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In Brazil, people get so much SMS spam and phone call spam that many people turn off notifications for all text messages and phone calls and use only Whatsapp (

by alister 5mo ago

In Brazil, people get so much SMS spam and phone call spam that many people turn off notifications for all text messages and phone calls and use only Whatsapp (even for voice calls). But once in a while my iPhone in Brazil will get spam as a unblockable "system message". I'm not sure if I'm using the correct term. I'm mean that it looks just like an Apple system notification and it disappears without a trace afterward, but the content is obviously spam. I wonder how they are able to do this.

compounding_it 5mo ago
>use only Whatsapp WhatsApp here in India has so much spam now. With ads, I am starting to think these spam are just ads sold by WhatsApp.
ExpertAdvisor01 5mo ago
Probably they use flash sms(class 0 messages)
anilakar 5mo ago
> that it looks just like an Apple system notification and it disappears without a trace afterward Probably so-called SMS flash messages. They're shown as overlay popups on Android too.
ronsor 5mo ago
> unblockable "system message" This is a "flash SMS" message: https://nickvsnetworking.com/flash-sms-messages/ https://nickvsnetworking.com/flash-sms-messages/
- kotaKat 5mo ago
  The nice thing on iOS at least is that they make it known it's a flash message. You'll get a full screen modal dialogue including a "Why did I get this message?" link that informs you about it and also informs you that sometimes they're used for scams. https://i.imgur.com/lrSrm0n.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/lrSrm0n.jpeg Android just gives you a generic popup that says "Class 0 message" in my testing.
apt-apt-apt-apt 5mo ago
In USA, I personally get 3-5 spam phone calls and voicemails daily. Mostly all the same, like "your $20K loan is almost ready". One time, I picked up, and it was this seemingly incredibly rude person who sounded real but continue talking in a pushy manner without stopping despite what I said. It's insane getting so many calls all the time like I owe them a bunch of money or something. Anyone else get this?
- lxgr 5mo ago
  This matches my experience. The US seems to have completely given up on protecting its public phone network against abuse, while at the same time relying on phone numbers as the primary identifying key and authentication method for humans in countless business processes. It took years (if not decades) of regulatory neglect to get that bad; I doubt there’s an easy fix at this point. It’s really concerning.
  - tim333 5mo ago
    It's not a prefect system but I don't use a landline and set unknown incoming numbers to silent unless I'm actually expecting a call. Someone important trying to call can always leave a message but the spammers never have.
    - lxgr 5mo ago
      If people need to stop notifications for incoming calls/messages, I'd call that dysfunctional, not just suboptimal. And what's worse is that even if this were to be fixed now, the reputational damage is already done, since many people will probably never change their devices back to ringing again. > Someone important trying to call can always leave a message but the spammers never have. My US mailbox is full of spam calls.
    - devilbunny 5mo ago
      > Someone important trying to call can always leave a message Curiously, it seems to have become a cultural touchstone not to leave a voicemail. I have had to educate people about this. My service is with Verizon, and for what I assume are historical reasons the caller will hear rings on their end even if my phone isn't receiving the call (AT&T does not have this issue). If you don't leave a voicemail, I literally have no way of knowing that you called. Said voicemail can be as simple as "call me". I'm a physician, and the hospital where I do most of my work has a policy against sending PHI over text (a very reasonable policy). So many nurses are reluctant to text me anything, even when it's just "please call Adam on 3 South".
ninkendo 5mo ago
I wonder if the cell carriers are seeing this as the existential threat it is, or if they’re just continuing with the whole “bury our heads in the sand” strategy. If having a phone number has no benefit and only brings spam, and WiFi is ubiquitous in urban areas, a huge chunk of the population don’t really need cell plans any more. And the places without WiFi coverage (less dense areas) are the most expensive to provide service. In the US at least, the FCC used to be pushing hard to combat the spam, like requiring authentication for caller ID, and it was the carriers that were dragging their feet and lobbying against it. So something tells me they just continue to view all the spam senders as an easy income source and don’t mind letting their whole business model die if it means short term profits.
- bluGill 5mo ago
  Most places with wifi around me don't offer great options. My local school blocks a lot (and I'm mostly there outside of school hours, they block more) - these are mostly places I wouldn't go anyway, but once in a while I hit something blocked. My office does the same - but they don't have public WiFi, an employee needs to get you a login (this is easy to do, but if you don't know someone who works in the building you can't connect at all). Most public wiki (including school above) also requires you accept a terms of use. Most devices won't automatically connect to any found open access point, so to use public WiFi I need to manually do everything. That is I don't think people will use WiFi only, unless they are going to drop always reachable communication. (which given the SPAM OP mentioned maybe...)
- pocksuppet 5mo ago
  You still need a phone number to use apps like WhatsApp. The provider gets all of the same money, but without having to provide a service.
SwtCyber 5mo ago
How many telecom features were designed in a more trusted era
- ThePowerOfFuet 5mo ago
  All of them.
ThePowerOfFuet 5mo ago
Those "system messages" are class zero SMS, also known as flash SMS.

by alister 5mo ago

compounding_it 5mo ago

>use only Whatsapp WhatsApp here in India has so much spam now. With ads, I am starting to think these spam are just ads sold by WhatsApp.

