I’ve been getting SMS spam from 718-451-6483, offering me free gift cards from Wal-Mart and Vista. The Spammers ask you to dial a 1800 number – 866-869-2132 & 877-764-7977.
I called both numbers and one said their company was “American Auto” and the other “SMS surveys”. The guy told me I’d filled out an online survey and that’s how they’d gotten my number!
Ok, so how do you stop these buggers. We, they are probably an international operation judging by the accents in the call center on the other end of the line BUT FIRST make sure your number is in the The National Do Not Call Registry Database:
The National Do Not Call Registry gives you a choice about whether to receive telemarketing calls at home. Most telemarketers should not call your number once it has been on the registry for 31 days. If they do, you can file a complaint at this Website. You can register your home or mobile phone for free.You can register your cellphone and any other numbers here: https://www.donotcall.gov/register/reg.aspx?
The spammers legally have 31 days to stop calling / SMSing you but if your name is in the registry already like mine was then you can go ahead and file a complaint here:
https://www.donotcall.gov/complaint/complaintcheck.aspx
Also if you’re bored you can call the 1-800 numbers on something like Skype, they won’t be able to trace your number (and perhaps spam you some more) and give them an earful 🙂 – probably not gonna make them stop but if enough people tell the people on the other end that they are working for a company that is spamming cellphones perhaps something will change??