This has just been circulated around my Trust by our telecomms manager. I
though it deserved a wider audience.
Mike Roddham
URGENT MESSAGE FROM VODAFONE - Several Trusts have contacted Vodafone
regarding unsolicited marketing messages via the Short Message Service (SMS)
- Text Message facility.
Unsolicited marketing messages to mobiles has become an industry wide
problem. Unsolicited text messaging referred to as SMS Spam is illegal.
Organisations can only send SMS messages in bulk where they have received
prior consent of the mobile subscriber.
Currently, there are 4 types of illegal messages being used:
1. "URGENT, please call 0906123456". This is a Premium Rate Service
no. PRS Nos begin with 090 and cost approx. £1 per minute. These nos. have
been found to be linked to information 'services' which provide nothing of
any value. This is illegal.
2. "Call 01234567890 to upgrade your mobile now!" This is illegal
unless the mobile user has given prior consent.
3. "Call 0871871111". Callers to this no. receive a pre-recorded
message offering the opportunity to opt-in or opt-out of SMS marketing
messages. This message is illegal and does not have any legal footing.
4. "Call me on 09011500065 Urgent" from "KB". Reportedly this is a
premium rate no. and an engaged recording will be received. You are being
charged for listening to the tone and each time you try the no. again. This
call is a HOAX. The primary objective, similar to other SMS scams is to
worry people and get panic e-mails going from person to person.
Vodafone does not pass or sell customer data to third parties for those
Organisations to market their customers. They are committed to respecting
the privacy of our customers and to comply with UK Data Protection and
Privacy legislation.
What you should do to complain
1 Register your mobile no. with the government run Telephone
Preference Scheme. 0845 0700707
2 Report suspected scam messages to the Independent Committee for
Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services. 0800 500 212.
3 Complain to the Information Commissioner. 01625 545700.
Will you please bring the above information to the attention of your
colleagues.
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