James Wiseman

DO NOT REPLY EITHER WAY – THIS IS A SCAM

£2010.43 is still outstanding in your name for the accident you had. To get this reply ASAP, reply CLAIM to this message NOW

Received from:

• +447544310950/07544310950
• +447544312770/07544312770

Image via Wikipedia

This is a spam text message WHICH IS ILLEGAL. The companies that use this form of marketing are equivalent to the people who buy stolen goods. These are not the sort of companies you want to do business with!

This is one of many messages that are circulating as originally highlighted in my article Debt Settlement Order Spam Text Message. If you ever receive anything that remotely fits this template then delete it.

Again, DO NOT REPLY. This is a random act of spamming – a computer program is systematically trying to send this out to thousands of numbers at random. It has, by sheer chance, found your number!

And, if you can, post the number in the comments below. This will help people searching by that number alone find this article and avoid any potential trouble arising from replying.

Also, please. please post any variants in full. I have had so many comments from people in desperate circumstances who are being targeted by the parasites that operate these scams.

How Does It Work?

The whole setup is quite elaborate. But in essence there is a computer program that pretends to be the number you see that sends out all the spam messages. Meanwhile, another computer program monitors the text-message mailbox of all of the numbers you see. If you reply, then you are added to a database  of numbers to be called (and for future spamming).

I’ve written this up in full at: Telephony Leads and Debt Management Companies – How It Works.

Reporting

You may be report these messages to your provider. The following links may help:

Vodafone – How do I report spam text messages? Forward the spam message to VSPAM (87726).

Orange – Stop spam text messages. If you are on Orange and get spam messages, please forward them to 7726 free from your Orange phone. By doing this you are helping Orange to collate information to help reduce spam messages being sent to you and others.

02 also allow you to report on 7726. See: SPAM and unwanted subscription texts

I would also try forwarding the message onto 7726 if you are with T-Mobile or Three.

You can also try NumberCop and DoNotCall.gov

Back in May 2009, the Guardian newspaper wrote an article Spam to go – the new mobile menace. It recommends a number of organisations you can contact.

To complain about an inappropriate text, call the Advertising Standards Authority 020 7492 2222 or go to www.asa.org.uk/asa/contact/

To resolve continual mobile spam despite texting “stop”, contact the ICO on 01625 54 57 45 or go to www.ico.gov.uk/complaints.aspx

For help with premium rate text spam, call PhonepayPlus on 0800 500 212 or log on to www.phonepayplus.org.uk/output/Make-a-complaint.aspx

DO NOT REPLY EITHER WAY – THIS IS A SCAM

I received this message today:

Our records indicate your Pension is under performing to see higher growth and upto 25% cash please reply PENSION for a free review. To opt out reply STOP

Received from:

• +447895123861 / 07895123861

And others have reported similar:

90% of UK pensions are showing negative growth, to celebrate national pension week reply INFO for free review on your old or frozen pension. To opt out STOP 

From

• +447565915540 / 07565915540

This is one of many messages that are circulating as originally highlighted in my article Debt Settlement Order Spam Text Message. If you ever receive anything that remotely fits this template then delete it.

2011 was year of “debt resolution” text scams. Now, in 2012 the criminals behind these schemes are focussing on stripping the vulnerable of their retirement nest egg. This is the cash that senior citizens will depend upon in retirement.

This is morally deplorable and utterly contemptible.

Recently, the government announced a crackdown on such spamming and scamming schemes, so happily, imprisonment is the inevitable consequence for the scum at all ends of this con.

I wrote about a similar message in a post from a couple of months ago, but I think its worth reiterating the message from this.

…it is impossible to unlock your pension before the age of 55. The 25% mentioned in the text message refers to the 25% tax-free cash, that you can opt to take anyway. This is an option presented to you by your pension provider when you cash in, or ‘vest’ your pension anyway.

The companies that offer this service will be intent on taking a sizeable percentage of any ‘unlocked’ money, potentially condemning  the victims to hardship in their retirement years.  This article at MoneyExtra.com carries more information on the pitfalls of pension unlocking and some possible alternatives.

