This is how "SMS spammers" get your number

[ant_man]

I'm no expert, but I remember these opt out options must be at no cost to the consumer.
Making all text/voicemail spam currently going around illegal.
What happened to that? Cant I sue every company that spams me because they dont provide a way to opt out that comes at their cost rather than mine?

Yes you are correct, but currently there is no way to do this.
Once POPI gets signed and put into place, he neworks will have to find a way of getting an opt-out from you at no charge to you.

 

[ant_man]

Because ?

Ethics besides other things.
When you open a bank account, say with Standard, you might get calls from its affiliates but all you need to do is instruct the bank not to make these offers to you.
The offers will only come from within the group.

 

[disabled]

These companies who say they don't sell your info to 3rd parties I don't believe them...Companies who access your private info without your consent .....Who says they don't hack into your accounts???

 

[Reelix]

Take the following situation.

1.) I create a company offering "premium" jokes.

2.) I do a Google search for South African phone numbers, find 25,000 of them (Google is amazing ) and send them all the following SMS:

"We have located this number, and have decided that someone such as yourself would love to receive a daily joke! If you do not wish to receive these, SMS "NO" to *My R50 SMS Shortcode Number Here*"

3.) I wait a day

4.) Anyone who SMS'd "NO" gets charged R50 (Profit already - Woo hoo ), and anyone who didn't I add to my "Premium" joke-offering service list.

5.) Every day, I send a Google a 50 character joke, and send it to everyone on the list (With the above opt out message to keep things legal). I bill their phone companies R100 for these SMS's informing them that they chose to receive them (They didn't say No, did they? That means they want them!)

6.) Profit! \o/

On an unrelated note, the person who said banks "cant" sell your details is lying. Sure, they might get fined, arrested, etc - But they still can if they want to...

 

[MisterFiftySomething]

AFAIK, that's not legal.
You can't just add somebody to a premium list, assuming that their inaction to respond to your initial message is agreement. You can keep sending them nag SMS's to opt-in, but you need to provide a "stop nagging me" opt-out option as well to keep it legal.

 

[Reelix]

You can keep sending them nag SMS's to opt-in, but you need to provide a "stop nagging me" opt-out option as well to keep it legal.

There are enough services around the place to send free SMS's (I even found one where I can alter the 'From' number). So, you're saying I'm allowed to send them "Nag" SMS's (AKA - Twice a day) to "Opt Out" ?

So - For free, I can legally "spam" people, allowing them to "Opt Out" for - Oh - Why not R500?

Curious - Very curious...

 

[MisterFiftySomething]

There are enough services around the place to send free SMS's (I even found one where I can alter the 'From' number). So, you're saying I'm allowed to send them "Nag" SMS's (AKA - Twice a day) to "Opt Out" ?

So - For free, I can legally "spam" people, allowing them to "Opt Out" for - Oh - Why not R500?

Curious - Very curious...

I really hope what you're suggesting is illegal, but I am honestly not sure. I recall reading somewhere that there is a set maximum amount that you can charge for an SMS on those short code numbers. A quick search turned up nothing, maybe somebody else knows.

 

[Valerion]

An appeal to all readers - when you get sms spam, PLEASE, do not just delete the message.
File a complaint on waspa.org.za and quote the regulations below that are in breach. With repeat complaints WASPA will heavily fine the culprits and in some cases suspend their WASPA membership. In that case it would be very difficult for the culprits to continue doing business.


Especially if you get spam from Opera Telecom/Sprint Media/Mobmatic because if you're not careful you may find money coming off your cell phone account daily for "content charges"
See thread here

Except that with every number I tried this with, I got a "this number is not from a member of WASPA and therefore we can't do a thing about it" response. I have given up on them to solve this.

 

[Reelix]

I really hope what you're suggesting is illegal, but I am honestly not sure.

That's really the point I'm trying to make...

I recall reading somewhere that there is a set maximum amount that you can charge for an SMS on those short code numbers. A quick search turned up nothing, maybe somebody else knows.

"The tariff charges can range from R0.50 to R30.00 on mobile originated billing and from R0.50 to R50.00 using mobile terminated billing." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_code#Regional_differences

Same concept, different amount. Generating free money ftw? :/

 

[diabolus]

A List Broker may not Obtain any Credit Info from the Credit Bureaux, unless they are CPA members and even that they may not do a full credit check on you.
They do a thing called batch run whereby they simply get your score, that process does not leave a footprint

If we have your ID number on file, the Bureaux will supply us with your latest contact numbers, this is legal

It is deemed that the relationshiphiop is between the List Broker and The Client the Bureaux will never ever update data if you dont have the ID number.

The Bureaux's dont sell data, they merely update your client list.

I am assuming this process does leave a "log" on the person's account at the bureau ? I have one of these packages at TransUnion, every time someone does a credit check on me, i get a notification and info about who did it. I would be rather disappointed if anyone can still get my info from the bureau without me knowing about this.