Crackdown On Mobile Phone Sms Spam

[george]

Ring off!

Govt gets tough on adverts sent to cellphones

BANGKOK: -- Fed up with pestering SMS messages? Authorities have come up with an idea to rescue you.

"We plan to introduce something like a 'Do Not Call Centre' in a bid to block unwanted SMS messages," PM's Office Minister Satit Wongnongtaey said yesterday.

Satit is also the chair of the Consumer Protection Board.

In foreign countries, telemarketers and attentiongetters are barred from contacting someone who has registered his or her phone number with a Do Not Call Centre.

A meeting of the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB), National Telecommunication Commission of Thailand, all mobilephone operators and Office of the Insurance Commission will discuss the issue on July 4 in a bid to identify ways of blocking unwanted SMS messages, Niroth Charoenprakob, secretarygeneral of the OCPB said.

Selling phone numbers

"We'll find out how advertisers get consumers' personal numbers," said Niroth. "The OCPB will ask relevant agencies such as mobilephone operators to help block the SMS messages and ask them to open hotlines for consumer complaints. We'll also consider new regulations to guard people's privacy.

"Our initial investigation found that some banks give customers' numbers to insurance companies so they can sell policies via mobile phones. We also found that numbers had been sold to advertisers by cellphone operator employees and administrators of certain associations," he added.

'Irritating' ads

The OCPB is getting more and more complaints about pestering phone calls and SMS messages. Satit revealed his idea after a survey by Assumption University on Sunday showed most people wanted the government to step in and protect them.

Of 1,379 respondents, 71.6 per cent said the government should stop such intrusive marketing techniques from disturbing their lives.

Many respondents cited "irritating" adverts for fortunetelling services, credit cards, games, photos and ring tones.

Satit said he would be pushing the idea of a personaldataprotection law as a way of stopping the selling on of mobile phone numbers. "I expect the draft bill to sail through Parliament at its next session," he said.

In the meantime, the Consumer Protection Board will ask the operators for their cooperation.

"Consumers' personal data should be protected," said Satit.

-- The Nation 2009-06-17

[Robert44]

Pleaseeeeeeee - blxxdy messages drive me crazy.

[jackdanielsesq]

Then watch the SMS junk mail escalate out of sight!!

BR>Jack

[Bagwan]

About bloody time too. I am totally teed off with this seemingly unstoppable assault on my privacy.

A week ago I was having a lie down since I wasn't feeling too chipper as I was convalescing after a sojourn in hospital. Somebody rang the bell at the entrance to my palatial slum, not once but three or four times. I raised myself up and went to see who or what was demanding my attention whilst I was engaged in a private quiet moment. I found no less than 4 'suits' complete with attache cses and clipboards and they immediately launched into an unmistakable sales patter - in Thai. Sod the 'keng inside' admonishments of my beloved, I went straight to hurricane force tirade. As I glanced around for something nasty, or solid, to augment what was coming their way, I told them in no uncertain terms, as if they needed confirmation, that I was less than enchanted at being disturbed. If I want to buy a washing machine or a toffee apple I go to the mall. That is what it is for - I think - although others may have other ideas. If I want some other service I will go to an agent or the company's office. What next? Staff from the ever avaricious BPH calling to see if I need an operation or some medication? I do not want to be persued into my home, a refuge from the cruel world, to augment the bottom line on a company's balance sheet.

My eyes alighted on the garden hose and I rushed to turn the tap on and pointed the jet at my tormentors. The sight of them hurtling down the soi at high speed more than assuaged my annoyance. The guy who lives next door who witnessed the event, a cop, was in hysterics over the event. It was clear that I had had a sympathetic audience so maybe this was more than a temporarily irascible farang venting his spleen.

[hkt83100]

Ring off!

Govt gets tough on adverts sent to cellphones

So stop the stupid SMS-pesting from AIS first. On some days I get 3-5 of these annoying messages

[frenchFARANGbkk]

Even after asking 3 times to AIS 12call to stop sending this bullshxt they send again and again, hopeless...

[Pond Life]

Agreed, nearly all of my spam text comes from AIS.

[farangpattaya]

Ring off!

Govt gets tough on adverts sent to cellphones

So stop the stupid SMS-pesting from AIS first. On some days I get 3-5 of these annoying messages

Than stop moaning, phone 1175 and ask them to cancel any service that was added to your sim card, causing these messages.

[farangpattaya]

Even after asking 3 times to AIS 12call to stop sending this bullshxt they send again and again, hopeless...

Yeah right, if you ask them to stop sending these messages, thay'll say yes ok sir and nothing will happen, because it's not AIS that send you the messages, but affiliated services, like MPay or Mobillife.

Usually, when you buy a "cheap" sim card, a lot of useless services are embedded. First thing you should do is phone 1175 and cancel all these services.

[noahvail]

Even after asking 3 times to AIS 12call to stop sending this bullshxt they send again and again, hopeless...

Yeah right, if you ask them to stop sending these messages, thay'll say yes ok sir and nothing will happen, because it's not AIS that send you the messages, but affiliated services, like MPay or Mobillife.

