Beware of hoax SMS says Airtel
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Bharti Airtel posted an advisory on their website, advising subscribers to beware of certain ‘Unsolicited fraudulent SMS’s’ circulating on the network. According to the Airtel disclaimer, the recent chain of messages informs recipients that they have ‘won a prize and need to call to collect their prize’. On calling the number in the text message, subscribers are billed a high amount (up to Rs. 500/min). Airtel said they noticed these SMSs in one of their circles and are advising subscribers to ignore them. Airtel also warned that replying to such SMSs could result in viruses being downloaded on the subscriber’s phone.
After spam and phishing mails, spam SMSs are making their presence felt. Such SMS hoaxes are not a new phenomenon in India and cash in on the recipient’s incredulity by making use of ‘get rich quick’ themes and ‘free gifts’ to allure mobile phone users.
Frauds like these are a type of Premium Rate Service Fraud (PRS), using SMSs instead of phone calls. In this type of fraud, subscribers are asked to call on a number by using pretexts like ‘lottery winnings’, ‘free gifts’, or, as in this case; that they have won a prize. Once subscribers make the call, it is disguised as a Premium Rate Service (PRS) number and the subscriber is charged an exorbitant amount.
So what steps can be taken to combat this nuisance? There is not much one can do it seems, though posting advisories on the website is one way. Sending warning messages to subscribers as soon as such a message or call is detected in the circle is another way.
Via: CXOtoday.com
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airtel? and run for hoax warning?!sorry but airtel is committing crime still now.how?well by following this procedure-1. to almost all net on phone users airtel continuously and automatically turns on airtel live service.2.when clicking on advertises in a site thru nop, airtel gprs desk instantly send you a msg with the information that rs.99 is deducted for using airtel live services.i have suffered three instances of this nuisance this year.3.after ur successful request to off the airtel live service,it is turned on by the provider within 72hrs without permission.no wonder then if airtel itself these types of hoaxes.
plse read- encourages-between itself and this in last sentence.i apologize for this mistake of mine.ps.i use sony ericsson w810i.with prepaid lifetime service of airtel.
Roquibul,
Promotional Messages are common in most prepaid connections be it Airtel , Vodafone , IDEA . Its just a marketing method to keep beaming SMSes you might click once and activate the service .:)
Thats the state of mobile connections in India
thank you dear varun,but clicking on them must not imply that a carrier should charge a customer with instant rs.99.i couldnt even know what the advertise was.it read by my w810i as the unsupported content download anyway?and after reading this i never clicked it.my concern is not the advertises but the tricks the company set.furthermore,if i didnt download/enjoyed a subscribed content then how can i be charged ?is it ok?and without my permission by violating the personal rights of a customer how a telecom company can turn a service always on within 72hrs though i request them officially to severe the service?is it honesty?i didnt get it.