Stop unsolicited messages to cell phones, urges CAP

THE sending of unsolicited messages via short messaging service (SMS) to mobile phones must be stopped, says Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) president S.M. Mohamed Idris.

He said that nowadays, mobile phone users often received unwanted SMSes, and some of these had even led to them being conned out of their money.

“CAP has received numerous complaints from people unhappy about getting these unsolicited messages, as they had not authorised their service provider to allow such messages.

“Some consumers claimed they were charged just for receiving these unsolicited messages,” said Mohamed Idris at a press conference at CAP’s office on Friday.

Unwanted SMSes: Mohamed Idris (right) and CAP head of complaints section Ravinder Singh showing mobile phones with spam messages

He said some consumers even had their money siphoned off from their bank accounts because of tempting messages that offered cash prizes.

“Consumers would be asked to reveal their personal particulars such as their bank account numbers with the excuse that it was needed to obtain the cash they had purportedly won.

“Fraudsters would use the banking information to wipe clean the victims’ bank accounts by performing unauthorised transfers to third party accounts,” he said.

Mohamed Idris said pornography-related messages were also being sent by irresponsible people to mobile numbers.

“This is an offence under the Multimedia Act but enforcement is lacking.

“The culprits should be traced and given the maximum punishment,” he said, adding that some CAP employees had also received such unsolicited messages.

Mohamed Idris said CAP decided to create public awareness through the press conference as it had raised the matter with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) but to no avail.

He said MCMC failed to come out with strict regulations to stop these unsolicited messages.

Complaints of fraudulent messages had also been referred to the police’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department but no response had been received so far, said Mohamed Idris.

A source familiar with the telecommunications industry said telco operators followed strict regulations in sending out SMSes to ensure that subscribers were not spammed.

It also said telco operators did not simply divulge the mobile numbers of subscribers unless in special cases like facilitating police investigation.

The source added that there had also been genuine cases where the children of consumers subscribed to added-on mobile phone services without the knowledge of the parents or guardians.