In keeping with its intensified campaign to combat text spam, Globe Telecom filed its second complaint before the National Telecommunications Commission against a company involved in sending unsolicited promotional text messages to its mobile customers. Globe said similar complaints will be filed in the coming days against companies engaged in marketing activities thru text spamming.
Named as a respondent in the latest case it filed with the NTC was Center for Global Best Practices (CGBP), a company that offers various training and seminar courses. CGBP is the second company against which Globe filed a complaint before the NTC. The first one to be prosecuted by Globe for sending text spams was Caritas Health Shield, Inc., a health insurance provider.
Globe specifically asked the regulatory body to order CGBP the payment of appropriate fines and penalties for sending annoying text spam to Globe subscribers. Globe also asked the NTC to permanently bar CGBP, its agents and employees from sending spam texts to Globe customers. Pending the resolution of a case, a cease and desist order should be issued against CGBP, Globe said.
A sample spam message from CGBP reads as follows: “Help your children ace all exams, excel in school and top the class! Have them attend with you a 5-session ‘Super Memory Program for High School’ (starting May 10) and ‘Super Memory Program for College’ (starting May 9) at The Bellevue Hotel,Alabang. Featuring lecturer coach and Double Gold Medalist Robert Racasa who has made Philippines rank #1 in Asia in super memory competitions and has produced 3 international Filipino Grandmasters in Super Memory Championships. For details, call Center for Global Best Practices (www.cgbp.org) MLA (02) 5568968/69; CEBU (032) 512-3106/07; BAGUIO (074) 423-5148.”
Another text spam from CGBP states: “ATTN Business & Govt Officials: Learn the best practices on how to link budgeting to procurement! Or lobby for business deals in the planning stage. Attend ‘Business & Public Officials’ Guide to Planning & Budgeting for LGUS’ on Thursday & Friday, May 22 & 23, 2014 at Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, Mandaluyong City. For details, call Center for Global Best Practices (www.cgbp.org) MLA (02) 5568968/69; CEBU (032) 512-3106/07; BAGUIO (074) 423-5148.”
“The complaint we filed against CGBP should serve as a warning to other companies whose agents send irritating spam messages to our customers. Globe Telecom will not tolerate the use of our network for activities that serve as a nuisance to our subscribers especially if they are unsolicited and unwanted,” Globe General Counsel Froilan Castelo stressed.
Castelo said annoying spam messages sent by CGBP caused inconvenience to Globe customers, leading them to file numerous complaints with the company’s customer service department. This, in turn, compelled the telecommunications provider to bring the issue with the NTC. Castelo emphasized that public clamor to combat spam messages has become a matter of public interest requiring the regulatory body to use all of its disciplinary powers.
Many subscribers complain of getting an average of 5 to 10 text spams a day. Spam messages are usually sent by prepaid numbers as they are untraceable and are easily disposable. Spammers also don’t need to specific numbers to send spam messages to as they make use of USB GSM modems and they spam number ranges. Legitimate text blasts approved by the regulating agency are properly identified and do not carry 11-digit numbers.
Globe Telecom has put in place several channels through which subscribers can report text spams. Subscribers may report via the Globe website through Talk2Globe Chat (http://chat.globe.com.ph); send a message through Globe Contact Form (http://globe.com.ph/talk2Globenow) and by tweeting @Talk2GLOBE on Twitter. Subscribers can put in the number, the exact message, and the time and date the text spam was received. Numbers that are reported to be source of text spams are first sent warnings and those that are persistent source of text spams are deactivated from the service.
Customers can also keep themselves from getting text spams through their own devices. iOS users may block unwanted numbers by opening the message, clicking the Contact button at the right hand corner, clicking the “i” next to the number they wish to block. They can then scroll down to the bottom of the page where they will see the option “Block this caller” and then click to confirm. For Android users, subscribers may block spam through their gadget’s filtering settings: Go to Settings, press the Spam Message Settings, click “Add to Spam Numbers” and add spammers’ numbers. They may also choose to actively block by inputting commonly used spam phrases and adding it to the “Add to Spam Phrases” list.
