spam txts to cell phone

[MyNameHere]

Hi y'all.

I found a couple of old (2008, 2007) threads on this that offered no hope, so I thought I would see if there's anything new.

A few weeks ago I started getting spam txts that showed phone numbers as the sender, so I used what appears to be a standard way to report these if you have one of the major cell providers: you forward them to 7726 (spam); the provider replies and asks you to forward the phone number that sent the txt. You reply with the phone number (that's the hard part because you have to write it down and key it in).

Now I'm getting txts with e-mail addresses as the source. I don't know of a way to report these. I thought of forwarding them to my SpamCop address and then pasting them with the originatin e-mail address into the reporting form, but I still have to hand-type the from-address, which is prone to error. I don't know any way to capture that info from the phone. (I have a not-so-smart phone, if that matters.)

Any ideas other than setting up an SMS alias per this thread?

Thanks!

[Farelf]

Don't really see any way these could be reported through SC. How reliable is the supposed e-mail originating address? If it is inserted/confirmed by the provider as part of the SMS "header" (same way as the originating 'phone number with country and area codes is usually inserted) I suppose it might be okay - but SC doesn't use/trust e-mail addresses at all.

I suppose this topic will (sooner or later) be moved to the lounge if there is no way to report through SC.

Noting different countries/providers might have different provisions for spam SMS reporting to providers though hopefully 7726 is fairly-much universal (I don't know).

In Australia there is an additional reporting avenue (to ACMA, just statistical collation in the first instance) - 0429 999 888 - http://www.acma.gov.au/interforms/smsRegister_form.asp

[MyNameHere]

Don't really see any way these could be reported through SC. How reliable is the supposed e-mail originating address? If it is inserted/confirmed by the provider as part of the SMS "header" (same way as the originating 'phone number with country and area codes is usually inserted) I suppose it might be okay - but SC doesn't use/trust e-mail addresses at all.

I don't know how the "originating" e-mail address is generated. I assumed that someone has an e-mail generator that sends emails to cell phones by using the phone number and the appropriate provider domain. I suppose the originator could be spoofed.

These spam txts usually also have a website link in them, so I suppose that could be reported, even if the "originating" e-mail could not.

[SpamCopAdmin]

SpamCop is for reporting email spam. If the spam doesn't come via email, our service isn't able to help report it.

- Don D'Minion - SpamCop Admin -

- Service[at]Admin.SpamCop.net -

.

[petzl]

I don't know how the "originating" e-mail address is generated. I assumed that someone has an e-mail generator that sends emails to cell phones by using the phone number and the appropriate provider domain. I suppose the originator could be spoofed.

These spam txts usually also have a website link in them, so I suppose that could be reported, even if the "originating" e-mail could not.

SpamCop only handles email spam

Ask your mobile provider where to forward SMS messages to?

In Australia we can forward spam SMS - 0429 999 888

Might pay to ask

[Farelf]

O/P hasn't logged in since the previous two comments but the topic is moved to the Lounge area herewith. Ð…pam is spam but this variety cannot be reported via SpamCop. SC tools could be used to find the abuse address for the supposed e-mail originator but would need to be a little more sure about the reliability of that e-mail originator data, I think. The telco/provider would be the best bet in terms of both that information and in terms of making a complaint while keeping yourself at arms length from the perpetrator.

They (providers) seem to be slowly getting better at addressing abuse issues. Should their performance in that area be deficient, some jurisdictions have statutory telecommunications and/or privacy authorities and/or TIOs (Telecommunications Industry Ombudsmen) who might assist in encouraging a more satisfactory result. Criminal matters such as scams and identity theft should involve mainstream law enforcement, but we appreciate how difficult the "evidence" can be in such cases.

Other comments on the handling of SMS spam welcome, per the original post. I imagine it to be a growing problem.

[MyNameHere]

Other comments on the handling of SMS spam welcome, per the original post. I imagine it to be a growing problem.

Thanks for the thoughts.

I imagine this is a hybrid e-mail/SMS spam because it appears to have originated from an e-mail address. I'm not familiar with SMS enough to know how someone could appear to be sending an SMS message from an e-mail address without actually using an e-mail server, but maybe there's an app for that.

[Cleverboy]

Hey guys,

if i were you, i would check the spam numbers here:

tellows

and then share your experiences with the otheres. on this way we can fight against such spammers!

[MyNameHere]

Hey guys,

if i were you, i would check the spam numbers here:

tellows

and then share your experiences with the otheres. on this way we can fight against such spammers!

Problem is, the txt msgs don't show a phone number, just an e-mail address.

:angry: