Mobile phones were a brilliant invention and I certainly couldn’t do without mine these days.
However, just like my email account, my mobile also appears to be a magnet for Spam SMS messages.
The content of these spam messages can be quite varied, ranging from love to ringtones, Java games to screensavers, or jokes to Bible verses, believe it or not!
Of course the text message will end by telling me that I need to send a SMS to some number in order to get my ringtone, play the game, etc.
Should I do so, it is likely to be a premium rate SMS number that I am messaging.
The natural solution, then, is to quit receiving these SMS messages via the unsubscribe number that the sender asks me to use.
Or is it?
STOP!
These SMS spammers are frequently trying to make money out of people who do not want to receive these ‘promotions’ anymore in addition to those who actually do.
The original message will state that you must reply with the word STOP to some number that the spammer gives, only it is the same number to which you would send a SMS if you really did want to download their content – a premium rate SMS number.
In order to try and confuse, some spammers will offer an alternative number to which you must reply with STOP to.
Of course this is also a premium number.
If you receive SMS message spam then you should never reply.
Instead, just delete the message.
Certainly do not pay the spammer – replying will not only cost you money but it will also confirm that your mobile phone is used and that you are the sort of person who may well fall for this type of ruse again in the future, thereby seriously increasing the chances of you receiving even more spam messages.
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