SMS Spam without an unsubscribe

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jamesrt

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#265788 11-Feb-2020 11:32

Hi all,

1. Does anyone know how to unsubscribe, or even if its possible? OR should I contact my telecom provider to block??

2. Is it worth reporting this, as my understanding is that by law, any unsolicited commercial communication like this should include an unsubscribe option... (unless that's only email? Hope not!)

Thanks.

sidefx

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#2416080 11-Feb-2020 11:44

regarding 2 - yes my understanding is it should have some way to unsubscribe and I think it has to be the same channel as the original message (i.e. you can't require a user to login to a website to unsubscribe from SMS - the user must be able to use SMS to unsubscribe)

PS: Have you tried replying with STOP?

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Linux

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#2416094 11-Feb-2020 12:03

Report to the DIA and also you should not be charged to unsubscribe

alasta

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#2416096 11-Feb-2020 12:04

Can you not just block the number on your phone?

jamesrt

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#2416102 11-Feb-2020 12:16

sidefx: Have you tried replying with STOP?

I shall give that a try; I wasn't sure if a reply would work, and what magic words might one normally use.

Linux: Report to the DIA and also you should not be charged to unsubscribe

Reported.

alasta: Can you not just block the number on your phone?

Probably, but not the point. Thanks anyway - if it gets too annoying or keeps occurring, I shall be doing that.

sbiddle

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#2416103 11-Feb-2020 12:16

It's the Hurricanes SMS short code.

Replying STOP will stop further messages and this is required to work. I'd need to reread the code but I'm pretty believe unsubscribe info is not required on every message sent. This is not a premium subscription service that does legally require this.

TBH I think reporting to the DIA is overkill because there is not necessarily anything dodgy about that message.

Linux

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#2416105 11-Feb-2020 12:18

@jamesrt check your usage and I bet you were charged 20 cents to unsubscribe

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jamesrt

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#2416112 11-Feb-2020 12:25

sbiddle: It's the Hurricanes SMS short code.

Useful to know; it could have been either SkyStadium, The Canes, or the TicketSeller - how the ordinary punter is supposed to know is something that eludes me - and I'm fairly savvy most of the time.

sbiddle: I'd need to reread the code but I'm pretty believe unsubscribe info is not required on every message sent

First time they've sent me a message though, so it would have been handy. I guess it was my fault for buying tickets to a match a year (or was it two?) ago...

"STOP" worked, FYI; I got a confirmation.

Linux: @jamesrt check your usage and I bet you were charged 20 cents to unsubscribe

I'm actually not sure I can; it's a company-provided SIM, and I'm not sure I have access to the billing info. I know "My Vodafone" can give me usage info, but as that's all in a single-shared-pool it's not that helpful either; except on the odd time towards the end of the month when the entire shared data pool runs out. (It's been known to happen).

davidcole

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#2416114 11-Feb-2020 12:27

sbiddle:

It's the Hurricanes SMS short code.

Replying STOP will stop further messages and this is required to work. I'd need to reread the code but I'm pretty believe unsubscribe info is not required on every message sent. This is not a premium subscription service that does legally require this.

TBH I think reporting to the DIA is overkill because there is not necessarily anything dodgy about that message.

But they are posting an unsolicted (if I read the OP properly) message with a link.....perfect example of a phishing scam. If nothing else Hurricanes should be told they're reinforcing bad behaviour.

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SaltyNZ

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#2416117 11-Feb-2020 12:34

sbiddle:

It's the Hurricanes SMS short code.

Replying STOP will stop further messages and this is required to work. I'd need to reread the code but I'm pretty believe unsubscribe info is not required on every message sent. This is not a premium subscription service that does legally require this.

TBH I think reporting to the DIA is overkill because there is not necessarily anything dodgy about that message.

I don't remember 100% but I think it's only required to tell you in the first message after the subscription starts.

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jamesrt

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#2416124 11-Feb-2020 12:40

SaltyNZ: I don't remember 100% but I think it's only required to tell you in the first message after the subscription starts.

They've never contacted me before that I remember; and a work colleague also got the same text, and also didn't remember getting any previous comms from them either.

My work billing contact confirmed that the short-code is listed as "$0.00" for both "price to send" and "price to receive" on some magic schedule he has - presumably our company-wide service agreement??

Thanks all for your assistance; let's just call this "resolved" now, shall we?