Spam crackdown.

Provided by 7DAYS.ae

A Middle East phone company has issued a list of guidelines to help people limit the number of spam text messages they receive.Qtel, a telecommunications service provider, says that both voice and text spam messaging is on the up in the region and in some cases messages are sent to defraud customers.

Earlier this month, 7DAYS readers told of how their lives were being made a misery by UAE-based banks, shopping malls, nightclubs and other organisations which send spam messages to mobile phones during all hours of the day and night.The new set of guidelines from Qtel informs people how companies obtain personal data for spam and fraudulent messaging:- Protect your number - be careful when registering your mobile phone details with any organisation unless you specifically want them to contact you. -Aa Avoid leaving business and visiting cards in stores and raffles unless you want to receive marketing

information. - Be cautious when receiving calls from unknown numbers and never share any details over the phone with an unsolicited caller. - Do not send messages to network eCyshort codeseCO unless you are aware of the organisation requesting these details and have made prior contact. Adel Al Mutawa, executive director of group communications for Qtel said: eC[pounds sterling]Many companies are looking to eCyharvesteCO phone lists and then exploit the data to launch a high volume of spam messages, often using SMS web sites.

eC[pounds sterling]Customers should protect their phone numbers and be careful when sharing them with anyone other than family, friends and business contacts.eC[yen]Qtel has received reports of bogus callers pretending the recipient has won a lottery or received an inheritance.In some cases, callers have said they are seeking personal companionship.paul.mclennan@7days.ae Other examples of fraud include the use of spam messages sent to fool unsuspecting users into calling back premium rate numbers, texting premium rate codes or entering personal information into an unauthorised site. Globally, spam has become a major problem, with a recent study by the University of St Gallen in Switzerland suggesting more than 80 per cent of mobile phone users have received unwanted marketing messages. 7DAYS has repeatedly contacted the UAEeCOs Telecommunications Regulatory Authority for over a week, asking for a comment on spam text messaging - but the telecoms watchdog has yet to respond.paul.mclennan@7days.ae

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