SMS Scam ( 6 ): Let the suffering fools speak, again
READ THIS SERIES if you are a mobile user!
Teaser: 3xxxx short code and SMS scam
SMS Scam ( 1 ): Explain this, Maxis
SMS Scam ( 2 ): It's an organised white-collar crime
SMS Scam ( 3 ): Let the suffering fools speak
SMS Scam ( 4 ): The bad boys... Celcos? CPs? MCMC?
SMS Scam ( 5 ): The 'Copy & Paste' version of Maxis Preventive Gateway
SMS Scam ( 6 ): Let the suffering fools speak, sgain
SMS Scam ( 7 ): Transcript - Rosli Shukor's parting shot at MPG on May 14
SMS Scam ( 8 ): MPG API - Now you see (May 15), now you don't (May 16)!
SMS Scam ( 9 ): How big is the gravy train for multi-passengers?
SMS Scam ( 10 ): Industry Survey: Majority wants 'Cowboy CPs' removed
SMS Scam ( 11 ): What's up, Doc?
SMS Scam ( 12 ): Civil Action: Report to Commercial Crime Division?
In SMS Scam ( 4 ), we paraded the 15 CPs who were involved in 22 cases of frauds and SMS scam that took place between June 2006 and April, 2007. Two CPs cited for three cases of flouting the industry Guideline -- namely Nextnation Network Sdn Bhd owned by listed company Nextnation Communication Bhd, and Macro Kiosk Berhad, owned by Goldis of Tan & Tan fame -- were among the Top 5 Premium SMS Revenue Generator for the Celcos. Whereas, the core victims of the SMS scam are the prepaid mobile users, who are not provided with itemised billing to cross-check their prepaid credit.
In SMS Scam ( 5 ), we exposed that Celcos had defied an MCMC instruction issed in January to the cellular operators, and by extension their external CPs, to ( 1 ) implement itemised billing for prepaid customers by March 31, 2007; ( 2 ) implement a Preventive System to stop fraudulent practices, failing which, the Premium SMS Subscription Service shall stop with effect from April 1, 2007 until the issue is resolved.
It was also exposed that that the Celco had deliberately withheld the MCMC's instruction and did not inform the CPs of this instruction until March 14. Subsequently, the CPs got together to appeal their predicament and managed to get MCMC to postpone the suspension of Subscription Services which was to have been implemented from April 1 until the Preventive System is in place, whichever comes first..
Meanwhile, the SMS scam persisted till today. Here's the second batch of five more complaints from Screenshots readers who were scammed between June 2006 through April 2007:
We will continue to publish the third batch Screenshots readers' complaints, with Maxis bills as evidence, tomorrow. We will highlight a solution that can get MCMC and Maxis to the bottom of the scam but they hitherto didn't do.
Email #6::
From: Ko-chi Wai
To: jeffooi.screenshots@gmail.com
Date: May 18, 2007 10:46 AM
Subject: MT&T SMS Scam
Jeff,
I first noticed this in my April bill when I was charged for RM5 for an unsolicited SMS from MT&T. I called the Maxis service center and was promised a waiver, but after getting my May bill it is still not waived. Called Maxis again this morning and they claimed it was not waived. He did however say he's going to waive it again. Let's see if they will do it this time.
If I am not wrong, this MT&T company has its website at http://www.mttsb.com/contact.htm
I'm attaching a screenshot of my electronic bill as evidence.
Thanks for taking this matter up. It's time MCMC put a stop to such SMS scams.
Regards,
Ko-chi
Ko Chi Wai... Maxis April 2007 bill
Email #7::
From: MOHD HAFIZ habibuddin
To: jeffooi.screenshots@gmail.com
Date: May 18, 2007 11:30 AM
Subject: SMS scam evidence
Dear Jeff.
Here is my bill with the MT&T thing. You may use the bill where you deem fit.
And please advise us if anything you can do. through your website or anything
MOHD HAFIZ habibuddin
Faculty of Electrical Engineering
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
Mohd Hafix Habibuddin... Maxis April 2007 bill
Email #8::
From: Adric Ong
To: jeffooi.screenshots@gmail.com
Date: May 18, 2007 12:19 PM
Subject: My Maxis Bill December 2006
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for highlighting this issue and I think it affects a large number of celco subscribers in this country.
Below is a snapshot of my Maxis December 2006 bill. I was scammed by Amres and Mobile365.
Have checked my bills online and it seems the external content provider charges have stopped for my account since January 2007. Unfortunately I can't provide you snapshots of my Sept-Nov 2006 bills cos I can't retrieve them online (I subscribe to the online billing and they only show bills for the past 6 months). I do recall being charged during that period.
Many thanks again for highlighting this issue as it seems that MCMC and local 'authorities' are too inept to do anything in this country of ours. We have the laws but little or no enforcement of such laws.
Regards,
Adric
Adric Ong... Maxis December 2006 bill
Email #9::
From: Abraham DL Choong
To: jeffooi.screenshots@gmail.com
Date: May 18, 2007 4:04 PM
Subject: Telco SCAM with Attachments
Dear Jeff,
I have been scammed by Maxis. The supplementary line belongs to me mother who does not use the phone but only to call and simple sms.
I called Maxis and have settled the problem for the MAY bill. However, I am yet to check my phone bills starting from January.
Attached with this e-mail is my phone bill for May 2007. Please refer to page 17.
Thank you
--
From Abraham DL Choong
To: jeffooi.screenshots@gmail.com
Date: May 18, 2007 4:16 PM
Subject: Telco Scam 2
Dear Jeff,
I think I am not a wise consumer. I don't check my bills for what I pay for.
Attached with this e-mail are my March and February bills which has an external content provider charged. I have been scammed by MacroK (February).
I think it might be too late to claim the amount which in total is RM4.20
However, you can use this as evidence.
Regards,
--
ABRAHAM DL CHOONG
Abraham Choong... Maxis February 2007 bill
Email #10::
From: Anderson
To: jeffooi.screenshots@gmail.com
Date: May 18, 2007 7:18 PM
Subject: Me got Scammed too
Jeff,
Me also have, from MT&T and MacroK...
Anderson... Maxis September 2006 bill
Anderson... Maxis February 2007 bill
Why can't you order Maxis to disclose its SMSC binary logs to nab the real culprits and save us time and effort, Mr MCMC?
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