Screenshots

Jeff, wonderful to hear some positive action by a Celco. I hope others follow suit including TM.

JEFF OOI says: But we are still waiting to confirm if MCMC is still the industry regulator de jure and de facto in this series of SMS Scam.

Hi Jeff! I'm a subscriber. Maybe this was an old issue which has been resolved 'cos I'm getting my alerts even though I'm on Maxis. Maybe the website did not update the situation. Just want to alert you that the info might be out-of-date :)

Hi Jeff,as promised,I am here to update about my meeting with the management of Macrokiosk.

I am made to understand and I start to believe MacroK is the victim of the scam itself because it is the content providers that are connected to them that is spoofing and scamming the end users. The management showed me some agreements they have with these content providers and it does clearly show their working relationship.

I am told that MacroK provides connection to companies and content providers to allow them to sell their mobile contents to mobile users easily. This is to especially assist small content providers to penetrate this expensive mobile content industry affordably.

JEFF OOI says: This MAY indicate that MK is an SMS Gateway operator besides being an external content provider themselves. But under MCMC licensing conditions MK is still an ASP (Applications Service Provider) Class Licensee. When there is fraud, the penalty is on the Class License. So long as the SMS Spoofing didnot get plugged -- and right now it is still NOT being plugged -- the spoofed CP will spoof others and and others will spoof them back. It's like Mafia in Italy, but the ultimate victims are the mobile users who get billed and charged by the Celcos for nothing! And this is the main issue. The CPs are like Mafia fighting an underworld war, the bystanders get killed!

MacroK is currently suspending all rogue content providers utilising its gateway, pursuing active refunds to affected users as well as forwarding the names of these rogue content providers to MCMC for further actions.

JEFF OOI says: We heard the Ministry of Energy, Water and Commuinications (KTAK) -- the policy custodian - is drafting a Ministerial Declaration to deal with SMS scams, and MCMC -- the industry regulator -- will mete out appropriate actions vested by the policy and law.

Looking at the statement from OSK188, it could be OSK188 that has been scamming users that's why they are being suspended by Macrokiosk instead of Macrokiosk being suspended by Maxis. So the rogue CP could very possibly be OSK188 in this matter?

JEFF OOI says: Did MK confirm with you that OSK188 was the scam operator? It's best for MK, who claimed being victimised, to carry their MO and relevant binary logs to the authorities to prove their innocence. The law is very clear on this.

Also, I advise you to take a look at the MCMC Class Licensee Register for ASP, to check if OSK188 is among the list. The url is available here: www.mcmc.gov.my/registers/cma/class/2007/ASPClass-2007-page1.asp If it isn't in the register, the gateway it solicited to use for sending the corporate client SMS Alert, in this case it is evidently MK, will have to bear full responsibilities should fraud happen.

BTW, baba,... I saw you logged in from a Maxis-owned IP address and went through many international roaming gateways before your messaged reached my server... just curious, how is Maxis broadband quality that you used since I see so many hops?

You've done bloggers great service by reeling in these rogue CPs and forcing the MCMC to act.

well done, again!

I believe Baba is right. MacroKiosk could be the victim. We won't know the true picture of the licensee agreement and how their system work.

By the way, I couldn't be bothered who's the scammer. This scam must put to a halt. I'm bloody irritated with all the junk i'm getting on my mobile.

Hi Jeff,

This is kinda off-topic, but I just want to highlight something and need your professional opinion. I recently found out that DiGi charges TWICE for SMS, which exceeded 150 characters.

Is this true and valid? I called up and their Customer Service told me it has been implemented quite some time. I tried to search for info on their OCS website but nothing mentioned there.

Kindly advise. Appreciate your feedback. Thanks.

Regards,
spiller

Jeff, as to your remark whether MCMC is still the the de jure and de facto industry regulator, it is for the minister concerned to confirm; failing which the PM has to do it.(This is not a joke anymore).

hi spiller,

the real length of SMS is 160 ascii characters. lots of mobile phones now supported long SMS (more than 160 chars), which the phone will break the message into multiple SMSs. these SMSs will be combined at the recipient mobile phone, thus it is read as single SMS. However, on the celcos side, it still treated as multiple SMSs and hence billed accordingly.

