On Countering Text Scams and Spams.

A few months ago, I received this text message from an unknown number.
It read, "Your postpaid has been charged P500 for LTE use. Is this a wrong charge? Text 500 send to (2909*******) for Refund."

Just another text scam.

I knew right then and there this was a text scam - an attempt to 'extort' money through 'share-a-load transactions'. After all, I am subscribed to Globe's Unli Data Plan and there is absolutely no chance in hell (pardon the idiom) that I'd be charged extra for my supposed LTE use. Also, I'm pretty much aware that advisories from Globe do not come from 16-digit numbers such as the one above. Instead, they are labelled 'GLOBE' and appear as such on your inbox.

These text scams have become pretty rampant these days, and Globe has addressed this issue by implementing a new process where customers doing Share-A-Load transaction will be sent a validation text message.

Validation message.

Customers doing a Share-A-Load or a Share-A-Promo transaction will be asked to confirm their transactions. The step is intended to address proliferation of text scams that trick customers into doing Share-A-Load transaction without their knowledge.

The validation message reads as follows: “You are about to share PXXX load with 0916XXXXXXX. Reply YES within 5 minutes to proceed. P1/transaction. Report text scams to www.globe.com.ph/stopspam.” The validation message would come from 2652xxxxxxxxx where the last 9 digits are the transaction number. Replying to the message is free of charge. On the other hand, customers who fail to reply within 5 minutes will receive the following message: "We're sorry, but your Share-A-Load/Promo transaction has been cancelled because the response time exceeded 5 minutes. Please try again. Thanks!"

Last month, Globe reduced the amount of Share-A-Load transaction to a maximum of P150 for prepaid customers and P300 for postpaid customers to counter text scams asking for P500 Share-A-Load transactions. Text scam messages are varying everyday using spiels like rewards, loyalty, MSF discount, roaming and bill overcharge, waiver of charges, refunds, etc.

Globe urges its customers to immediately report thru http://www.globe.com.ph/stopspam and provide all the details required. Numbers that are reported as source of text scams will be immediately blocked from the network. Following the telecommunication company’s intensified efforts to combat text spams and text scams early this year, the number of reports using the website has reached over 42,000 since it was created in June 2014.

Globe Telecom launches Anti Text Spam Campaign.

"Pre-selling condo in Global City, Taguig! We offer no DP, 0% interest!"
"Interested in getting a cash loan? Get as much as 500K, no collateral, no cash out easy approval!"
"Congratulations, your sim number won Php 1M! Call this number to claim your prize."

I only like spam if it comes from a can. :)

Sounds familiar? These are but one of the many text messages that I've encountered throughout the years. They're spam messages - unsolicited, come from unfamiliar numbers, and often times annoying.

Is there a way to avoid receiving spam messages like these? Apparently, there is.

Globe Telecom launched a campaign to address continuing proliferation of unsolicited promotional materials sent through short messaging service or text messages, commonly known as text spams, which many subscribers find to be annoying and bothersome.

"To help reduce, if not eliminate, text spams, the telecommunications provider has put in place several channels through which subscribers can report text spams", said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Head of Corporate Communications.

Subscribers may report via the Globe website through Talk2Globe Chat (http://chat.globe.com.ph); send a message through Globe Contact Form (http://globe.com.ph/talk2Globenow) and by tweeting @Talk2GLOBE on Twitter. Subscribers can put in the number, the exact message, and the time and date the text spam was received. "Numbers that are reported to be source of text spams are first sent warnings and those that are persistent source of text spams are deactivated from the service", Crisanto said.

How to block spam messages on your Android device.

While the company takes utmost care in safeguarding data, records and documents gathered in the process of conducting business, subscribers should also take caution in writing down any personal information including mobile phone numbers. “Anyone who has access to numbers can create a database. Collection of numbers can come from registration to events and websites, prepaid loading from sari-sari stores, to text validation of mobile apps, and more. Major sources can be mobile marketing companies, app and web developers, load merchants, private and public establishments as well as through mobile generator programs,” she said.

Globe Telecom also disputes an online report that telcos sell customer numbers to database marketing companies. “Our valued subscribers can rest assured that we treat customer numbers with utmost confidentiality in line with the company’s security policy,” Crisanto emphasized. “We are aware and take note that spam text messages continue to cause inconvenience to many of our subscribers We want to assure our customers that we are committed in our drive against text spams,” she added.

How to block spam messages on your iPhone.

Many subscribers complain of getting an average of 5 to 10 text spams a day. Spam messages are usually sent by prepaid numbers as they are untraceable and are easily disposable. Spammers also don’t need to specific numbers to send spam messages to as they make use of USB GSM modems and they spam number ranges.

The National Telecommunications Commission had previously issued a memorandum circular prohibiting any unauthorized broadcast messaging services. The memorandum provides that any individual or business entity who wants to send broadcast messages needs to register first with the NTC for authorization. Legitimate text blasts approved by the regulating agency are properly identified and do not carry 11-digit numbers.