If you are under the impression that spamming is confined to the Web and E-mail, you are wrong. Very wrong! According to recent research, text spamming is now a big problem. So, we all need to be more careful with our cell phones and one way to do so is to use stronger passwords and turn off your location tracker.
“Spam messages coming from SMS and messaging apps are becoming more widespread. Indeed, more than half of text message users worldwide receive an unsolicited message via SMS at least once a week, and more than a quarter say they’re spammed every day. Mobile Ecosystem Forum (MEF), a global trade body that addresses issues facing the mobile industry, and CLX Communications, a provider of cloud-based communication solutions for enterprises and mobile operates, surveyed 5,850 mobile media users in Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Nigeria, South Africa, the U.K. and the U.S. Most are being spammed frequently. In addition to the 28% of SMS users who are receiving unsolicited messages via SMS every day, 26% of mobile messaging app users are getting spam on their over-the-top (OTT) messaging apps just as frequently.”
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I was unaware that spam is going to sms and other messages frequently. I never receive spam text messages, which might be because I usually have my location services off. 6 in 10 users get spam messages each week, which seems unjustified. However, in this generation it makes sense for spam to target people’s texts because people of all ages text more than they call. Of course I think that all spam is wrong, but if I were the spammer, I would definitely target this type of messaging system. Additionally, people are more aware of email and call spam, which creates a new area for spammers to go to, aka text messages. Since everyone opens up their texts, even from unknown numbers, we must all be aware of this new and frequent spam.
Every time I hear my house phone ring I don’t even bother to pick it up. About 6 to 7 times a day, I get a call from the “IRS,” and when you pick up the phone it’s someone from India trying to scam you into giving your social security number and other personal information so that they can hack into your bank account. This was actually spoken about in the news and they gave some tips on how to spot and avoid these callers. I’ve never received a spam text message thankfully, but it’s not a surprise that they exist. Spam exists in email, phone calls and now text messages. I think service providers need to come up with a solution to this problem because it’s clearly not going away and is very inconvenient to everyone.
Perhaps this is a problem companies need to address. In a world where, as the article states, spamming is commonplace on emails, it is not thought to exist in the text message medium. As a result, users maybe confused when they are spammed with SMS. My concern is that if one receives a spam text message and is not aware that the message is spam (i.e. let’s see your a discover customer and you have mobile alerts activated and you receive a spam text asking for verification for your credit card number from a fake discover/card company), there can be serious repercussions. This is why I think it is important for companies/firms that hide consumers’ confidential information (credit card, banks) to address this problem on a grander scale, so consumer don’t make a mistake in responding to a fake text.
While reading this article, I recently got a spam text — the first since I have changed my phone number 2 years ago. Everytime someone calls me from an unknown number, I have a tendency to Google it’s phone number to see whether or not the call is for me or in order to scam me. Most of the time its a scam, but there is, on occasion, where the call is important to me. SMS is a little more cryptic because the text comes in a form of either an email or random letters. Either way, I block all the unwanted messages/calls that I receive. With the technological age in a rise, I don’t think there is any proper way to avoid this — best opinion I can give is never put your phone number on random sites.
* Duly noted on turning off location tracker. This is something new to me.
After personally experiencing this I can say it definitely annoys me. There are days when I get between 3-5 text messages that are spammed and I have never heard of these websites or people. Awkwardly these spammed text messages are from dating sites saying people in my area would like to meet up. I can see how they find my email and spam that, but I thought my phone number would be harder to find.
Text messaging is the new norm in society so it only makes sense that they are the new target for spam mail. I have received very few spam texts but I have seen a few. I think we have to be extremely careful where we put our phone numbers and I am guilty of putting my actual number on some forms that I probably should have avoided. For so long the cell phone has been relatively left alone when it comes to spam mail, whether it be calls or texts but I am starting to see this change. My email address and home phone number have both seen its far share of spam messages but I feel like my phone is still my private line. I know that this isn’t the case and as I get more calls from random numbers, I know that the text messages will be following shortly after.
I was unconscious that spam is going to sms and different messages every now and again. I never get spam instant messages, which may be on the grounds that I for the most part have my area benefits off. 6 in 10 clients get spam messages every week, which appears to be unjustified. Nonetheless, in this era it bodes well for spam to focus on individuals’ writings since individuals of any age message more than they call. Obviously I surmise that all spam isn’t right, however in the event that I were the spammer, I would focus on this kind of informing framework. Moreover, individuals are more mindful of email and call spam, which makes another territory for spammers to go to, otherwise known as instant messages. Since everybody opens up their writings, even from obscure numbers, we should all know about this new and regular spam.
unaware, not unconscious. 🙂
I’ve been on the receiving end of spam phone calls and text messages as most of us have, and I can say it is definitely annoying. I get calls at work saying I’ve either won a prize or that I have an important message from the government. I know I’ve put my phone number down for one or two things but to get this many calls is just ridiculous. My house phone is no longer touched because all the calls are just spam. If people are trying to get a message across, there has to be another way because this is just inconvenient.
I have not really been a receiving end to the spam text messages. Of course, I have had many spam phone calls. I think sometimes it is just smart to handle these things in a certain way. When I get phone calls from an unknown number, i just don’t pick up. 99.9 percent of the time, if it is important, they will leave a voicemail. It is also smart to not put out phone numbers online anywhere. Lots of social media websites such as Facebook have options put your phone number on your profile for everyone to see. Some of these spams will always happen no matter what but it is beneficial to limit who has all your information.