The above text messages claim to be outperform the stock market by quite staggering percentages. If it were that simple they would not need your pension money. They would happily invest their own cash and you would never hear from them.

What is likely to happen is that you will be charged an annual management charge (AMC) which will result in the value of your pension pot declining even further.

And as for “National Pensions Week” – I have never heard so much garbage in all of my life.

The key message here is this:

Before doing anything with your hard-earned retirement fund SEEK INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVICE.

At the very least do not engage with these shady characters – the bottom feeders of society.

Reporting

You may be report these messages to your provider. The following links may help:

Vodafone – How do I report spam text messages? Forward the spam message to VSPAM (87726).

Orange – Stop spam text messages. If you are on Orange and get spam messages, please forward them to 7726 free from your Orange phone. By doing this you are helping Orange to collate information to help reduce spam messages being sent to you and others.

02 also allow you to report on 7726. See: SPAM and unwanted subscription texts

I would also try forwarding the message onto 7726 if you are with T-Mobile or Three.

You can also try NumberCop and DoNotCall.gov

Back in May 2009, the Guardian newspaper wrote an article Spam to go – the new mobile menace. It recommends a number of organisations you can contact.

To complain about an inappropriate text, call the Advertising Standards Authority 020 7492 2222 or go to www.asa.org.uk/asa/contact/

To resolve continual mobile spam despite texting “stop”, contact the ICO on 01625 54 57 45 or go to www.ico.gov.uk/complaints.aspx

For help with premium rate text spam, call PhonepayPlus on 0800 500 212 or log on to www.phonepayplus.org.uk/output/Make-a-complaint.aspxDue to a new legislation, those struggling with debt can now apply to have it written off. For more information text the word ‘INFO’ or to opt-out text stop.

DO NOT REPLY EITHER WAY – THIS IS A SCAM

Just received this message

Do you have a trapped or frozen pension? Achieve 7% growth and release 25% cash now! Text pension for a free review to release cash

Received from:

• +447895123861 / 07895123861

This is one of many messages that are circulating as originally highlighted in my article Debt Settlement Order Spam Text Message. If you ever receive anything that remotely fits this template then delete it.

This is another example of an anonymous company, spamming the text mailboxes of thousands in order to exploit some of the must vulnerable. For someone in serious debt, the opportunity to ‘unlock’ a pension whilst achieving 25% growth might seem favourable.

However, it is impossible to unlock your pension before the age of 55. The 25% mentioned in the text message refers to the 25% tax-free cash, that you can opt to take anyway. This is an option presented to you by your pension provider when you cash in, or ‘vest’ your pension anyway.

The companies that offer this service will be intent on taking a sizeable percentage of any ‘unlocked’ money, potentially condemning  the victims to hardship in their retirement years.  This article at MoneyExtra.com carries more information on the pitfalls of pension unlocking and some possible alternatives.

Reporting

You may be report these messages to your provider. The following links may help:

Vodafone – How do I report spam text messages? Forward the spam message to VSPAM (87726).

Orange – Stop spam text messages. If you are on Orange and get spam messages, please forward them to 7726 free from your Orange phone. By doing this you are helping Orange to collate information to help reduce spam messages being sent to you and others.

02 also allow you to report on 7726. See: SPAM and unwanted subscription texts

I would also try forwarding the message onto 7726 if you are with T-Mobile or Three.

You can also try NumberCop and DoNotCall.gov

Back in May 2009, the Guardian newspaper wrote an article Spam to go – the new mobile menace. It recommends a number of organisations you can contact.

To complain about an inappropriate text, call the Advertising Standards Authority 020 7492 2222 or go to www.asa.org.uk/asa/contact/

To resolve continual mobile spam despite texting “stop”, contact the ICO on 01625 54 57 45 or go to www.ico.gov.uk/complaints.aspx

For help with premium rate text spam, call PhonepayPlus on 0800 500 212 or log on to www.phonepayplus.org.uk/output/Make-a-complaint.aspxDue to a new legislation, those struggling with debt can now apply to have it written off. For more information text the word ‘INFO’ or to opt-out text stop.

