New FCC Rules Could Force Wireless Carriers To Block Spam Texts (engadget.com) 45
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Engadget: Under Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, the Federal Communications Commission is seeking to create new rules targeting spam text messages. Like another recent proposed rulemaking from the agency, the policy would push wireless carriers and telephone companies to block the spam before it ever gets to your phone.
"We've seen a rise in scammers trying to take advantage of our trust of text messages by sending bogus robotexts that try to trick consumers to share sensitive information or click on malicious links," Rosenworcel said. "It's time we take steps to confront this latest wave of fraud and identify how mobile carriers can block these automated messages before they have the opportunity to cause any harm."
"We've seen a rise in scammers trying to take advantage of our trust of text messages by sending bogus robotexts that try to trick consumers to share sensitive information or click on malicious links," Rosenworcel said. "It's time we take steps to confront this latest wave of fraud and identify how mobile carriers can block these automated messages before they have the opportunity to cause any harm."
Trust? (Score:4, Funny)
"our trust of text messages"
I think I've discovered your problem...
Re:Trust? (Score:5, Interesting)
Sadly, yes.
But a newer problem is the trust phones put in texts, with "automatic preview" being enabled by default. That's a double-whammy, because it can make any link you send in a text message "indexed" by the robot that forwards the message, AND it "pre-clicks" the links for you, letting scammers know you got their message.
Re: Trust? (Score:2)
Just get a phone that isn't Web/HTML aware. An SMS is just text.
Re: (Score:2)
Or just don't get a phone, just use smoke signals... actually no, with the wind, it could pollute your lungs and kill you. Just stop communicating instead.
Conflict of Interest (Score:3)
One suggestion - option: for every spam text that is received: a 'bounty' for every text received that isn't blocked. The carrier must pay you!
Re: Conflict of Interest (Score:2)
What carrier does that? I havenâ(TM)t seen a per text billing plan in the USA for a very long time
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3)
It's an article about rules proposed by the US FCC. It is reasonable to infer that he discussion involves carriers in the US, Bubba
Re: Conflict of Interest (Score:2)
This article is about action the FCC is taking. The whole topic isn't even relevant to you if you're outside of the US.
Re: (Score:2)
Within the U.S., it's mainly the MVNO's and service providers that cater to people with low usage needs (think prepaid) like Tello [tello.com] and H20 [h2owireless.com]
Re: Conflict of Interest (Score:3)
We need to switch to caller/sender pays.
Spam texts? (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Same. I literally get more SMS notifications of voice mail from that warranty spam than I get spam SMS directly.
Re: (Score:3)
I have not ever gotten a single Spam text so far and maybe 10 spam calls in the last 10 years. To be fair, many regulators in Europe impose really heavy fines for these. In Germany, for example, fines go up to 300k Euro (about 350k USD) for unsolicited calls. Where I live (not Germany) a company started to do massive spam calls. It was raided and shut down by the police within weeks and the owners got arrested. The only legitimate reason for a company to call somebody is if there is a business relationship
Re: (Score:2)
How many spam texts are people getting that this is a problem? I get one maybe once every 3 or 4 months, and just ignore/delete it.
I'd say the fact that we get them is a problem.
Or perhaps they want to nip it in the bud before it gets out of hand and turns into a bigger problem like with robocalls.
Re: (Score:2)
I received one a few minutes ago. And had another over the weekend. Some mornings ill wake up with them on my phone. Some people seem to get even more.
Re: (Score:2)
TFA says the number of complaints about spam texts is rising (14000 last year). And that is the problem, people aren't used to getting spam texts, so they aren't as wary of them. Seems like a good time to take action, rather than waiting until everyone is receiving 10 spam texts a day.
Re: (Score:1)
Over the past few months I have received around one per week. I received one yesterday trying to convince me I won a CVS gift card.
Re: Spam texts? (Score:2)
Count yourself lucky. I get several a day and only recently moved to a plan with unlimited texting (my legacy plan was a great price and $5/mo for texting was stupid when I rarely text).
