Four of UK’s leading mobile network operators along with Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) have reportedly come together in a bid to tackle nuisance text messages issue.
EE, O2, Three and Vodafone have signed up to a sophisticated Spam Reporting Service developed by the GSMA, a collective association of the networks, to encourage customers to report any spam messages they receive.
The service will allow mobile phone users to report unwanted text messages by forwarding them to 7726, or ‘SPAM’, free-of-charge. Cloudmark, which supplies the service for GSMA, will then scrutinise the nuisance text messages and allow operators to identify the sources of attacks and cut them off.
John Hoffman, CEO of the GSMA, said: “The GSMA Spam Reporting Service provides operators with a tool to measure the extent of fraud and phishing and provides the insight needed to address sophisticated messaging threats that could harm users.”
“By working closely with the ICO, the UK’s operators are making it more difficult for spammers and fraudsters to target mobile phone users in this country.”
Information related to the spam attacks will also help the ICO to identify breaches in the Privacy of Electronic Communication Regulations (PECR), track down the culprits and issue monetary penalties against them, said Steve Eckersley, ICO chief of enforcement.
John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA Ltd, said “By working closely with the ICO the UK’s operators are making it more difficult for spammers and fraudsters to target mobile phone users in this country”.
Prior to the introduction of this new service, people had to fill out a questionnaire on the ICO website to file a complaint about spam messages.