Hi Jeff,

Since this issue related to the public interest, why it's not been reported by the main stream media? Does it need someone to make an official police report for the authority to take legal action? Or we need the voice of the opposition parties?

Hi Jeff, thanks for your reply comments. I am quite fascinated by this whole scamming thing and did some reading on my own. CPs are not able to just spoof anyone, there must be someone behind providing this technology of hacking to the CPs. MCMC must put this person with the hacking technology behind bars! Hacking is like getting into someone's house without permission!

I was using Maxis 3G datacard for the posting yesterday. When it is stable the speed is great but unfortunately I get dropped off from the 3G network more often than not. Maxis 3G sucks! Planning to switch to Maxis broadband or something???

Hi GordonCK, you are right, while we should not let the innocent be accused, we should also make sure all these idiot scammers being punished!

thanks forestgreenpencil. appreciate that.

If those CPs are the victims too, they should go ahead to file police report, provide the related evidence and let the authorities to step in. Not just dead silence (especially on the main stream media). Back to the basis, the questions we should ask: what is the motive of those hacking/spoofing, and who are the beneficials?

Hello baba. I am using both Maxis 3G datacard & the wireless modem.

My experience is that unless you are moving around to non-3G areas, it is best to set them to "3G only" mode.

Previously the modem tends to switch between 3G & 2G networks regularly eventhough my 3G signal is strong (3 to 4 bars) and there is a loooooonnnnnnngggg delay when it does that. It is a bloody nuisance when going to https web sites or when downloading files.

After forcing it to 3G only, much more stable now. Now, only if the UPLOAD speed can match the download speed (which is quite good)......

Cheers.

I see some of you defended MacroKiosk. While you may sound logical, but much were focused on penalising the external content providers. While I also agree they should be penalised, I think this is only good in the short term. When everything ease up a little, the same cycle will repeat on this loose platform.

Every players seem to fell into the not-my-fault syndrome and push the ball around. They, specifically MCMC, should focused on providing and enforcing a long term solution such as the firewall as suggested. What's the point of blocking them and later releases short code again to allow them to scam the public again and again? The punishment is too light for the lucrative returns.

It is MCMC's responsibility to make it happen, not us.

I hope big players such as Maxis understands that having a platform trusted by the customers will only benefit them, not us. If you spend a little (to the big players, it is kacang putih) to gain more customers in the long term, why not?

Hi spiller and forestgreenpencil,

This is a bit outdated information, at least about a year ago. I remembered going to Maxis in KLCC.

The customer care consultant that I met with, an Indian lady, goes off-topic to explain to me that the length of SMS is of no importance; it will be charged as single SMS.

Now that spiller spilled his issue, I am wondering out loud: Is this the reason that Maxis nowadays just lumped-sum the SMS charges? I.e. to hide the multiple charges per long SMS, in contast to what I was explained with?

Hi Jeff, latest complain for you to help me to fight on. Below is the flow of SMS messages from 32322. Even I send STOP as per their instruction, I still get charged.

Sent: ON JOKES

Rcv from 32322: Free SMS. Sila pilih bahasa:JEN inggeris JBM Melayu JAD 18SX Taip ON JEN / ON JBM / on JAD & htr ke 32322. 50sen/sms

Sent: ON JAD

Rcv from 32322: RM0.50/SMS.Your Jokes subscriptn is sucessful. Price: RM0.50/SMS. 1SMS/day. Renewal 27/06/07. To cancel, send STOP JOKES to 32322

Sent: STOP JOKES

Rcv from 32322: RM0.50/SMS.I went to a bookstore and asked the sales woman, "Where is the self-help section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.

Looking into this, despite I follow their instruction to STOP the jokes service, I still receive it. This is cheating!!!

Please help to highlight another idiot CP around. I will go around and find out other such rogue CPs.

JEFF OOI says: Please send me the PDF as support evidence evidence -- the way Screenshots highlighted readers' feedback of alleged scams contained in Maxis postpaid bills. Without those PDF bills from the Celcos that tell the date of offence, MCMC will say your case lacks evidence. This is key to help in your case.