Hardly a day goes by lately when I don't receive at least one. Today I received 7 of them out of a total of 7 messages for the whole day.

I don't like smart phones and don't want one, but I guess there must be people unaware enough to click on the links in these messages and end up with a virus on their phone.

QUOTE: [August 20, 2021] Telstra has strict controls that helps prevent the possibility of caller ID spoofing from arising internally within our own network. However spoofing can still occur with calls that reach our customers when originating from outside of our network.

...

Rest assured we are working on solutions to prevent as much spoofing as possible.

Rest assured, Telstra is on the job? As Jack Thompson once famously said, "Now we can all get some sleep".

Somehow I don't think so.

And the worst spammer into my systerm is Woolworths and if you believe that Telstra statement inthe light of also getting fake Telstra bills. I know a used car sales person that would like to meet you.

... today's count just reached 8.

Might have to look into having SMS messages disabled altogether.

I imagine that everyone has this problem. With SMS and phone calls being essentially free, it leaves the door wide open for offshore call centres and automated computers to spam away at random phone numbers.

Because of my hearing problem I don't hear the phone beep or ring, I just have a look at it once or twice a day. It gets switched off after hours too. I don't carry the phone around with me like a millenial. If anyone really needs to contact me they can leave some words on the message-bank. Many of the phone calls show Victorian or Queensland numbers so I just ignore them, and they rarely leave a message. A online check of the various missed calls show the majority to be scammers.

I can't disable SMS because some friends actually use it, but they understand that I might not respond until the next day.

My phone is too old to receive attachments, so that's certainly one less thing to worry about. The internet doesn't work either, since the phone doesn't understand https or certificates.

Just got #1 of the new day.

QUOTE: You can forward spam texts directly to the ACMA at 0429 999 888 (texts will cost the standard SMS rate). You’ll receive an acknowledgement SMS in reply once ACMA receives the forwarded text, along with a reference number if you wish to make further inquiries or complaints.

The ACMA will then investigate the source and record the text details in its database.

I've been instantly deleting all this crap. Maybe I'll start forwarding it to ACMA first ... until maybe they declare me a scammer/spammer.

Edit: Just got #2 of the day and forwarded it to that ACMA number and got a text message back from them:

"Thanks for your Spam SMS Report. The ACMA will only contact you if more info is required. www.spam.acma.gov.au"

The thing is, if the message originates from overseas with one of those really short phone numbers - a classic way to identify a spam message, there is little they can do about it.

I get a few but not that many that it becomes annoying. I delete on sight and just carry on.

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A valve a day keeps the transistor away...

if the message originates from overseas with one of those really short phone numbers

They are spoofing local numbers.

there is little they can do about it

Every message includes a web link, and there are ways of dealing with web spam.

The really scarey one I got was from my westpac bank app. It said please update your app. This was before I logged in. Nope not me, I checked on play store and a update was not required.

Banks state often that they will address you by name in any electronic correspondence. Even so, I'd be suspicious.

The most frequent messages I get are something about a voicemail or a package.

This tsunami only started during COVID. I guess they are trying to capitalise on the amount of associated 'click and collect' activity.

.... And I just received another one.

Even when addressed as "first name surname" I am sus - I receive a lot of e-mails which are spam and address me personally because the address would have been harvested from a legitimate contact's address book which is a common way for spammers to get a hold of e-mail addresses that work.

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A valve a day keeps the transistor away...

Well, (so far) I've only had 5 scam/spam messages today and forwarded them all to ACMA ... which is now sending me two acknowledgement messages for each reported message.

Can't win!

I have four active mobile phones, one my main phone on Telstra which I carry, a backup/spare on Optus which I take when travelling and the two others are essentially to provide WiFi connections. Both the main phone and the spare are phones with buttons not 'smartphones'. Due to arthritis in my hands I cannot easily use a smartphone. Of course with the COVID measures I cannot scan the QR codes posted everywhere so I have to manually check in at shops either on paper or now on some sort of 'smart' device. I have become rather wary of the security or lack of with these 'smart' devices and the security of the QR check-in system generally. Like GTC and others I get spam/scam texts and calls regularly on my main number but not on the spare.

So last week as a test when I was forced to enter my details on a tablet at Aldi, I used my deceased father's name and the number of the spare phone. Back home just two hours later I checked the spare phone and there were three spam/scam texts waiting for me. Since then there have been several more scam calls on the phone asking for 'Mr Donald'. Donald was my father's first name and in Asia the naming structure is family name/surname plus first name so the reverse the European/Australian convention. If the calls were as a result of random dialling programs used by scammers then I would have had calls on the spare phone well before my Aldi episode. I take this as a strong indication that the QR check-in system is badly compromised and is the source of contacts for the scammers more that the COVID tracers.

In the Canberra Times recently it was reported that the Federal Police have been accessing the COVID register database to find 'persons of interest'.

As for Telstra and/or ACMA doing anything to track or stop scam calls, 'Tell him he's dreaming!'

This is slightly off-topic but still might be interesting,

I am always amazed at the security (Or rather, lack off) around manual sign in for contact tracking in stores that I visit doing the day. More often then not, next to the QR sign in, there is often placed a manual sign in sheet with everyone full name and phone number exposed for the world to see. Considering how good and small cameras have gotten, It would take absolutely no effort to get a photo (or video) of all this information and use it for malicious purposes.
I wonder if this would also be a valid source for spam calls\messages.

QUOTE: So last week as a test when I was forced to enter my details on a tablet at Aldi, I used my deceased father's name and the number of the spare phone. Back home just two hours later I checked the spare phone and there were three spam/scam texts waiting for me. Since then there have been several more scam calls on the phone asking for 'Mr Donald'. Donald was my father's first name and in Asia the naming structure is family name/surname plus first name so the reverse the European/Australian convention. If the calls were as a result of random dialling programs used by scammers then I would have had calls on the spare phone well before my Aldi episode. I take this as a strong indication that the QR check-in system is badly compromised and is the source of contacts for the scammers more that the COVID tracers.

These SMS messages did start for me when movement tracing became a thing due to Covid. Your experience where they actually nominated the phone's owner is almost proof positive that criminal activity is involved.

Then there's also the phone calls. When I get phone calls from an unknown number I don't say anything until the other end does and 9 times out of 10 the caller hangs up.

I've also had the calls where a computerised voice claims to be from the ATO, etc.

It is notable that Telstra is clearly not making much effort and have said that in the media as to have people sorting scams etc. That costs money and they are in the business of making money not using it to provide service. I actually forced Telstra back to snail mail as I was getting scam spoof bills which stopped when I went back to snail mail.