Crazy SMS text via landline

Jeff121

Hi when you read this you may think that I have been drinking or worse, But I can assure you I have not! My home/landline phone rang a few minutes ago, I answered to, "This is BT SMS you have a text message, I pressed option 1 to listen to the text (this is the first time I have received any text via my landline) The automated voice read out "this is Guranga, Guranga Garanga, come and join us" I hung at that point. I am wondering if anyone else has received anything like this, is it some sort of marketing, telephone spam? wonder if I was charged anything for accepting it by pressing option 1 ? I dialled 1471 and the number it came from was 08456021111

thefirs

It's been possible to send texts to landlines for some while now, depending on the network you're with. There are even some developed caller-display phones that you use just like any other landline phone which allow you to receive and transmit. If the receiving phone has no such facility though, then the posh lady reads it out for the recipient.

I have to confess I employed this a few times to "amuse and impress my friends" as the phrase goes. I couldn't actually believe anyone would listen to more than a few seconds of the spiel that introduces the message before slamming down the phone for fear of being ensnared in the urban legend of being charged £20 per call when you press 9...

What you received just seems to be the natural conclusion - audible sms spam. Where will it all end, I ask myself?

DonnyDave

See this thread about the same query.

If it's a BT landline, ring 0800 5875252 to stop your phone receiving SMS messages.

ManAtHome

A bit more info http://www.joewein.de/sw/spam-neateye-gouranga.htm have seen it on motorway bridges, but haven't (yet) been spammed..

Jeff121

Thank you to all who have replied and given me some information. From your post/replies I have learned that Text messages can and are transmitted down a landline without owning a specific SMS phone, also that I wont be charged for accepting this crazy call and an insight into what Gouranga is. I will phone BT (who I'm connected to) on the number you advised DonnyDave, thanks, and have the SMS facility removed. Before long we might need some sort of McAfee or Norton anti virus and spam filters in our phones to protect our privacy, its a pain when our privacy is invaded and a bit of a worry.
Thanks all.
Jeff

sammyy

But didn't ya love that voice that translates the text message to a verbal message.Does it still say all the puncuation like it used to ?eg.If you put a full stop in a sentence it says dot.Cracks me up everytime I get one.Its worth sending yourself a stupid text message just for the entertainment of listening to it back.

Jeff121

sammyy wrote:

But didn't ya love that voice that translates the text message to a verbal message.Does it still say all the puncuation like it used to ?eg.If you put a full stop in a sentence it says dot.Cracks me up everytime I get one.Its worth sending yourself a stupid text message just for the entertainment of listening to it back.

Well Sammyy what ever turn's you on LOL !

juno

It's the monks! My fiance has got a CD of "monk rock". It was quite funny, I warned him about the monks in Nottingham, and then we found one! Or rather, one found us.

Jeff121

Is that the same Monks who make "Buckfast" ? Maybe they're drinking too much of the stuff !

loyalbrummie

:beer: for the info , hopefully this has stopped a DCA getting in touch via sms now they will have to ring me normally if they want to speak to me .

regards

LB

ratted

I am getting stupid calls that fill my answerphone with rubbish form 08456 021111 which is a BT text service which I don't want. I called BT which took 90mins to get a number in India. dialling 0800 5875252 gets you the change cufew times in which stupid messages arrives, 11pm - 8am. It only allows you to changes these times and BUT NOT CANCEL.
I dialled 0800 077771 (India) option 2 and got the BT staff to cancel further messages from the "BT Platform" and if I wanted to stop calls from T-Virgin who also can send messages I must call their auomated service (at normal call charge rate!?) 07953966066 option 2 then option 3

All this is totally stupid, it's all set up to scam money out of us, the routes to stop all this are blocked by a monster hunt to search out the relevant telephone numbers so I can speak with a live person rather than the usual automated service. It is total stupidity.