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WASPA launches “Do Not Contact” database for SMS marketing

We’ve all received that SMS. The one informing us that we’ve won a competition that we never entered, urging us to contact a person to let them know we’ve won a prize.

While today’s story won’t stop that sort of scam SMS from reaching you, it will (hopefully) stop other marketing from jamming up your inbox.

The Wireless Application Service Providers’ Association (WASPA) has announced the creation of a Do Not Contact (DNC) list that South Africans can add or remove their names from.

“Mobile content and applications developed by WASPA members have been literal lifesavers during these last few months. Mobility enables more of us to stay at home and keep safe by reducing our exposure to the outside world. There are, however, mobile users who wish to safeguard their privacy when it comes to direct marketing messages and the DNC database will be especially useful to them,” said WASPA general manager, Ilonka Badenhorst.

The list is very user friendly.

Simply visit the official DNC website, key in your mobile number and hit submit. You will then be told that a SMS is being sent to that number.

For us, this SMS reported we were not listed on the DNC list and provided a link through which we can submit our number. Tapping that URL will take you to a website where you will need to confirm you want to be added to the DNC list.

Finally, upon confirming you don’t want to be contacted, you will receive an SMS to confirm.

Alternatively you can dial *120*69269# or SMS “BLOCK” to 40662. USSD access is charged at 20c per 20 seconds and messages to short code 40662 are billed at standard subscriber bundle SMS rates, alternatively up to 50c per message. Free SMS don’t apply.

And this is where we have to mention the limitations of this system.

The DNC list cannot block direct marketing SMS messages from firms which aren’t WASPA members. For a full list of companies which are members head to this link.

The association has also said that its database only contains mobile numbers and no other personal information.

[Image – CC 0 Pixabay]

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