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SOS SMS
New anti-mobile spam initiative
A new anti-mobile spam initiative, SOS SMS, was
launched today by LiveWebs Limited and BeepMarketing Ltd on the
Grumbletext website at http://www.grumbletext.co.uk/page.php?pn=gtsossms
SOS SMS aims to educate the consumer about
commercial text messaging and how to differentiate between
legitimate marketing messages and the dreaded mobile scams and spam.
The SOS SMS area on the Grumbletext website gives the consumer the
facility to report text scams and spams both on the site and
formally with ICSTIS and reiterates the importance of doing so to
protect the more na�ve, such as children. It also informs consumers
how to unsubscribe to marketing messages.
Although consumers can already complain to the
Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone
Information Services (ICSTIS) many consumers do not know about the
organisation or what it does. Grumbletext is an increasingly popular
UK consumer complaints website which allows consumers to post their
grumbles about companies by texting them in or posting them online;
it hopes therefore that it is in a natural position to channel
consumer interest on this issue.
The service works in two ways.
1. If you receive what you think is a scam or
spam message, you can forward it to the SOS SMS website via text
message to 07810 83 83 83, starting it with the keyword 'SPAM' or
'SCAM' depending which you consider it to be. It costs the
consumer's usual text message rate. Messages received will be posted
on the website so visitors to the site can see examples of spam and
scam text messages.
2. You can visit the website and enter in the
details of your message online. If you think it's a scam message,
you can also complain direct to ICSTIS using a link from the SOS SMS
website.
Mike Grenville, founder and CEO of 160
characters, the mobile messaging industry association, supports the
initiative and says "there are some very good legitimate mobile
marketing campaigns but scams and spam are making the consumer
cautious and ruining the experience for consumer and mobile marketer
alike."
With regard to SOS SMS, Grumbletext founder,
Adrian Harris, says "unfortunately the everyday consumer tends
not to know how or where to complain about mobile scams and spam but
is becoming increasingly aware of Grumbletext. We hope that SOS SMS
will be a helpful and effective forum in itself and that it will
also direct the consumer to ICSTIS, which has powers to fine those
who are sending unsolicited SMS."
BeepMarketing, a mobile marketing agency
specialising in campaign management, consultancy and training, came
up with the spam and scam reporting idea and decided to team up with
Grumbletext to get it off the ground. Helen Keegan, founder and
Managing Director of BeepMarketing Ltd, says, "It is important
to fight mobile scam and spam. It's intrusive, annoying and in many
cases misleading and deceptive so it's about time the perpetrators
were kicked into touch! It's only by encouraging customers to
complain that anything will happen."
Enquiries
Contact: Rowena Kennerley, BeepMarketing Ltd
Tel: 0870 770 7142 Mob: 0771 714 2448
Email: [email protected]
About LiveWebs Ltd
LiveWebs is a London-based software development
company, founded in 1999 by Adrian Harris. It began by creating
add-in software applications for Microsoft Office, which received 4
and 5 star (maximum) 'Editor's Pick' ratings at ZDNet. Clients
include The International Monetary Fund (IMF), Lloyds Bank, Motorola
Labs Arizona and Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC). LiveWebs has
also recently launched a text messaging service called PulseTXT
which allows clients to collect and manage customer feedback via
text message; PulseTXT is currently being piloted with a Footsie 100
retailer.
www.livewebs.com
About Grumbletext
Grumbletext, launched by LiveWebs in February
2003 gives the consumer an easy, satisfying, and effective way to
voice their complaints about companies, products and services via
text message, email and the web. The 'grumbles' then appear on the
website in a matter of minutes.
www.grumbletext.co.uk
About BeepMarketing Ltd
BeepMarketing is a mobile marketing agency
founded by Helen Keegan, formerly Head of Customer Experience at
wireless marketing pioneer, ZagMe. BeepMarketing offers campaign
management, consultancy and training in all aspects of mobile
marketing to its clients. Helen also runs the SMS marketing course
for the Institute of Direct Marketing and is a guest lecturer at the
University of Westminster. Clients include Vivendi Universal,
Scottish Courage, Warner Village Cinemas, UIP, USC, The Mall UK, as
well as various marketing services agencies.
www.beepmarketing.com
NB -
Since this press release, BeepMarketing continues to support SOS SMS on Grumbletext anti-mobile spam initiative but is no longer actively involved on a day to day basis.
Grumbletext is grateful to BeepMarketing for all its help in getting the forum off the ground and raising the site's profile both within the industry and the wider community.
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