Screenshots

Explain this, Celcom, DiGi and MCMC

I am not getting paranoid but this SMS was delivered to my Celcom Prepaid number +6019-3761397, which I have been using for years as the portal contact with Screenshots readers and the Little Birds.

The originating mobile number was from DiGi at +6016-6812063, which is not even my acquaintance, and I am not Mr Calvin. As the websites mentioned in the SMS are dubious, I want both Celcom and DiGi to tell me if the SMS was a spoof.

Since Celcom does not provide itemised billing for my prepaid account, I want MCMC to tell me -- specifically -- whether I have been scammed and billed on the Premium SMS rate for a content I didn't solicit.

Explain this, Maxis and MCMC

These were two SMS -- sent via the dirty 3xxxx short codes -- delivered to my Maxis post-paid account in the month of May, 2007.

The content appeared to have followed the Guideline with a message opener that said FOC/FREE. I am not sure if they are FOC or FREE as I have said in my blog entry SMS Scam ( 3 ) about the third variant of SMS scam, a message may appear as FREE but it's already charged when delivered on your handset and you won't be aware of it until the next itemised bill comes !

So, until my next billing cycle on the 28th, I am going to give Maxis a goose-run by masking the 3xxxx short codes. Maxis has to check it out against their SMSC binary logs if I have been billed on a Premium SMS rate for a content I didn't solicit.

I will unmask the short code if my May bill showed that I have been scammed. Additionally, Maxis has to explain why my post-paid number has been leaked/sold as a privy database to the external content content providers to spam (and probably scam) me. Is that an inside job?

Explain this, MacroKiosk and MCMC

In SMS Scam ( 4 ), it has been exposed via the MCMC official website that Macro Kiosk Berhad had been cited for 3 cases of non-compliance as per the industry Guideline governing mobile content and services . The non-compliance were cited for the months of July through October last year.

Going by Section 9 of the Guideline, MacroKiosk has essentially inflicted itself a "red card" (as in soccer) for the triple offence and should have been given the march out order from the playfield. The three Celcos should have suspended all their sets of short codes, and all existing content agreements with the Celcos and related ASP licensees cancelled, pending the Ministerial Declaration -- see SMS Scam ( 7 ) -- which is current being lobbied and manoeuvred by the parties involved.

Has MacroKiosk relented? Obviously not of you scour the Internet forums in the country. This complaint (original URL is this) picked up from the immensely populated LowYat.net indicates that MacroKisok is still rampaging as recently as February 2007 -- after the earlier triple offence -- without any MCMC actions being taken!

SOURCE: Lowyat.net, March 24, 2007

If you Google, alleged SMS scams involving public complaints against MacroKiosk are well chronicled, raw, in these internet forums and the Screenshots blog:
1 ) Lowyat.net March 24, 2007
2 ) Putera.com March 28, 2007
3 ) Screenshots, case cited on February 2
4 ) Screenshots, cases cited from February 4 through February 25

There are similar cases cited against repeated offenders like Nextnation, and MT&T, a listed company which scammed me that motivated this expose series, and for which Maxis has yet to give a written explanation to date!

Why has MCMC been made so ball-less (pardon the language) in taking effective actions against the repeat offenders, Mr MCMC?

Perhaps, the Security Commission, Bursa Malaysia, Softbank and the rating agencies etc -- places these rogue CPs are heading for -- should be alerted at once.