DO NOT REPLY EITHER WAY – THIS IS A SCAM

IMPORTANT!:Loans & Credit Cards can now have their INTEREST & CHARGES FROZEN if you’re unable to make the repayments. For more info txt INFO or txt stop to stop.

Received from:

• +447938402427/07938402427

Image via Wikipedia

This is a spam text message WHICH IS ILLEGAL. The companies that use this form of marketing are equivalent to the people who buy stolen goods. These are not the sort of companies you want to do business with! It is likely that any dealing with them will leave you worse off.

This is one of many messages that are circulating as originally highlighted in my article Debt Settlement Order Spam Text Message. If you ever receive anything that remotely fits this template then delete it.

As for the ability to ‘Freeze’ the charges, there is a Debt Relief Order (Link to Citizens Advice Bureau), which is only available to people in very very very specific circumstances and who remain in those circumstances for the duration of the order. It also has some marked consequences, which are not to be taken lightly. You can find these by scrolling down through this article.

Moreover, Debt Relief Orders can only be processed through an approved intermediary (otherwise known as a “Competent Authority). These can be found by visiting this site. Note, the company that is touting for your business will NOT be an approved intermediary.

Again, DO NOT REPLY. This is a random act of spamming – a computer program is systematically trying to send this out to thousands of numbers at random. It has, by sheer chance, found your number!

And, if you can, post the number in the comments below. This will help people searching by that number alone find this article and avoid any potential trouble arising from replying.

Also, please. please post any variants in full. I have had so many comments from people in desperate circumstances who are being targeted by the parasites that operate these scams.

Are You a Victim?

Screenchannel Television is making a new series about debt and loans and are looking for people to share their experiences. If have been a victim of this scam, or have even considered responding and are interested in taking part, then you can read more in this article.

How Does It Work?

The whole setup is quite elaborate. But in essence there is a computer program that pretends to be the number you see that sends out all the spam messages. Meanwhile, another computer program monitors the text-message mailbox of all of the numbers you see. If you reply, then you are added to a database of numbers to be called (and for future spamming).

I’ve written this up in full at: Telephony Leads and Debt Management Companies – How It Works.

Reporting

You may be report these messages to your provider. The following links may help:

Vodafone – How do I report spam text messages? Forward the spam message to VSPAM (87726).

Orange – Stop spam text messages. If you are on Orange and get spam messages, please forward them to 7726 free from your Orange phone. By doing this you are helping Orange to collate information to help reduce spam messages being sent to you and others.

02 also allow you to report on 7726. See: SPAM and unwanted subscription texts

I would also try forwarding the message onto 7726 if you are with T-Mobile or Three.

You can also try NumberCop and DoNotCall.gov

Back in May 2009, the Guardian newspaper wrote an article Spam to go – the new mobile menace. It recommends a number of organisations you can contact.

To complain about an inappropriate text, call the Advertising Standards Authority 020 7492 2222 or go to www.asa.org.uk/asa/contact/

To resolve continual mobile spam despite texting “stop”, contact the ICO on 01625 54 57 45 or go to www.ico.gov.uk/complaints.aspx

For help with premium rate text spam, call PhonepayPlus on 0800 500 212 or log on to www.phonepayplus.org.uk/output/Make-a-complaint.aspx

Debt and Loans series

Have you received a text message offering a Debt Settlement Order, or help to claim following your “accident”, of one of the dozen or so other variants being sent to thousands of phones across the country?

Have you fallen victim one of these of spam text messages, or have you considered responding?

If so, Screenchannel Television, the makers of BBC1′s Fake Britain, are making a new series about debt and loans and be very interested to hear from anyone who has received such a text or email, and who was either tempted to reply but didn’t, or who actually replied and would be happy to talk about what happened as a result.

To share your story, or to find out more, please email debt@screenchannel.co.uk.

DO NOT REPLY EITHER WAY – THIS IS A SCAM

URGENT! If you took out a bank loan prior to 2007 the you are almost certainly entitled to £2300 in compensation. To claim text ‘YES’. (free to reply).

Received from:

• +447522075609/07522075609

Another span tesxt message variant to look out for.