Re: (Score:2)
I'm lucky if I get less than 3 per day.
Re: (Score:2)
I get a LOT of spam texts. After years of signing up for various things, eventually one or more of those companies sells their database for money, others get hacked... either way the number is out there, and a lot of spammers have it on their lists.
And how is that supposed to work? (Score:1)
Sorting into a "SPAM" folder, ok. But completely blocking? Not a good idea. Unless you want some legitimate email to not reach you anymore.
Re: (Score:3)
I don't know about you, but I don't get my emails delivered by SMS.
Re: (Score:2)
I get my food delivered by SMS
Re: (Score:2)
Sounds great until.... (Score:5, Insightful)
This is, tbh, an unsolvable problem until the problem of faking caller ID itself is fixed.
Re: Sounds great until.... (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
With no notice to the sender that it's been blocked. So you'll get the occasional spam text through, because there's always some, but you doctor will have no idea you didn't get the text saying "I need to see you ASAP or you'll die."
Re: (Score:2)
The scammers will adapt (Score:4, Insightful)
Good (Score:3)
Good. And do something about the robocalls as well.
This has been going on for so long, I'm starting to think it's a government conspiracy to get people to distrust phone calls / texts. Which is a PITA for people who do not have a whitelisted number, but are somewhat relevant in my life.
Re: (Score:2)
Good luck (Score:2)
If it was that easy to block these people, there wouldn't be a problem in the first place.
Finally time to block at least obvious ones (Score:2)
When I get a message that says "ATT Txt Message once in a while, maybe ATT Wireless can actually block that now?
I laugh at text messages (Score:2)
Having a true smart phone, one which only makes phone calls with everything else turned off, any time I see a text it always has some attachment or ends in .pl. Delete.
The only people who might contact me will never text me so it's no biggie.
But then, considering how so many people are absolutely glued to their phones and go into a panic attack if they don't immediately look at or answer every single text which comes through, I can see how spam texts might be an issue. Because obviously, not being glued t
A start, lacking definitions and a spam button (Score:4, Interesting)
This talks in uncertain terms ("Mobile Wireless Providers May Be Required to Block Illegal Text Messages" is the FCC's document subtitle, emphasis is mine) and fails to define what "illegal text messages" are. I'm sure this will help address the really easy stuff, but spammers will adapt.
That means there has to be a feedback loop. I want a "report spam" button.
Right now, the process to report spam on an iPhone in the US is twenty-three steps:
1. open the spam
2. long-press the message
3. tap "Copy"
4. tap the back arrow to return to the list of messages
5. hit the compose button to make a new message
6. compose a message to 7726
7. long-press the text field
8. tap "Paste"
9. send
10. it replies asking for the phone number
11. open the spam again
12. tap the sender's phone number
13. tap "info"
14. tap "info" on the next screen too
15. long-press the phone number (careful, a short-press will call them!)
16. tap "Copy"
17. tap the back arrow to return to the first contact info view
18. tab "Done" to return to the message
19. tap the back arrow to return to the list of messages
20. tap on the dialog with 7726
21. long-press the text field
22. tap "Paste"
23. send
Re: (Score:1)
And with some of the SPAM out there you have malicious payloads attached that do not need to be "opened" to infect your phone.
All of the SPAM messages I get, regardless of source, have 1 thing in common: an attachment.
If you don't recognize the sender, just delete the message since reporting it might require opening or handling the attachment in some way...and that can be dangerous.
Nice separation of powers you got. Be a shame if.. (Score:1)
Hey look, it's one of those alleged "constitutional republics with regulatory powers enshrined in a democratically-elected legislative body".
Except we magically cut out the legislative body and now a handful of quid pro quo political appointees can hold a committee meeting on Friday afternoon, and then Monday morning decree new laws human beings and businesses must live by.
email SMS messages (Score:2)