Vodacom has gone live with a new tool, using social media to tackle the longstanding issue of SMS scams.
SA's first cellphone operator on Wednesday added a specialised tab on its Facebook page, where the public can report SMS scams as and when they happen. Vodacom says it believes it can harness the popularity of the all-pervading social networking site to “spread the word” when new scams surface.
Located on the Vodacom Facebook page, Facebook users can submit any SMS scams they have received, or simply “plus one” an existing scam. The plus one button is located next to recently added scams, and will allow users to note the prevalence of that particular SMS scam. The tab can be used by anyone who has access to Facebook.
Tracking tool
Vodacom head of corporate affairs, Richard Boorman, says the company's use of a “new tool”, social media, to tackle the “age-old problem” of SMS scams means that scammers attempting to swindle cellphone users can be investigated and tracked promptly. “SMS scams have been around for just about as long as the SMS itself, and up until now, getting the word out has relied on traditional media. Most importantly, rather than being driven by the company, this approach uses the combined experience of all of Vodacom's customers.”
Facebook users who enter a new SMS scam on the tab need to enter the number from which the SMS came, as well as the accompanying message. Vodacom says the identity of the Facebook user will be kept anonymous. “Once a scam has been submitted, it will be investigated by Vodacom's Forensic Services team, who will take appropriate action.”
The tab currently features six recently added scams that are tagged “under investigation” and a further three that have been confirmed as scams and “successfully blocked”. The latter scams include interjections of significant prize winnings, fraudulently claiming to be from Castrol Oil Mobile, Coca-Cola and Nokia respectively.
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