Cell phone text message spam - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

rockzilla · 07-22-2003, 06:06 PM

In the span of a week, I got a dozen text message spams advertising garbage like Viagra and penis-growing methods on my cell phone. I get billed $0.10 per text message I recieve. I'm not as pissed off about the extra $1.20 on my phone bill as I am with the fact that I am now paying to be spammed. I have since disabled text messaging, as I never used it and voice messages are free.

I thought it might be fun to try to reclaim my $1.20 from the company that sent me these messages, but I have no idea where to start, the phone company couldn't (or maybe wouldn't) tell me who these guys are. All I want is a cheque for $1.20 and a written apology from these guys that includes the phrase "We are truly sorry that we wasted your time and money."

Anyone else gotten text messages like these?

Anyone have any ideas how I could track down these guys and make them pay me?

Is there a law against this? If not, there oughtta be.

I don't expect to win this fight against the big spam corporations, but it's the principle of the thing.

greathornytoad · 07-22-2003, 06:17 PM

I use rogers/at&t and I use to have that problem. I e-mail customer support and they directed me to their web site where you can choose not to recieve any spams.

zfleebin · 07-22-2003, 06:22 PM

I get em all the time but they are always in spanish.Its kind of fun to try and figure out what they are saying.

denim · 07-22-2003, 06:23 PM

Didn't they give a way to buy? That'd be the way to complain, no?

rockzilla · 07-22-2003, 07:11 PM

That would have been the best way, unfortunately I just deleted the text messages as I got them after reading the first page out of reflex, not really thinking about how I was paying for it. It took getting my phone bill to go from mildly annoyed to a fit of righteous disgust.

Cynthetiq · 07-22-2003, 08:16 PM

AARGH!!! I hate those freakingthings!!!! esp on the phone

sadistikdreams · 07-22-2003, 08:31 PM

that is sooooo stupid.

cross a telemarketer with spam

kill it, kill it all!

dastrike · 07-22-2003, 08:38 PM

I don't understand the point of having to pay for received text messages.
Over here it is the sending of text messages that costs, receiving is free.

And I don't think I've ever got any real spam in the form of text messages during the 6 years that I've had a mobile phone.

punx1325 · 07-22-2003, 10:18 PM

Im the same as dastrike I don't have to pay for for any text msgs I recieve. I would call the company or switch providers. I have AT&T and I am happy with them.

badflsh · 07-22-2003, 10:45 PM

Is that even legal? I am pretty sure there was some legislation (consumer telecommunications act or something like that) that prevents telemarketers from calling cell phones based on the fact that the person being called is charged money. I am surprised this isn’t covered as well.

Charlatan · 07-23-2003, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dastrike
I don't understand the point of having to pay for received text messages.
Over here it is the sending of text messages that costs, receiving is free.

And I don't think I've ever got any real spam in the form of text messages during the 6 years that I've had a mobile phone.

Unfortunately, unlike most of Europe where incomming calls and text is free... we must pay to BOTH send and recieve...

Really pisses me off when I come back from Europe.

ninety09 · 07-23-2003, 08:44 AM

I only received one spam message. It was from fox.com telling me to watch Banzai! Best spam ever =D

Subwoofer · 07-23-2003, 01:47 PM

I still havent had a text messege on my cell phone (Lucky me), but I do believe its stupid and rediculous for paying people to spam you

redrum · 07-23-2003, 09:45 PM

I can beat all

I get spam porn on my vision phone for sprint.

thats right, SPAM PORN. They send me porn pics to my phone....

this is just a bad thing.

MSD · 07-24-2003, 01:00 AM

Sprint has free messaging included with their internet package. Maybe it's a way of apologizing for the service area.

Radiospank · 07-24-2003, 01:09 AM

da strike do you like millencolin???

tikki · 07-24-2003, 12:40 PM

I must be lucky, because I have never gotten spam on my cell phone. Maybe it just hasn't hit the podunk midwest yet.

cetacean · 07-24-2003, 06:47 PM

I get spanish spam on my cell phone too! No clue what they say...

dastrike · 07-24-2003, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Radiospank
da strike do you like millencolin???

Not the greatest fan, but yes, my username has been inspired from there.

kikcer · 07-24-2003, 08:18 PM

Yup, i've gotten a few. Mostly only from my phone company but only very occasionally.

Careful who you give your cell number to!

Coolidge · 07-24-2003, 09:38 PM

I would ask a lawyer buddy or maybe take advantage of a free consultation?

I know that advertisements through faxes ARE illegal mainly because of ink costs, so I would really look into it.

nothingx · 07-24-2003, 11:23 PM

Man, first time I get spam on my cell phone I'm gonna freak out and kill someone.... well, I'll be really pissed anyway.

