Help! Pesky advertising SMSs and courier could not do anything about them

[smo]

Last month I got an one-year prepaid net marathon sim from AIS. Mainly for the cellular data, for calling I do top up to my credit balance. Lately the SMS ads came more frequently and caught my attention. I've been losing money in my balance even though I did not even read these SMSs, let alone click on anything inside their message. The headline of a typical SMS ad would have a phone number then in the opening line would be something like CuteGirl theme, etc... I could see that much in my notifications without clicking to open the message itself.

 

So far 3 trips to the AIS store. First trip, the staff helper blocked the ad phone number and refunded my lost credit, also he instructed to call *137 to cancel the ads myself. Well the ads kept coming, the *137 wasn't very effective. Second trip, he blocked the ad number(s) again, refunded my lost credit and advised me to uninstall the "Clean Master Pro" app on my phone. He added that only Android and Windows (mine) phones have this problem, Iphones are fine and bug-free. I did all that he advised and still the ads kept coming.

 

3rd trip today to the AIS store, I wanted to talk to the manager and ask to change for another number - somehow in my mind I thought my number has been "infected" - I know that wasn't very smart thinking but I started getting desperate...The helper today said that probably whatever websites I have been surfing on must have sent me to the ad sites and they got my number through such activities. He advised to do a factory reset on the phone or I could try my sim on another phone to see what happened. It was closing time and the manager wasn't there today so I said ok, I will try on another phone and see what happened.

 

In the meantime, I talked to my thai friends and they all seemed to have to wage similar battles when it comes to those pesky sms ads. They weren't much help because they all are on post-paid so now I would like to see if anyone on thaivisa has successfully gotten rid of those ads and how. Of course such a thing would not have been allowed to happen in the West, the couriers would have to take care of those pests with one quick stroke - it's their responsibilities  and customers would not need to wage battles with anyone. Thank you much in advance, looking forward to your input/advice and  in the meantime wishing you all a good day.

[mtls2005]

This is a relatively common problem, you'll find many many many similar threads here, and on Thai social media and a search might yield some valuable advice.

 

Where did you buy the 12 month Net Marathon SIM? AIS? Or a phone shop?

 

Are the SMSes coming from the same content provider? Try to identify the content provider, then contact them to cancel the service. You can use the AIS web tool or mobile app to get the billing detail, then search for the services and an 02 number for contact. Or have a Thai friend look through pantip dot com searching for cutegirl and//or vclip SMS for options.

 

Most Thais just give up and change numbers although some threaten NBTC, or CPB action.

 

Can't see another phone solving the issue or Clean Master Pro. Your number/SIM/account have been enabled for third-party billing with one or more providers.

 

I would try a different AIS shop, the bigger the better, and ask them to completely disable third-party billing on your account. Failing that, demand a new number.

 

An email to callcenter at ais dot co dot th with details might help.

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ais.mimo.eservice

 

https://myais.ais.co.th/login

 

[mtls2005]

You could also let your balance slide down to zero for a few days/weeks  - I know this may be impossible as you want to make calls - to see if the messages stop and the subscriptions are canceled. Then add 10 baht to see if the services re-enable. 

[smo]

8 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

You could also let your balance slide down to zero for a few days/weeks  - I know this may be impossible as you want to make calls - to see if the messages stop and the subscriptions are canceled. Then add 10 baht to see if the services re-enable. 

Thanks for the helpful advice. I bought the sim at a proper AIS shop at a big mall (Mall Bangkapi) they have English speaking staff/manager.  Last night I tried using the sim on my old iphone and the ads kept coming. So the next thing for me is another trek to their shop and demand a new sim. btw, I got a second sim about the same time for my ipad and that's one has been problem free so far, the small balance I put in there remains untouched. I don't know if because the ipad is not a phone?

Your suggest let the balance run out, then the ads will cancel themselves. But the ads coming from various 3rd parties, so when AIS blocked one, another new one showed up. So I think myriad of them waiting in the wing...

[mtls2005]

10 minutes ago, smo said:

But the ads coming from various 3rd parties

 

It would be good if you could identify the 3rd parties. Were you able to see these on the mobile or web details?

 

How many SMSes are you receiving per day? 

 

Does your phone support two SIMs? If so, keep a zero balance on the offended AIS SIM, just use it for data and keep the balance at zero. Then get a second SIM for calls.

 

Your number (not the SIM per se, or the device) is enabled for third-party billing, and that number has (apparently) been subscribed to a number of services.

 

If you hadn't sunk 1,200 - 2,500 into a 12-month commitment I'd say move on, but now you're sort of stuck having to sort it out. Sometimes it's better to go with a month-month service, even though it's a bit more expensive. 

 

If your balance is zero the SMS provider cannot bill you or AIS. Whether they keep your number on their subscription list I cannot say. 

 

The NBTC call center is 1200, they have an app.

 

 

http://www.ocpb.go.th/ocpb_eng/ewt_news.php?nid=30

 

 

 

 

[smo]

17 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

 

It would be good if you could identify the 3rd parties. Were you able to see these on the mobile or web details?

 

How many SMSes are you receiving per day? 

 

Does your phone support two SIMs? If so, keep a zero balance on the offended AIS SIM, just use it for data and keep the balance at zero. Then get a second SIM for calls.

 

Your number (not the SIM per se, or the device) is enabled for third-party billing, and that number has (apparently) been subscribed to a number of services.

 

If you hadn't sunk 1,200 - 2,500 into a 12-month commitment I'd say move on, but now you're sort of stuck having to sort it out. Sometimes it's better to go with a month-month service, even though it's a bit more expensive. 