This message has surfaced in relation to the current Missold Payment Protection Insurance Ruling. The adjacent BBC article reports that several million people may be worthy of such compensation – ripe pickings for our scammers.

If you’re looking to claim back any money in relation to this, the BBC outlines a series of steps you can take personally. You can also check out the PPI reclaiming guide at moneysavingexpert.com. Ultimately, this is your money, rightfully due to you, so why waste money on an opportunistic company just looking to profit from your misfortune.

Image via Wikipedia

This is a spam text message WHICH IS ILLEGAL. The companies that use this form of marketing are equivalent to the people who buy stolen goods. These are not the sort of companies you want to do business with!

This is one of many messages that are circulating as originally highlighted in my article Debt Settlement Order Spam Text Message. If you ever receive anything that remotely fits this template then delete it.

Again, DO NOT REPLY. This is a random act of spamming – a computer program is systematically trying to send this out to thousands of numbers at random. It has, by sheer chance, found your number!

And, if you can, post the number in the comments below. This will help people searching by that number alone find this article and avoid any potential trouble arising from replying.

Also, please. please post any variants in full. I have had so many comments from people in desperate circumstances who are being targeted by the parasites that operate these scams.

Are You a Victim?

Screenchannel Television is making a new series about debt and loans and are looking for people to share their experiences. If have been a victim of this scam, or have even considered responding and are interested in taking part, then you can read more in this article.

How Does It Work?

The whole setup is quite elaborate. But in essence there is a computer program that pretends to be the number you see that sends out all the spam messages. Meanwhile, another computer program monitors the text-message mailbox of all of the numbers you see. If you reply, then you are added to a database of numbers to be called (and for future spamming).

I’ve written this up in full at: Telephony Leads and Debt Management Companies – How It Works.

Reporting

You may be report these messages to your provider. The following links may help:

Vodafone – How do I report spam text messages? Forward the spam message to VSPAM (87726).

Orange – Stop spam text messages. If you are on Orange and get spam messages, please forward them to 7726 free from your Orange phone. By doing this you are helping Orange to collate information to help reduce spam messages being sent to you and others.

02 also allow you to report on 7726. See: SPAM and unwanted subscription texts

I would also try forwarding the message onto 7726 if you are with T-Mobile or Three.

You can also try NumberCop and DoNotCall.gov

Back in May 2009, the Guardian newspaper wrote an article Spam to go – the new mobile menace. It recommends a number of organisations you can contact.

To complain about an inappropriate text, call the Advertising Standards Authority 020 7492 2222 or go to www.asa.org.uk/asa/contact/

To resolve continual mobile spam despite texting “stop”, contact the ICO on 01625 54 57 45 or go to www.ico.gov.uk/complaints.aspx

For help with premium rate text spam, call PhonepayPlus on 0800 500 212 or log on to www.phonepayplus.org.uk/output/Make-a-complaint.aspx

DO NOT REPLY EITHER WAY – THIS IS A SCAM

Looking for a load or payday 95% approvals in june,complete online in 5mins. www.extramoneymatters.co.uk No guarantor. To opt out reply stop

Received from:

• +447523822040/07523822040

Another spam text message variant to look out for.

Image via Wikipedia

This is a spam text message WHICH IS ILLEGAL. The companies that use this form of marketing are equivalent to the people who buy stolen goods. These are not the sort of companies you want to do business with!

This is one of many messages that are circulating as originally highlighted in my article Debt Settlement Order Spam Text Message. If you ever receive anything that remotely fits this template then delete it.

Again, DO NOT REPLY. This is a random act of spamming – a computer program is systematically trying to send this out to thousands of numbers at random. It has, by sheer chance, found your number!

And, if you can, post the number in the comments below. This will help people searching by that number alone find this article and avoid any potential trouble arising from replying.

Also, please. please post any variants in full. I have had so many comments from people in desperate circumstances who are being targeted by the parasites that operate these scams.

Are You a Victim?

Screenchannel Television is making a new series about debt and loans and are looking for people to share their experiences. If have been a victim of this scam, or have even considered responding and are interested in taking part, then you can read more in this article.

How Does It Work?