07-22-2003, 06:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
rockzilla Junkie Location: The Kitchen	Cell phone text message spam In the span of a week, I got a dozen text message spams advertising garbage like Viagra and penis-growing methods on my cell phone. I get billed $0.10 per text message I recieve. I'm not as pissed off about the extra $1.20 on my phone bill as I am with the fact that I am now paying to be spammed. I have since disabled text messaging, as I never used it and voice messages are free. I thought it might be fun to try to reclaim my $1.20 from the company that sent me these messages, but I have no idea where to start, the phone company couldn't (or maybe wouldn't) tell me who these guys are. All I want is a cheque for $1.20 and a written apology from these guys that includes the phrase "We are truly sorry that we wasted your time and money." Anyone else gotten text messages like these? Anyone have any ideas how I could track down these guys and make them pay me? Is there a law against this? If not, there oughtta be. I don't expect to win this fight against the big spam corporations, but it's the principle of the thing.

07-22-2003, 08:16 PM	#6 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	AARGH!!! I hate those freakingthings!!!! esp on the phone __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

07-22-2003, 08:31 PM	#7 (permalink)
sadistikdreams lonely rolling star Location: Seattle.	that is sooooo stupid. cross a telemarketer with spam kill it, kill it all! __________________ "Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials." -Lin Yutang hearts, by d.a.

07-22-2003, 08:38 PM	#8 (permalink)
dastrike Upright Location: Sweden	I don't understand the point of having to pay for received text messages. Over here it is the sending of text messages that costs, receiving is free. And I don't think I've ever got any real spam in the form of text messages during the 6 years that I've had a mobile phone. __________________ ♥ .se

07-22-2003, 10:18 PM	#9 (permalink)
punx1325 Junkie Location: San Diego	Im the same as dastrike I don't have to pay for for any text msgs I recieve. I would call the company or switch providers. I have AT&T and I am happy with them. __________________ If something seems too good to be true, then it probably is....

07-22-2003, 06:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
greathornytoad Banned Location: vancouver	I use rogers/at&t and I use to have that problem. I e-mail customer support and they directed me to their web site where you can choose not to recieve any spams.

07-22-2003, 06:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
zfleebin Addict	I get em all the time but they are always in spanish.Its kind of fun to try and figure out what they are saying.

07-22-2003, 06:23 PM	#4 (permalink)
denim Banned Location: Massachusetts, USA	Didn't they give a way to buy? That'd be the way to complain, no?

07-22-2003, 07:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
rockzilla Junkie Location: The Kitchen	That would have been the best way, unfortunately I just deleted the text messages as I got them after reading the first page out of reflex, not really thinking about how I was paying for it. It took getting my phone bill to go from mildly annoyed to a fit of righteous disgust.

07-22-2003, 10:45 PM	#10 (permalink)
badflsh Tilted Location: Oregon	Is that even legal? I am pretty sure there was some legislation (consumer telecommunications act or something like that) that prevents telemarketers from calling cell phones based on the fact that the person being called is charged money. I am surprised this isn’t covered as well.

07-23-2003, 08:44 AM	#12 (permalink)
ninety09 Flavour of the Weak Location: Canada	I only received one spam message. It was from fox.com telling me to watch Banzai! Best spam ever =D

07-23-2003, 01:47 PM	#13 (permalink)
Subwoofer Upright	I still havent had a text messege on my cell phone (Lucky me), but I do believe its stupid and rediculous for paying people to spam you

07-23-2003, 09:45 PM	#14 (permalink)
redrum Crazy	I can beat all I get spam porn on my vision phone for sprint. thats right, SPAM PORN. They send me porn pics to my phone.... this is just a bad thing. __________________ "you say erb....we say herb.....because theres a fucking H in it"

07-24-2003, 01:00 AM	#15 (permalink)
MSD The sky calls to us ... Super Moderator Location: CT	Sprint has free messaging included with their internet package. Maybe it's a way of apologizing for the service area.

07-24-2003, 01:09 AM	#16 (permalink)
Radiospank Upright Location: LA	da strike do you like millencolin???

07-24-2003, 12:40 PM	#17 (permalink)
tikki Justified Location: West Lafayette, IN	I must be lucky, because I have never gotten spam on my cell phone. Maybe it just hasn't hit the podunk midwest yet. __________________ Take notice. Take interest. Take me with you.

07-24-2003, 06:47 PM	#18 (permalink)
cetacean Insane Location: New York, NY	I get spanish spam on my cell phone too! No clue what they say...

07-24-2003, 08:18 PM	#20 (permalink)
kikcer Upright	Yup, i've gotten a few. Mostly only from my phone company but only very occasionally. Careful who you give your cell number to!

07-24-2003, 09:38 PM	#21 (permalink)
Coolidge Tilted	I would ask a lawyer buddy or maybe take advantage of a free consultation? I know that advertisements through faxes ARE illegal mainly because of ink costs, so I would really look into it.

07-24-2003, 11:23 PM	#22 (permalink)
nothingx undead Location: nihilistic freedom	Man, first time I get spam on my cell phone I'm gonna freak out and kill someone.... well, I'll be really pissed anyway.