OT text message scam

[Walter Dnes]

On Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 04:40:15PM -0500, Dave Cramer wrote
> I just got a bill on my cell for 28 TXT messages for 32.50
>
> I didn't sign up for these messages and apparently they are billed by the 
> sender.
>
> The number they come from is 33444.
>
> This is a good gig. Anyone know anything about this?

  Google is your friend.  ***I SUGGEST NOT GOING TO THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE
WITH IE***.  A quick look turned up
http://www.mtnonline.com/fun/Guess_who.asp and the title on the frame is
"MTN Nigeria".  Nuff said right there.  The domain is hosted in the USA
(see attachment).

  I doubt you entered your phone number anywhere.  This is a weakness of
the phone system.  It's analagous to total lack of security in early
internet protocols, because they were designed on the assumption that
anybody on the "net" was a middle-class white male with a US military
security clearance, and "Kremvax" was an April fools joke.  Now the
"Russian Business Network" is exploiting that lack of security.

  The old phome system consisted of a bunch of monopolies, an "old boys
club", where deals were cemented with handshakes.  One company sent a
bill to another company's customer, and it was processed without
question.  Now, a bunch of sleazebag outfits are taking advantage of
this laxness to send fraudulent bills.

  You may be able to get that one number blocked, but there will be
others.  I suggest that you contact the CRTC, and ask them to consider
setting up a requirement that customers be able, at no cost, to have
their phone accounts flagged to not be billed by 3rd parties under any
circumstances.  The phone company should not be a collection agency for
a bunch of con-artists.

-- 
Walter Dnes <waltdnes-SLHPyeZ9y/tg9hUCZPvPmw at public.gmane.org>
I'm not repeating myself
I'm an X Window user...  I'm an ex-Windows-user
-------------- next part --------------

OrgName:    BlueTower Hosting LLC 
OrgID:      BHL-5
Address:    BlueTower Hosting LLC
Address:    1099 Jay Street Bldg J 2nd Floot
City:       Rochester
StateProv:  NY
PostalCode: 14611
Country:    US

NetRange:   208.75.64.0 - 208.75.71.255 
CIDR:       208.75.64.0/21 
NetName:    1099-JAY-STREET-BLDG-F-2ND-FLOOR
NetHandle:  NET-208-75-64-0-1
Parent:     NET-208-0-0-0-0
NetType:    Direct Allocation
NameServer: NS1.BLUETOWERHOSTING.COM
NameServer: NS2.BLUETOWERHOSTING.COM
Comment:    
RegDate:    2007-02-20
Updated:    2007-02-26

OrgTechHandle: MRI15-ARIN
OrgTechName:   Ricigliano, Mike 
OrgTechPhone:  +1-585-697-1709
OrgTechEmail:  abuse-KNAYlA8sn1/MYyrZjvzQBVaTQe2KTcn/@public.gmane.org

# ARIN WHOIS database, last updated 2008-02-24 19:10
# Enter ? for additional hints on searching ARIN's WHOIS database.