Not so long ago, last fall, subscribers of the MTS mobile operator received attractive SMS messages. They contained information on the fact that everyone who received this notification can, by sending a message to a short number, get a chance to win a million. Literally, it sounded like this: "Send" Yes "to 3737 or visit min.mts.ru." The divorce here, of course, was obvious: I didn’t see a million people in the eye, while the fee for the sent SMS message (if the recipient was naive enough to send it) was already debited.
More about how the new MTS divorce works
So, in the message that the subscriber receives, the operator specifies that sending SMS to the specified number is
free. This, of course, could not but interest the naive user: they say, why not try for the sake of interest, suddenly something can really be won? However, this was only a screen with the help of which a real deception was covered. After the very “Yes” was sent to 3737, MTS offered using their site mln.mts.ru a scam even more sophisticated and cunning. So, the operator began a special quiz, answering all the questions of which, a person allegedly had a chance to win a huge amount. The only trick is that the answers to these questions had to be sent already to a paid number. And the number of questions (although initially there were 4) was constantly growing. Thus, the subscriber could lose a lot of money, so not seeing his million.
How to check the intent of the operator?
After reading this article, a person will naturally have a logical question: how do you know that this action is really a scam? Perhaps bad luck is due to chance, and the lucky ones who have already taken their millions exist, and they are really lucky? The answer to this question will be verification and reviews of the site mln.mts.ru. After a straightforward analysis and information search, you can find a lot of discontent and anger of people towards the operator who organizes such events. At the same time, not a single comment from that very lucky man. No one. People got money and are silent? What is the point, because MTS is beneficial for as many subscribers as possible to take part in the lottery. Reviews of real winners could attract new players, but there can be no such advertising, because they can figure out a scam like this. And, frankly, the operator simply does not want to complicate his life in this way, because there is no point in this. People are so naive that they continue to be posted on mln.mts.ru - a scam about which so much is written.
Rumors about viruses on the MTS website
There is information on the Internet that for some time there has been a virus on the MTS official website. At least, the browser displayed the corresponding information when visiting this resource. At the same time, the results of the anti-virus scan of the mln.mts.ru site were negative. However, this was not easier for users, and many of them sowed panic and said that the operator was sending out messages infected with various virus programs.
The reason why visitors saw this information was not the virus itself, but the negative reviews about mln.mts.ru, which the deceived users left on special resources. Some browsers, as well as applications that provide security on the Web, are guided by such reviews and give a message about a possible threat to computer security. At the same time, there is no threat itself if you do not plan to take the next quiz.
Scam organizer
Information on the true organizer of a scam in which MTS is so actively luring its subscribers is interesting. Judging by the information on the official website, this is Velti, which, obviously, simply works with the operator. Details, namely how much mln.mts.ru (the scam in question) brings to both companies, are unlikely to become known to us. However, this is not important, because the main thing is that you can’t even trust a mobile operator that accepts payment from its subscribers and, it would seem, should be on the same side with them.
Inconvenience to MTS Subscribers
Of course, the risk of losing money in an alleged lottery organized by the operator for its subscribers is not the only danger waiting for trusting people, as mln.mts.ru testifies. In fact, the intensity and frequency with which messages arrive on users' mobile phones is even more annoying. According to reviews, notifications could come not only in the afternoon or early in the morning, but even at night. In addition, the number of messages, despite the complete ignoring of this proposal, also clearly exceeded 1-2 pieces. In fact, MTS, using their technical capabilities, made a real advertising platform out of people’s mobile phones. After all, a message containing completely useless information will be surely read by the recipient, because he does not know about his advertising character in advance.
Is it possible to punish an operator?
When you yourself become a victim of obsessive advertising in SMS, the first thought that comes to mind is the desire to restore your rights, sense of justice and punish MTS. But, as practice shows, this is not so simple. To be precise, even impossible. The law does not prohibit the operator from sending information, say, about his tariffs, as well as about the possibilities that he can offer the subscriber. With the correct interpretation and legal wording, even such an obvious as mln.mts.ru divorce can be regarded as information. To prove anything in court does not work. In addition, the same provisions probably exist in a typical contract, which the client can familiarize with if desired. Protecting your rights using the law is impossible in this matter. SMS messages will continue to arrive at no less frequency.
How to deal with intrusive advertising?
Are there other ways to fight? In particular, the text of the received messages themselves contains information that, if desired, the client can send “No” and thus stop receiving these messages. If you read reviews about mln.mts.ru, people note that this command is ignored by the operator. And even after sending such an SMS, advertising messages do not stop.
Another method, which is reported by the operators of the MTS call center themselves, is by turning on the “Block advertising messages” function. This service is available in free mode, it acts in such a way that it supposedly completely blocks the receipt of all messages containing ads. However, no one guarantees that it will not be turned off automatically in the company. Indeed, it has been several years that they have been talking about multiple violations in the field of compulsory alerts from MTS.
Is it legal?
So is the activity of a company sending out information about its mln.mts.ru service - pure water divorce - legal? Formally, as already mentioned, the operator has the right to inform its subscribers. In addition, the organization of the action takes on another person - the company "Velty". Thus, MTS acts solely as an intermediary providing information. It turns out that in today's conditions it is impossible to prove the operator’s guilt, which means that it’s not worth hoping for punishment for such activities.
On the other hand, there is a hope that our officials will pay attention to a similar hole in the legislation, which allows us to quietly pump money from gullible users. Although, of course, in reality this is hard to believe because of the possible financial interest of the powers that be in the viability of this scam. And therefore, for now, one has to rely on oneself: one's attentiveness, caution and patience. Unfortunately, not all people are able to show these qualities, especially for older people, as well as children who already have mobile phones. By their naivety, these categories of users are now suffering, probably the most.
Other scam and SMS scam
In fact, scams related to sending paid SMS are not something new and original. They have been operating for many years both in the West and in our country. In addition to various quiz shows, you can also see a huge number of different advertising sites offering to download this or that content, register, gain access to information and take a number of other actions for the sent message. The scam of such schemes, as indicated by mln.mts.ru reviews, consists in writing off funds and not providing the promised access or information.
In addition, a frequent case is the write-off of completely different amounts than originally stated. Another example is when the user sends one SMS, after which the site asks to do it several more times until the subscriber runs out of money on the phone.
Everyone understands that this is a classic divorce, but nothing can be done: formally, the organizers of such schemes act exclusively within the framework of the law. All you can do is be careful with the messages sent by mts ru. Scam, as practice shows, is quite likely. And we also recommend warning friends and relatives about the dangers for the state of the current balance on a mobile phone when working with such sites and services.