Usually, when you buy a "cheap" sim card, a lot of useless services are embedded. First thing you should do is phone 1175 and cancel all these services.

Agreed, AIS call centre is flipping worthless. Called 4 times so far, to ask them PULLEASE - stop txting me at 1 or 3 in the morning!!! And each time I see the new stupid ad that shows how willing they are to hire the deaf. It's a nice thought I guess, but I start to think that's the only kind of person they hire for their call centre. Colour me angry

[richard_smith237]

I've had this phone number for more than 4 years. One of the first things I did was to ensure that there no extras; sms' etc... Then recently, the sms' started up, it became very annoying with sms' at obnoxious times (i.e. 5am etc) waking me up, one of the most annoying was a news network (turning my phone on silent is not an option)...

... I called the AIS centre and had all the messages stopped. 95% of them have, and now I only get about 1-2 sms' per week. One of the things I have been very careful about is that I give my number out to friends only and never to shop assistants, or anything possibly related to marketing.

In my case - Calling the AIS centre worked.

[george]

Calling AIS worked for me as well, but you have to be a bit patient as it takes a few months for AIS to forward your block requests to their ad partners. I am on postpaid AIS.

[DaleBlue]

Is the call free or charged at 3 Baht/min? What about visit one of their offices in the shopping mall?

[jeffer]

Never used the phone service but a visit to the local dtac office saw the SMS spam stop for good after a couple of days

AIS was not so easy. Don't know what the problem is but after four visits it still hasn't stopped.

I don't know what they are thinking when they send out an SMS early in the morning. Getting woken up only to see some silly marketing SMS, good way of making sure I would never have anything to do with the advertiser.

[filingaccount]

I have never after calling the call center of DTAC, AIS and True received more than an SMS or 2 peer week. Mostly the SMS' are from the company itself. I don't know what they say as my mobiles do not recognize Thai characters.

How do you get the SPAM to stop?

1. Call the call center.

2. Talk slowly and use very simple words. (eg. I do not want SMS SPAM. I can not read Thai. My phone can not read Thai. Make the SMS SPAM stop)

3. Wait. If within 24 hours you receive some spam, save the message and caller details, call again, repeat step 2 and include any caller ID info if asked. Always polite, always without anger and impatience.

4. No more problem.

[surayu]

About bloody time too. I am totally teed off with this seemingly unstoppable assault on my privacy.

A week ago I was having a lie down since I wasn't feeling too chipper as I was convalescing after a sojourn in hospital. Somebody rang the bell at the entrance to my palatial slum, not once but three or four times. I raised myself up and went to see who or what was demanding my attention whilst I was engaged in a private quiet moment. I found no less than 4 'suits' complete with attache cses and clipboards and they immediately launched into an unmistakable sales patter - in Thai. Sod the 'keng inside' admonishments of my beloved, I went straight to hurricane force tirade. As I glanced around for something nasty, or solid, to augment what was coming their way, I told them in no uncertain terms, as if they needed confirmation, that I was less than enchanted at being disturbed. If I want to buy a washing machine or a toffee apple I go to the mall. That is what it is for - I think - although others may have other ideas. If I want some other service I will go to an agent or the company's office. What next? Staff from the ever avaricious BPH calling to see if I need an operation or some medication? I do not want to be persued into my home, a refuge from the cruel world, to augment the bottom line on a company's balance sheet.

My eyes alighted on the garden hose and I rushed to turn the tap on and pointed the jet at my tormentors. The sight of them hurtling down the soi at high speed more than assuaged my annoyance. The guy who lives next door who witnessed the event, a cop, was in hysterics over the event. It was clear that I had had a sympathetic audience so maybe this was more than a temporarily irascible farang venting his spleen.

The Yakult drinker of TV surely love them, it seems they can't get enough of that

[samgrowth]

Now Mark wished he did not send those stupid messages when he became PM. Even though the telcos all say they do it for free, Mark, who benefited from it may have to pay fringe benefit tax. It all adds up to a lot of bahts.

The tax man are push by the opposition to look into the matter now.

[Scott]

They drive me nuts. I'll be making the call that others have suggested. Hope they stop.

[george]

Update:

Phuket placebos for cell phone 'spamdemic'

Mobile phone spam in Thailand is beginning to anger consumers and may soon be curbed.

PHUKET: -- Fed up with the annoying SMS messages and breathless phone calls imploring you to buy awesome ring tones? The Thai government wants to help you, but here in Phuket, at least, don't expect much interim relief from your mobile phone service provider.

"We plan to introduce something like a 'Do-Not-Call Center' in a bid to block unwanted SMS messages," said Prime Minister's Office Minister Satit Wongnongtaey earlier this week.

Satit is also the chairman of the Consumer Protection Board.

In foreign countries, telemarketers and attention-getters are barred from contacting someone who has registered his or her phone number with a Do-Not-Call Centre.

The Consumer Protection Board (CPB), the National Telecommunications Commission, mobile phone service providers and the Thai Insurance Commission will discuss the issue on July 4 in a bid to identify ways of blocking unwanted SMS messages, Niroth Charoenprakob, secretary general of the CPB said.