 

Yes I could identify them, their phone number shows up right there on the headline of the SMS, they are all different so I don't know how many more are "waiting in the wing." They would come a couple of times a day, despise me doing *137 evertime, so I don't know how more often they would come if I did nothing. So you think I don't need to ask for another sim, AIS could just "transpose" a different/"virgin" number on the current sim?

 

Thanks for the advice (yeah I already paid 2,500 for the sim so I got to get this sorted out) and the NBTC info. The last resort, if the AIS shop won't budge, then I would switch the sim with the one I have on my ipad and see if that number is better....

[mtls2005]

I'm not certain "blocking" SMSes, either by sending number or via a USSD command like *137 really does anything - other than to shield one's eyes - re: charging. I think you'll still get billed, or your prepaid balance reduced by the 3 baht/SMS fee.

 

Again, and for the last time, I would recommend looking at your detailed, line-item charges - on the mobile app or the web-tool - to get a feel for the providers bombarding you. It almost sounds like someone may be pranking you?

 

I was thinking of a way to disable the SMSC in the APN, but not even sure that would work.

1 hour ago, smo said:

So you think I don't need to ask for another sim, AIS could just "transpose" a different/"virgin" number on the current sim?

Yes, AIS is able to map a new number to your current SIM in a minute or so. They may not want to though as mobile numbers are in short supply, but I would push them to do so. Then the next customer gets the problem!

[smo]

thanks for the input, I just read one of the ad sms, it's all in thai, with the phone number in the headlines and 9 baht/per it's also lists 020330075 for what I have no idea, then #137 for cancellation.

the other SMSs have been deleted by the suggestion of the AIS staff.

Anyway, I can't do detective work in Thai so I will go to the store and sort it out with the manager. Again thank you mtls2005  for the time and advice. Much appreciated.

[ArnonK]

I had similar problems with both TRUE and DTAC. In both cases, I visited the Service stations of those Providers and ordered them to disable those SCAM-SMS's immediately. I also offered them to report any more incoming 'Promotion' SMS's to the NBTC with filing a complaint against the Service Providers. 

 

Result: Done directly and since I didn't receive any other SMSs as those from real private senders, NOT any Promotion SMS anymore and that includes those for the Service Provider too.

 

That said, I would suggest entering a Service Station of AIS and do the same I did with TRUE and DTAC!

Edited June 3, 2018 by ArnonK

[smo]

2 minutes ago, ArnonK said:

I had similar problems with both TRUE and DTAC. In both cases, I visited the Service stations of those Providers and ordered them to disable those SCAM-SMS's immediately. I also offered them to report any more incoming 'Promotion' SMS's to the NTBC with filing a complaint against the Service Providers. 

 

Result: Done directly and since I didn't receive any other SMSs as those from real private senders, NOT any Promotion SMS anymore and that includes those for the Service Provider too.

 

That said, I would suggest entering a Service Station of AIS and do the same I did with TRUE and DTAC!

I did that 3 times already, Thu, Fri and yesterday Sat. The shop I go to it's a big AIS shop, not one of those telwiz kiosks, and I've been served by the staff at their service stations, still that didn't lick the problem. So maybe I need to go to a bigger shop? My question is if it's that pretty straigtforward, how come they couldn't fix it?

[Nemises]

What does “smo” stand for?

[ArnonK]

6 hours ago, smo said:

I did that 3 times already, Thu, Fri and yesterday Sat. The shop I go to it's a big AIS shop, not one of those telwiz kiosks, and I've been served by the staff at their service stations, still that didn't lick the problem. So maybe I need to go to a bigger shop? My question is if it's that pretty straigtforward, how come they couldn't fix it?

Maybe they wouldn't? Contact NBTC (National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission of Thailand), you could check via their website: https://www.nbtc.go.th

 

Their full address is: Office of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, 87 Phaholythin 8 (Soi Sailom), Samsen Nai, Phayathai, Bangkok 10400. Thailand 10400 , Tel: 0 2670 8888   Call Center 1200 (Press 2)

 

They having also a Consumer Protection Service for such problems.

[ArnonK]

Just for to mention about that shi**y service of AIS and all related Shinawatra companies like CS-Loxinfo and so on, I had several Court Cases with them and won all of those cases. That was special about overbilled invoices, include SMSs I had never sent out from any of my phones and so on. On the end, I canceled the complete Service of AIS and CS-Loxinfo and I'm happy using TRUE and DTAC for Handies and Internet since!

[smo]

On 6/3/2018 at 8:04 PM, ArnonK said:

Maybe they wouldn't?

I think you're right: they wouldn't fix it.

 

Therefore arm-twisting tactics are required. I carried out my planned attack on Sunday. I talked to the manager, he did a lot of running around literally speaking, even bringing the help guy from Saturday to whom I said, as  promised I did what you told me to do, putting the sim into a friends (in this case myself) iphone (old iphone 4 in my antique phone collection) and still the ads keep coming and I think it's time you gave me a new sim, new phone number or my money back. The help staff retreated respectfully, his role was done. So the manager did some more running around and came back with a new sim and said, how about try this one out for one week and see if you still got ads coming in, if so then it's your hardware.

 

He just said the magic word, "hardware." So I let him have it, my knowledge accumulated from input I received so far on this thread (mostly from mtls2005): no, it's not my phone or whatever phone, windows phone or iphone. It's the number you sold to me, a bad one that has been recycled,  you sold me a bad product and would not exchange for a good one, how many times have I come here already, let's count, I ticked my fingers, thu fri sat and today sunday, 4 times, how many more visits you're gonna make me come next week, another 10 or 20? what kind of customer services is this? If you don't want to make an exchange, I want my money back so I can buy from another store.

 

That's settled it. Even though the manager was still running back and forth a whole lot more, I think I spent roughly 90 minutes in there, seems like the time spent to watch a whole movie. But I came away with a new sims, it's been more than 24 hours, and I haven't received a single ad sms.