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Thread for reporting SMS spam

Cawtau
Senior MVP Senior MVP
Senior MVP

Hello,

 

  I have been forwarding my spam email-to-SMS to @FidoStephen via PMs to help improve the spam filter for sms.fido.ca

 

  Recently, another community member also posted a similar spam SMS they received. Perhaps a thread dedicated to collecting examples of these types of SMS spam might also help improve the spam filter.

 

  Thoughts?

 

Cheers


562 REPLIES 562

rting
I'm a participant level 1
I'm a participant level 1

Yet more scams via SMS - showing this number: +1 (263) 388-8964

 

fidocanada.ca ... what a dead giveaway!

IMG_5143.jpeg

 

Hello Rting,

 

Welcome to the community!

 

  You're right! That message is most definitely a SCAM and/or SPAM. Have you also forwarded the message to 7726 as suggested in the solution? Once audited, it will be used to augment the SPAM filter (see here). Unfortunately, as fast as these messages get blocked by the SPAM filter, the spammers/scammers find new ways to bypass the filter.

 

  Myself and other community members have also received that particular message from different phone numbers. I understand forwarding those messages does not include phone number. However, it is unlikely the owner of the phone number is sending the messages. The scammers/spammers often use spoofed phone numbers when sending those messages and making SCAM and/or SPAM calls (see here).

 

  It's great you found the message to be a dead giveaway. However, it might not be as obvious to some people. A couple of tell-tale signs the the message is SPAM. Firstly, Fido won't send etransfers via email or text message link. Fido will automatically credit your account.

 

  In addition, if Fido does send legitimate SMS, it will come from one of their short codes, not a phone number. As far as I am aware, many of their promotions come from 4745 or 4735 (see here and here). Admittedly, since spoofing is so wide-spread, it's possible the spammers/scammers could eventually learn to spoof those codes as well.

 

  Another sign is Fido's recent adoption of the a URL shortening service. I believe it's Bit.ly (see here). As far as I am aware, the links would be for the Fido.ca domain

 

Hope this helps 😀

 

Cheers


Maseratirati
I'm a participant level 1
I'm a participant level 1

From: +1 (263) 688-8313

Spam text received on Feb 26 2024 at 11:41pm

"Salut, c'est Fido! Nous avons observé une anomaIie dans votre dernière facture, entraînant un surpIus. Pour résoudre cette situation, nous vous avons transféré $64,12 (CAD) via virement électronique lNTERAC. VeuiIIez déposer les fonds avant le 28 février 2024 sur : https://fido-refundinc-64.com"

Maseratirati

eSDeePee
I'm a participant level 3
I'm a participant level 3

Would it be too much to have mobile providers "read" (by AI) all messages, filtering out sketchy links and marking the message as "probable spam" etc. to warn customers. This would not necessarily be a privacy concern as it is an AI bot doing the "reading" -- but if it is, is it worth it to prevent the millions of dollars of fraudulent activity? Think of the seniors, singles, immigrants who are duped by these criminals.

Hello eSDeePee,

 

  I understand how it might be desirable to identify those text messages as probable or likely spam. However, the reporting of these SPAM or SCAM messages to 7726 (SPAM)(see solution below) is meant to block those particular messages for all users (see here). So, they do filter out the identified sketchy links. Unfortunately, as fast as these messages get blocked by the SPAM filter, the spammers/scammers find new ways to bypass the filter.

 

  The system marking calls as probable or likely spam uses STIR/SHAKEN protocols. However, as far as I am aware, those protocols don't work with text messages.

 

  If it is possible to have an AI system to identify possible new sketchy links, that would be a useful feature in addition to the reporting centre.

 

Cheers


Ivory1
I'm a participant level 3
I'm a participant level 3

Turn spam protection on in your settings. It helps.

mhemchand
I'm a participant level 2
I'm a participant level 2

I have been forwarding messages to the Fido Spam Numbers but there are some messages which for some reason does not get forwarded. It comes back as error. Could be some code that the Spammer uses which is blocking from being forwarded? I even took a screenshot to forward it but it is not going through. Don't know if it is an issue from Fido. This is the the latest message I received and which I have been trying to forward to Fido. IMG_1625.PNG

Moz
I'm a participant level 3
I'm a participant level 3

Same thing here. Spammers are now sending MMS to bypass Fido filter.

A99D1FD1-379E-47F8-A93C-81A124605797.jpeg

Hello Moz,

 

  Thank you for continuing to flag these SPAM messages! Yes, I have also noticed that most, if not all, of my recent SPAM messages are now MMS.