The CPB is getting more and more complaints about the annoying phone spam.

"We'll find out how advertisers get consumers' personal numbers," said Niroth. "The CPB will ask relevant agencies such as mobile phone operators to help block the SMS messages, and ask them to open hotlines for consumer complaints. We'll also consider new regulations to guard people's privacy.

"Our initial investigation found that some banks give customers' numbers to insurance companies so they can sell policies via mobile phones. We also found that numbers had been sold to advertisers by cellphone operator employees and administrators of certain associations," he added.

A recent survey by Assumption University showed that most people want the government to step in and stop the spam. Of 1,379 respondents, 71.6 per cent said the government should put and end to such intrusive marketing techniques as they disturb peoples' lives.

Many respondents cited "infuriating" adverts for fortune-telling services, credit cards, games, photos and skin whitening creams.

Satit said he would be pushing the idea of a personal data protection law as a way of stopping the 'selling-on' of mobile phone numbers. "I expect the draft bill to sail through Parliament at its next session," he said.

Meanwhile, it seems that Thailand's mobile phone service operators, whose business is the sale of phone calls, don't want to receive any. The Gazette's efforts to reach the three providers in Phuket were futile. The AIS office, on Chanacharoen Rd in Phuket Town, insisted that it actually does not have a telephone number and told our reporter that anyone wanting to do business "must" walk in.

AIS does have a national "Call Center" (1175), but after the protracted music it defaults to 'We're busy; leave your number and we'll call you back".

DTAC, the nation's second largest operator (after AIS), has an office on Thalang Rd near the post office in Phuket Town, but no telephone number. Like AIS, they accept walk-in inquiries only. Their national placebo is at 1678. Spam cessation requests are not on the menu.

True Move also does not publish a telephone number, but its placebo, at 1331, offers an opportunity to speak with a human being. He or she may or may not be able to assist, depending upon the complexity of the caller's issue. Our reporter was unable to develop any useful information on spam control.

-- Phuket Gazette /The Nation 2009-06-19

[samgrowth]

Be careful. Calling any of these numbers 1175, 1678 and 1331 cause 3 Baht / min. Even when they put you on hold. I think this is the way they make money.

[andyc2006]

Then watch the SMS junk mail escalate out of sight!!

BR>Jack

That's what I'm thinking the result will be...

Sleazy annoying spam-vendor: "Mr. Govt, can I have that list of people who don't want spam SMS's and phone calls, to avoid calling them?"

Mr. Govt: "Well sure, consciensious business-doer, here you go."

SASV: "Thank you."

And off SASV goes with a whole new list of millions of phone numbers to spam.

[jaideeguy]

Is there no way to simply block the sender with your mobil phone settings?? Shurly with all the features on today's cell phones, there must be such a feature on some phones.

I have a simple black screen bullet proof nokia that only talks and listens, reliably......no video, color, touch screen, camera, more than basic games that I never use, but I would consider upgrading if I could find a phone that blocks senders.

[wrecker]

The solution obviously does not lay in a "no call" center but in privacy laws. If draconian fines would be imposed on the owners of the businesses selling telephone numbers without written en explicit permission from its owner the problem would quickly disappear. The banks could be easily identified who are behind this scam, they are the banks who are asking you if you like to notify the receiver of an amount that you sent to an ATM or ADM by sms, and those who gove the free service of notifying you every time when you have used your atm card about your balance.

By the way, I am using two mobile phone service providers AIS and Dtac. The first one does not give a rat's ass about the number of sms that you receive the latter is very helpful in cutting access to your number on request.

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi.

I used to get those on Hutch (postpaid) about one per day. A single call to the call center and it stopped - 100%, i did not get a single one again ever since.

The same with D-TAC - no longer receiving SMS, however there at least every few days i receive automated CALLS where a recorded female voice tells me something about ringtones and new promotions. According to the call center this can NOT be stopped as the computer "picks numbers at random", at least those originate from D-TAC and are not from third parties. But it is particularly annoying for it's persistence - when i don't pick up the phone (the number starts with a "*" so i know it's "them") it rings again and again and again until i DO pick it up.

My boyfriend receives about three to four SMS per day on his AIS phone, after several (!) calls to their call center without anything happening he simply gave up and set his SMS alert to "silent". Those originate partly from AIS and many from all sorts of third parties, including banks and hospitals (!) So we know which banks and hospitals NOT to use

Best regards.....

Thanh

[bubba]

Perhaps we should post a "Name and Shame" list here of companies that employ SMS spamming so that we can avoid doing business with them. I'll start:

ANA Garden in Thonglor. I made a booking there about a year ago and gave them my mobile number when I made the booking. Since that time, I have received regular SMS advert spams. I've replied to them several times and asked them to remove me from their list, and even phoned and spoken to a manager, but the spams continue.

[samgrowth]

Just call up the sender and <deleted> him/her over the phone untill his/her ear drum burst. I am sure he/she will never SMS you anymore.

[Hawkup2000]

Seems like they have changed their minds again; no crackdown, they just divert all sms to me instead. Only today I've got nine (9!) commercial sms and it's only noon .