome and expensive phone-company services. I have heard of software that runs on Macs and Linux systems to filter calls, but you need to run all your incoming calls through your computer and perhaps leave it on 24 hours a day. Other suggestions welcome; we're already on the do-not-call list.

[reggie]

I have a limited minutes plan and I receive close to 10 calls a day coming from telemarketers, mostly automated. I complained to AT&T and they very proudly said "We do not block calls Sir".
I asked "But you charge for all the calls that I don't want your service to route through, don't you?". Their robotic response "As I said, we do not block calls sir".

Everywhere in the world, the quality of service of cellular industry in general is super good and at fraction of the price point in US. no contracts, nothing.

This is just another example of the business (cellular cartel) - government nexus allowing some rich folks (including politicians) to suck every penny out of lower and middle class.

[dawn]

Any suggestions for stopping text messages with T-Mobile. It is a service I don't use, but in the last few months I've started receiving spam messages. I went to a T-Mobile store to have the service turned off. The rep at the T-Mobile store stated that it could not be turned off and then helpfully suggested I subscribe to a $10/month text message plan so the spam wouldn't cost anything.

Dear Dawn,

Here's a step-by-step from ehow.com:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2284403_block-spam-tmobile-phone.html

Let me know if this helps.

--Mike Gikas

[T.J. Modzelewski]

I recently received about 5 spam text messages in the span of a couple of days and do not have a text plan. I had registered my cell number on the Do Not Call list and could not find any info at the Do Not Call website about the law applying to text messages, so I called the FTC.

When I asked if being registered applied to spam texts, it took several minutes for the person to find someone who had an answer, and it was no.

I hope that more people call the FTC and complain about spam texts and with any luck the law will change to include them. As other people have mentioned, spam email and phone calls, to land lines, don't cost anything, but text messages do. The practice of sending spam texts to cell phones is costing people money and the law should protect us from it.

Dear T.J.

I'm sorry, but that "FTC operator--is mistaken. Here are the details on the FCC's own Web site, as we've already posted. Please note:

"Even if you have placed your wireless phone number on the national Do-Not-Call list, the TCPA does not protect you from receiving commercial messages sent to that number if:

* you have given your prior consent to the sender, or;

* you have an established business relationship with the sender. "

--Mike Gikas

[Saagar Ghimire]

What I believe is its the phone companies who do not want to block the messages, simply because it gives them extra income. Otherwise its very simple to write down a message blocking code in their server.

Just imagine how much money can they make out of it, when not even 1 cent is spent while sending 100 text messages, they are charging 10-15 cents each, and that too for both sending and receiving. and there are thousands of people who receive spam messages.

If I get a phone call, I can "ignore" or cancel it if I want to. But I cannot ignore or cancel a text message. If it has come to my phone, my 15 cents are gone (I use T-mobile, who charges 15 cents per text .

In my home country Nepal, receiving of text message is free. and I have come to know a lot of other countries who have no charge on receiving text message. They charge only for sending text messages. Why can't they make such a provision here in US? I think its an alliance of the government here with the corporates to extract extra juice from their customers.

[Armughan]

The problem is that most cell-phone based advertising uses SMS, not e-mail to a third-party service. SMS is direct-to-phone. They’d have to rearchitect to stop spam. They COULD use e-mail to a free service instead, but then they’d likely use the “real-time” notification that many advertisers would prefer. I check gmail from time to time on my phone too, I just don’t get instant notification of a message.

[Lorne]

I *69d a spam phone message today and the number was 123-456-7890 - how do you fight that?

[Don, Woodbine, Md]

Re: "Block cell spam at the source" advice offered; I am with Verizon and they told me they have no way to block ANY text messages, unless you block them all. Is Verizon being truthful with me?

[Geri Dominguez]

When I get robo calls, there is no number shown, it simply says some terse verbage where they cant be identified.

[Michael Gikas]

Dave, try going here:

1. My Sprint
2. My Online Tools
3. Text Messaging
4. Settings & Preferences

I believe you'll be able to block Internet-based messaging at this point.

Please let me know if it works.

--Mike Gikas

[Mike Gikas]

Dear Olga,
The FCC complaint form we mention above also covers voice calls to cell phones (including robocalls). Besides their telephone number, you'll need to note when they called you and the name of the company. If it didn't appear on the caller ID, try Googling the number and see what comes up. (Thats' how I found the details of a marketer that was calling at odd times for several days.)

Hope this helps.

--Mike Gikas

[dave]

It seems to me that my phone company (Nextel/Sprint) isn't very interested in stopping the SMS spam problem. I've been getting spam SMS on my phone regularly at a charge of $0.10 each.

All I want to do is simply block all messages to my phone from everyone except those phone numbers and e-mail addresses that I specify. Unfortunately Nextel/Sprint told me that their spam filter doesn't work that way and that I have to specify each address I want to block (up to 15). This is a completely ineffective way to block spam. It should be trivial to add a feature to their system that permits "Block all except xyz". How can I get this concept through to someone with a clue at the phone company?

[mizolga]

If you are within the registry and get one of those annoying automated phone messages [not text], how does one fight/report those? [usually there isn't a person on the line unless you get transferred to one by authorizing the solicitation!]

Dear Olga,
The FCC complaint form we mention above also covers voice calls to cell phones (including robocalls). Besides their telephone number, you'll need to note when they called you and the name of the company. If it didn't appear on the caller ID, try Googling the number and see what comes up. (Thats' how I found the details of a marketer that was calling at odd times for several days.)

Hope this helps.

--Mike Gikas