The whole setup is quite elaborate. But in essence there is a computer program that pretends to be the number you see that sends out all the spam messages. Meanwhile, another computer program monitors the text-message mailbox of all of the numbers you see. If you reply, then you are added to a database of numbers to be called (and for future spamming).

I’ve written this up in full at: Telephony Leads and Debt Management Companies – How It Works.

Reporting

You may be report these messages to your provider. The following links may help:

Vodafone – How do I report spam text messages? Forward the spam message to VSPAM (87726).

Orange – Stop spam text messages. If you are on Orange and get spam messages, please forward them to 7726 free from your Orange phone. By doing this you are helping Orange to collate information to help reduce spam messages being sent to you and others.

02 also allow you to report on 7726. See: SPAM and unwanted subscription texts

I would also try forwarding the message onto 7726 if you are with T-Mobile or Three.

You can also try NumberCop and DoNotCall.gov

Back in May 2009, the Guardian newspaper wrote an article Spam to go – the new mobile menace. It recommends a number of organisations you can contact.

To complain about an inappropriate text, call the Advertising Standards Authority 020 7492 2222 or go to www.asa.org.uk/asa/contact/

To resolve continual mobile spam despite texting “stop”, contact the ICO on 01625 54 57 45 or go to www.ico.gov.uk/complaints.aspx

For help with premium rate text spam, call PhonepayPlus on 0800 500 212 or log on to www.phonepayplus.org.uk/output/Make-a-complaint.aspx

DO NOT REPLY EITHER WAY – THIS IS A SCAM

You have still not claimed the compensation for your accident. You may be entitled up to £3650. To find out more reply ‘CLAIM’. Thank you.

Another variant reads:

You have still not claimed the compensation you are due for the accident you have. to start the process please reply YES. To opt out text STOP.

Received from:

• +447542007519/07542007519
• +447548031950/07548031950

It’s been a while since the last one, but the commenters on this blog have reported a new variant.

Some people have reported receiving up to one text message daily!

Image via Wikipedia

This is a spam text message WHICH IS ILLEGAL. The companies that use this form of marketing are equivalent to the people who buy stolen goods. These are not the sort of companies you want to do business with!

This is one of many messages that are circulating as originally highlighted in my article Debt Settlement Order Spam Text Message. If you ever receive anything that remotely fits this template then delete it.

Again, DO NOT REPLY. This is a random act of spamming – a computer program is systematically trying to send this out to thousands of numbers at random. It has, by sheer chance, found your number!

And, if you can, post the number in the comments below. This will help people searching by that number alone find this article and avoid any potential trouble arising from replying.

Also, please. please post any variants in full. I have had so many comments from people in desperate circumstances who are being targeted by the parasites that operate these scams.

How Does It Work?

The whole setup is quite elaborate. But in essence there is a computer program that pretends to be the number you see that sends out all the spam messages. Meanwhile, another computer program monitors the text-message mailbox of all of the numbers you see. If you reply, then you are added to a database  of numbers to be called (and for future spamming).

I’ve written this up in full at: Telephony Leads and Debt Management Companies – How It Works.

Reporting

You may be report these messages to your provider. The following links may help:

Vodafone – How do I report spam text messages? Forward the spam message to VSPAM (87726).

Orange – Stop spam text messages. If you are on Orange and get spam messages, please forward them to 7726 free from your Orange phone. By doing this you are helping Orange to collate information to help reduce spam messages being sent to you and others.

02 also allow you to report on 7726. See: SPAM and unwanted subscription texts

I would also try forwarding the message onto 7726 if you are with T-Mobile or Three.

You can also try NumberCop and DoNotCall.gov

Back in May 2009, the Guardian newspaper wrote an article Spam to go – the new mobile menace. It recommends a number of organisations you can contact.

To complain about an inappropriate text, call the Advertising Standards Authority 020 7492 2222 or go to www.asa.org.uk/asa/contact/

To resolve continual mobile spam despite texting “stop”, contact the ICO on 01625 54 57 45 or go to www.ico.gov.uk/complaints.aspx

For help with premium rate text spam, call PhonepayPlus on 0800 500 212 or log on to www.phonepayplus.org.uk/output/Make-a-complaint.aspx