back to article Spammers set their sights on WhatsApp – that's that ruined then

Mobile spam is spreading from SMS channels towards mobile messaging apps such as WhatsApp, according to mobile security provider and specialist AdaptiveMobile. The company believes spammers have switched tactics over recent months in order to bypass existing mobile spam filters. App spam is particularly prevalent in mature …

  1. GrumpyOldMan

    Simple Answer:

    Ditch it and use BBM instead. Far superior. You know it makes sense.

  2. The last doughnut

    It's fb now anyway

    Service has noticeably declined in quality since the buy-up. Time to find another messaging platform already.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: It's fb now anyway

      kik or wechat (weixin) ?

    2. phuzz Silver badge
      WTF?

      Re: It's fb now anyway

      What service is there to downgrade? It sent and received messages before, and it still does now.

      As far as I've noticed it still delivers about as quickly as a text, and that's basically all it does. No change here.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    SMS remains the real threat

    SMS messaging is the one thing you ought to worry about because it cannot be avoided - there is as yet no phone on the market that can disable SMS altogether.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: SMS remains the real threat

      Good point! If you don't want spam messages then throw away your phone!

      Posting stupid? Post anonymous!

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: SMS remains the real threat

        No problem - if you think the worries about SMS spam are stupid, why don't you post your mobile number here? There are already a few operating on UK soil as SIMs can be bought anonymously here, although I have seen a few test cross-border use to further frustrate tracking.

        I'm sure you will enjoy the learning experience.

    2. big_D Silver badge

      Re: SMS remains the real threat

      How much of a problem is it? I must admit, having had a mobile phone since 1991, I haven't yet received a single SMS spam - well, apart from O2, but a call to them to explain that I didn't appreciate getting advertising SMS at 2 in the morning when I'm on call and the phone is next to my bed, stopped the messages.

      I probably get a dozen or so SMS from my family during the month and that is it.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: SMS remains the real threat

        I think it isn't a problem yet because SMS still costs something. The moment its free I suspect you won't be able to use your phone anymore, because you're pretty much a captive audience. I also have the impression that phone companies pretty much stamp on people abusing an unlimited allowance, but I have no evidence of that other than the absence of crud.

        I have had about 60 last year.

        Normally I find SMS traffic stupidly overpriced for what it offers, but this is the one argument that makes that acceptable.

  4. TechnicianJack

    I'm surprised people still use WhatsApp, especially as you have to pay for it. I remember it being really popular 2-3 years ago, but it seems most people have moved over to the Facebook Messenger app now, and very few people I know still use it. (Especially after the redesign for both the Facebook app and the Messenger app). I personally like the Google Hangouts messenger app. One thing I do like about Facebook messenger is you can make a big snake of your friends faces by dragging the conversation bubbles around the screen.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      >big snake of your friends faces

      I suppose that might be mildly amusing... for a five year old, yet I still fear we haven't found the lowest common denominator.

      I use whatsapp for the simple reason you don't need a facebook or google account and the associated overhead.

      As for being free? I've been told you just have to ignore the payment request, can't be 100% sure as I haven't received any yet.

      1. ukgnome

        That's right Chris, although you do need to tell it your phone number.

        *pass me my tin foil hat please.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          @ukgnome

          I don't understand what you're trying to say. Are you implying that if you use facebook or google to send mobile messages they don't pass on your telephone number?

          1. ukgnome

            Re: @ukgnome

            That's correct, Google and Facebook don't have that data unless you let them.

            Likewise they don't have your location unless you let them.

            I'm not saying you would let them, but I bet you know quite a few click anything and it will all be OK types.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: @ukgnome

              So the typical facebook/google/whatever else user wants to keep their telephone number secret (hahahaaaa.... sorry it's not that I don't believe they won't snarf your number) yet will pull their trousers down, bend over and let them get everything else. I think I'll let whatsapp have my telephone number.

  5. Franco

    Spammers - replacing the Cirius Cybernetics Corporation's Marketing Department as the people who should be first against the wall when the revolution comes.

  6. Ralara

    I thought whatsapp was free? Didn't ask me to pay for it last time i installed... tho maybe it got that info from my google account.

    1. phuzz Silver badge

      You get one free year, then it's about a quid per year after that. A friend of mine has been declining the payment notifications, and so far they've given him an extra three months free.

      1. Terry 6 Silver badge

        Whatsapp: I can't begrudge them their quid. They have to eat too.

        So when it becomes due I'll pay.

        I don't see why anyone would say they think it's outdated. It's an IM system that works. It allows longer messages than SMS with pictures and stuff too. Without incurring MMS costs that are outside my contract.

        Except for the types that think because there's a newer system on the market everyone has to jump ship.

        Why isn't there a holding-head-in-hands icon?

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        "You get one free year, then it's about a quid per year after that".

        I've been using it free for more than two years now.

  7. Phil W

    Although receiving spam messages might be a pain unless it becomes massively wide spread it won't be that much of a problem since whatsapp has the ability to block contacts.

    Although some phones allow you to block SMS messages from particular numbers SMS has the major flaw that it allows messages to be sent with the number replaced with arbitrary text preventing most devices from blocking them. Since whatsapp requires a number for use you should always be able to block unwanted senders.

    As for the charge. If the above doesn't convince you the tiny fee is worth it, maybe it's not for you. Personally I find it worth it as I have international contacts and whatsapp messages are much much cheaper than international SMS messages.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      If the above doesn't convince you the tiny fee is worth it, maybe it's not for you.

      Indeed it isn't. I paid for Threema - roughly the same functionality, but secure and without the snooping and the copying of my entire address book to a US server under control by Facebook. I bought it for my son and it's now slowly spreading amongst his schoolmates as well.

      I really cannot see why you should pay Zuckerberg on top of handing over details of your personal live and that of others. I rather spend that money on something I know to be solid and safe.

      1. Terry 6 Silver badge

        One reason to use Watsapp is good old traction.

        I can Watsapp the people I need to communicate with.

        Threema? When there are 5 more people using it that I know, I could consider using it; because then there will be five.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Threema? When there are 5 more people using it that I know, I could consider using it; because then there will be five.

          No, you're right. Best leave it for people who know why they want privacy.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            "No, you're right. Best leave it for people who know why they want privacy"

            No, fool. If no-one you know uses it, it is 100% useless. Security does not factor if the application serves no purpose.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What a useless article, talk about stating the bleeding obvious, no suggestions, no facts, my child could have written better

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