You have one message received. So your phone reads. You open and find a long text about something that doesn’t interest you from someone or a number you don’t recognize, and at the end of the write-up you find “Send this to 20 persons today and get rewarded with 'solos amount of money”. You are a recipient of a spam message.
Very likely you’ve been a recipient of these kinds of messages once or more times in the past. Here is all you need to know about SMS spamming.
WHAT IS SMS SPAM?
Put simply, SMS spams are unsolicited or unwanted messages received on mobile phones. These messages may request the recipients to reveal some details to get a reward, they may be an advertisement from some random firms that you did not ask for, and links to some offensive websites that get the sender income for your visit or some too good to be true get rich quick schemes.
SMS SPAM, HOW AND WHEN DID IT START?
The first recorded case of SMS Spamming was by a couple of lawyers named Laurence Canter and Martha Siegel on 5th March 1994 when they sent a viral advert for immigration law services to unsolicited recipients.
SMS SPAM, WHO’S AT RISK?
Everybody. Yes, everyone is at the risk of getting a spam SMS at one time or another in a lifetime. The reason is that technology has so much increased that the world has a huge database of all mobile phone users and their phone numbers. Today, you do not have to dictate your phone digits to someone before they get it. Such is how advanced technology has gone.
SMS SPAMMING, HOW EXTENSIVE?
Since 5th March 1994 when the first SMS Spam was sent, SMS spamming has increased extensively in the world all over today. Almost every user of a cell phone would have received an unsolicited SMS at one time or another.
WHAT DO PEOPLE USE SPAM SMS FOR?
Many renowned spammers use spam SMS
- To spread computer and mobile viruses
- To spread malicious software
- For identity theft
- For financial theft
- To promote offensive websites like pornographic ones
- For deceptive marketing
- To defraud people
- To increase their customer base
SMS SPAMMING, HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF?
A lot of persons in the world have devised various means of protecting themselves from falling prey to SMS spamming. We’ve equally put together a list of a few things you can do to avoid being scammed through SMS. Click here to see them.
While it is true that the fight against email spamming (which is the most extensive form as of now), and SMS spamming is still on, we can limit falling victims of this by taking time to get all the facts we need about this.
In a bid to check spam messages that are scams, GSM operators have a stringent filtering system that filters mobile SMS that is scamming in nature. If you are a bulk SMS service user, you might want to review a list of scam-related words GSM operators do not allow as sender IDs and those not allowed in the content of messages, to avoid being a victim of the use of those words and group of words.
Here at SmartSMSSolutions, we equally have a system that helps check spam messages as much as possible.
If you do not have a registered bulk SMS account yet, register today and get free SMS units as a welcome package.
Have you ever received spam messages before? Or you have unwittingly been a victim of one? Teach us about your experience using the comment box below.