 

  There are a few things we can try to bypass their attempts (see below and here).

 

   In addition, it should be mentioned that the system is not Fido's reporting centre. It's Nationwide and I believe it's also available in the US (see here and here).

 

Hope this helps 😀

 

Cheers


Hello,

 

  I haven't posted my SCAM / SPAM messages in a while, but this one had me take pause for a moment before I forwarded it to the reporting centre (7726):

Screenshot_20240307-152547_Messages.jpg

 

  I didn't attempt to access the link, but on the surface, they are using a .ca domain which is new to me. Having that domain shown almost fooled me. Be careful! However, all of the other indicators I have mentioned in other posts appear to still hold true.

 

  In attempting to forward the message to 7726, I needed to remove the image as well as the subject header from the forwarded message. It was successfully received by the system.

 

Cheers

 


Nick301
I'm a participant level 1
I'm a participant level 1

I hold my finger on the message and then press more, click on the new message icon and press 7726 and send it, that's how I do it 

Hello Mhemchand,

 

  Welcome to the community!

 

  Thank you for continuing to flag these SPAM messages! Unfortunately, I don't think the system is able to accept MMS messages. I have noticed that most, if not all, of my recent SPAM messages are now MMS. I have found that if the subject heading is removed from the forwarded message, it will often convert the message back to SMS and will be able to receivable by the system. With your message, the inclusion of the Canada Post logo would also make the message MMS. Deleting the image from the forwarded message should revert the message back to SMS.

 

  That would also be the reason the screenshot you attempted to sent also did not work.

 

Hope this helps 😀

 

Cheers


eSDeePee
I'm a participant level 3
I'm a participant level 3

This information is helpful & should be sent to every FIDO mobile customer, or perhaps every mobile customer in Canada.

mhemchand
I'm a participant level 2
I'm a participant level 2

Thanks for the insight, Cawtau. Will keep that in mind next time. Am constantly getting all kinds of messages as well as calls from all over the country/ world. Gone are the days when a call or a message was something that one looked forward to. Nowadays most of these calls and messages are so annoying! 😀

Pipi2
I'm a participant level 1
I'm a participant level 1

Hello @Cawtau 

 

I want to report a spam like message that I received by sms on my phone🤨 Regarding the content of this message I want to specify that my Fido bill in December 2023 was very high full of errors and I have contacted Fido customer service on this matter. Saying this, I was wondering Whoever the Spam message author is, How do they know about my Fido bill was High? 

Spam message content here:

 

"In 2023, you were charged an unusually high amount, and Fido will be refunding you $78.50 through an email money transfer for the upcoming year. Kindly visit  annualcompensation-byfido.com if you wish to claim it."

 

Txs

Scootericity
I'm a contributor level 1
I'm a contributor level 1

Fido would never eTransfer monies for any reason, in this case, your bill overrage. Delete and report. I just received a similar text re: eTransfer for a "Jan 4th service disruption". # was 19026300223

Hello Pipi2,

 

  Welcome to the community!

 

  Thank you for the informing us about that message. Have you been able to forward it to 7726 (SPAM) as well (see solution below)?

 

  I understand it might be concerning that it appears the scammers/spammers seem to be aware of your high bill. However, I don't think they have any actual knowledge of any customers' bill. I have received similar messages (as have many others) without any change in our usual billing.

 

 I believe they are playing on general customer sentiment. Almost anyone you ask will complain about the high cost of services. People are willing to believe they were charged too much for services and may be more likely to fall for their SCAM.

 

  A couple of tell-tale signs the the message is SPAM. Firstly, Fido won't send etransfers via email or text message link. Fido will automatically credit your account.

 

  In addition, if Fido does send legitimate SMS, it will come from one of their short codes, not a phone number. As far as I am aware, many of their promotions come from 4745 or 4735 (see here and here). Admittedly, since spoofing is so wide-spread, it's possible the spammers/scammers could eventually learn to spoof those codes as well.

 

  Another sign is Fido's recent adoption of the a URL shortening service. I believe it's Bit.ly (see here). As far as I am aware, the links would be for the Fido.ca domain

 

Hope this helps 😀

 

Cheers


Carioca
I'm a participant level 2
I'm a participant level 2

IMG_6586.png

AD272
I'm a participant level 1
I'm a participant level 1

IMG_2251.png

Thank you for sharing this @AD272 !

That is certainly not from us. 

 

You can find tips and tricks to identify scam text messages and how to report them here