As cell phone use continues to increase around the world, the danger around spam text messaging services follows. In the United States specifically, this problem largely stems from Chicago, southern Florida and Dallas, according to mobile security company AdaptiveMobile.
Based on a collection of graphics that were posted on Forbes Magazine, it is pretty clear that the issue is not as widespread as it is in Europe. At the same time, it is crucial that SMS users remain vigilant, in case they come across a suspicious text message.
"It's a real race between the spammers and the telecoms industry. While spammers used to send thousands of messages for every phone account they have, they have got wise and now open numerous accounts sending only 20 to 50 messages per account so they are harder to track," Cathal McDaid, head of security operations at AdaptiveMobile, told Forbes.
Since AdaptiveMobile's graphics were published, we noticed that the FTC has closed two SMS spam schemes — one in Wisconsin and the other was a collaboration in South Carolina and California. The one stint in California doesn't come as a surprise, seeing how a significant portion of SMS spam begins in the Golden state.
"This case halts a nationwide operation that took in millions of dollars by promising consumers free gift cards that it never delivered," Jessica Rich, Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in FTC's announcement. "We're pleased to stop these unwanted messages and protect consumers' personal information."
Twelve defendants were fined $2.5 million to settle the damages that derived from the "free $1,000 gift cards" from Wal-Mart. The sole participant in the Wisconsin SMS scam was slapped with a $10,000 settlement, according to the Los Angeles Times.
FTC's swift action against these operations show that the government is serious about reducing such activity. Businesses that plan on implementing their own SMS service can rely on Swift SMS Gateway. We are an industry leader in mobile marketing solutions.