ExpertAdvisor01 5mo ago

Probably they use flash sms(class 0 messages)

anilakar 5mo ago

> that it looks just like an Apple system notification and it disappears without a trace afterward Probably so-called SMS flash messages. They're shown as overlay popups on Android too.

ronsor 5mo ago

> unblockable "system message" This is a "flash SMS" message: https://nickvsnetworking.com/flash-sms-messages/ https://nickvsnetworking.com/flash-sms-messages/

kotaKat 5mo ago
The nice thing on iOS at least is that they make it known it's a flash message. You'll get a full screen modal dialogue including a "Why did I get this message?" link that informs you about it and also informs you that sometimes they're used for scams. https://i.imgur.com/lrSrm0n.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/lrSrm0n.jpeg Android just gives you a generic popup that says "Class 0 message" in my testing.

apt-apt-apt-apt 5mo ago

In USA, I personally get 3-5 spam phone calls and voicemails daily. Mostly all the same, like "your $20K loan is almost ready". One time, I picked up, and it was this seemingly incredibly rude person who sounded real but continue talking in a pushy manner without stopping despite what I said. It's insane getting so many calls all the time like I owe them a bunch of money or something. Anyone else get this?

lxgr 5mo ago
This matches my experience. The US seems to have completely given up on protecting its public phone network against abuse, while at the same time relying on phone numbers as the primary identifying key and authentication method for humans in countless business processes. It took years (if not decades) of regulatory neglect to get that bad; I doubt there’s an easy fix at this point. It’s really concerning.
- tim333 5mo ago
  It's not a prefect system but I don't use a landline and set unknown incoming numbers to silent unless I'm actually expecting a call. Someone important trying to call can always leave a message but the spammers never have.
  - lxgr 5mo ago
    If people need to stop notifications for incoming calls/messages, I'd call that dysfunctional, not just suboptimal. And what's worse is that even if this were to be fixed now, the reputational damage is already done, since many people will probably never change their devices back to ringing again. > Someone important trying to call can always leave a message but the spammers never have. My US mailbox is full of spam calls.
  - devilbunny 5mo ago
    > Someone important trying to call can always leave a message Curiously, it seems to have become a cultural touchstone not to leave a voicemail. I have had to educate people about this. My service is with Verizon, and for what I assume are historical reasons the caller will hear rings on their end even if my phone isn't receiving the call (AT&T does not have this issue). If you don't leave a voicemail, I literally have no way of knowing that you called. Said voicemail can be as simple as "call me". I'm a physician, and the hospital where I do most of my work has a policy against sending PHI over text (a very reasonable policy). So many nurses are reluctant to text me anything, even when it's just "please call Adam on 3 South".

ninkendo 5mo ago

I wonder if the cell carriers are seeing this as the existential threat it is, or if they’re just continuing with the whole “bury our heads in the sand” strategy. If having a phone number has no benefit and only brings spam, and WiFi is ubiquitous in urban areas, a huge chunk of the population don’t really need cell plans any more. And the places without WiFi coverage (less dense areas) are the most expensive to provide service. In the US at least, the FCC used to be pushing hard to combat the spam, like requiring authentication for caller ID, and it was the carriers that were dragging their feet and lobbying against it. So something tells me they just continue to view all the spam senders as an easy income source and don’t mind letting their whole business model die if it means short term profits.

bluGill 5mo ago
Most places with wifi around me don't offer great options. My local school blocks a lot (and I'm mostly there outside of school hours, they block more) - these are mostly places I wouldn't go anyway, but once in a while I hit something blocked. My office does the same - but they don't have public WiFi, an employee needs to get you a login (this is easy to do, but if you don't know someone who works in the building you can't connect at all). Most public wiki (including school above) also requires you accept a terms of use. Most devices won't automatically connect to any found open access point, so to use public WiFi I need to manually do everything. That is I don't think people will use WiFi only, unless they are going to drop always reachable communication. (which given the SPAM OP mentioned maybe...)
pocksuppet 5mo ago
You still need a phone number to use apps like WhatsApp. The provider gets all of the same money, but without having to provide a service.

SwtCyber 5mo ago

How many telecom features were designed in a more trusted era

ThePowerOfFuet 5mo ago
All of them.

ThePowerOfFuet 5mo ago

Those "system messages" are class zero SMS, also known as flash SMS.