Telstra advised its customers an SMS encouraging people to send a particular message onto eight people, so they would receive free SMS text messages for a month, was a hoax and should be ignored.

Telstra Group Manager of Personal Messaging and Emergency Services, Mr Freddie Jansen van Nieuwenhuizen, said these types of hoaxes occurred from time-to-time.

"There is simply no truth to the rumour that by forwarding the SMS on, customers will receive free SMS text messages," Mr Jansen van Nieuwenhuizen said. Only a small number of customers have received this SMS hoax, but Telstra wants to dispel the myth before it spreads widely. Unfortunately, Telstra has no way of knowing who started the SMS
hoax nor their motivation for sending it.

Customers can also visit a special Telstra web page that lists this and other well-known mobile phone hoaxes.