271 April 2017 - Gryffe Advertizer
The Advertizer - Your local community magazine to the Gryffe area.
The Advertizer - Your local community magazine to the Gryffe area.
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34 the advertizer t: 01505 613340 07731 923970 e: info@advertizer.co.uk<br />
Stop Spam Texts<br />
Spam texts are a modern scourge, plaguing our mobile phones with<br />
unwanted adverts, often from dodgy companies. Yet it is possible to fi ght<br />
back, report them and minimise the number you get. This guide explains<br />
how to identify the three main types of unwanted texts and how to deal the<br />
problem - including the four numbers that can beat ‘em.<br />
What type of text is it?<br />
There are three types of spam message – each needs to be dealt with<br />
differently so it’s important you identify which it is.<br />
An example of a spam text<br />
These usually message randomly generated numbers,<br />
advertising services such as accident ‘ambulance<br />
chasers’, PPI claims handlers or debt write-off fi rms.<br />
How to spot ‘em: They usually come from an 11-digit<br />
mobile number and the company isn’t identifi ed.<br />
Legitimate marketing messages<br />
These should include the name and contact details of the<br />
sender. You will usually have given consent for them to be<br />
sent, though possibly unknowingly.<br />
How to spot ‘em: Firms will identify themselves within<br />
the body of text or in the sent-from number (this will<br />
show as text). If not, it’s breaking regulations and can be<br />
considered spam.<br />
Premium messages<br />
Again, these are services you have agreed to but you<br />
may be unaware that by buying a service, or game, on<br />
your mobile you’re getting a regular, charged text.<br />
How to spot ‘em: It will be from a four, fi ve or six-digit<br />
number and will bill you for receiving the message.<br />
Spam texts: NEVER reply<br />
These are messages you’ve never asked for and don’t want. They’re likely to<br />
be generic, not targeting you personally, though it depends on the company.<br />
Spammers frequently change these messages in order to try and evade<br />
detection, resulting in a large number of variants.<br />
Increasingly, these messages are sent by computers to masses of randomly<br />
generated numbers. They use multiple pay-as-you-go Sim cards which will<br />
often only be active for a week or two. It’s a scam aiming to obtain genuine<br />
personal details. The GOLDEN rule is...<br />
Do NOT reply, at all, ever - do NOT text STOP!<br />
These texts WANT any response to confi rm you are a real person. Some<br />
even try to trick you by saying “text ‘STOP’ to be removed from the mailing<br />
list”. IGNORE THIS! (Of course, it can be difficult to split the legit from the<br />
not-legit.) Any numbers that are confi rmed are likely to be sold on to injury<br />
claim specialists, PPI reclaiming fi rms or other unscrupulous marketeers who<br />
may further spam you with unsolicited calls and texts.<br />
What do I do if I get one?<br />
There are three steps you can follow when it comes to spam messages. The<br />
fi rst two tackle the wider problem – they won’t completely stop them but the<br />
more of us that do this the more it helps to reduce spam in the future. The<br />
third should help stop repeated targeting from a particular advertiser.<br />
1. Use the four numbers that can beat spam texts<br />
The fi rst option is to report it to your network provider. The big networks have<br />
a simple, FREE method to help you do this. Just forward the message to<br />
7726 (spells SPAM), making sure it includes the senders’ number.<br />
2. Report it to the Information Commissioner<br />
Information Commissioner’s Office can fi ne fi rms up to £500,000 for the most<br />
serious breaches of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations<br />
(PECR), which govern spam texts.<br />
3. Block the number<br />
The most direct way of ensuring you don’t get any more messages from<br />
a particular number is to simply block the number. Unfortunately many<br />
companies use multiple Sims to send spam, so blocking one doesn’t<br />
necessarily mean you won’t hear from them again.<br />
Legit marketing messages: Opt out<br />
You get legitimate marketing messages when you fail to tick or untick a<br />
box (whether on purpose or by accident) and allow companies to send you<br />
marketing messages or give your details to third party operators. If legit, the<br />
text will always include the sender, in line with regulations.<br />
How to stop them<br />
Firstly, text ‘STOP’. Firms are legally obliged to pay attention to this. However,<br />
make sure you are 100% certain it is a legitimate marketing message, or<br />
you may get even more spam. If that doesn’t work, try the website of the<br />
company named in the message. You should be able to fi nd an option to opt<br />
out <strong>Gryffe</strong> of receiving <strong>Advertizer</strong> its texts. - Current If not, & Past phone Issues the fi rm and request it stops.<br />
Http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/stop-spam-texts<br />
www.advertizer.co.uk/issues<br />
Paisley Colour Photographic<br />
Club<br />
Paisley Colour’s Annual Print and Creative Competitions<br />
Paisley Colour Photographic Club were very delighted to welcome back<br />
Libby Smith MPAGB EFIAP APAGB HonPAGB HonSPF from Carluke to judge the<br />
club’s annual Print and Creative competitions last month. Libby gave a<br />
very thorough and interesting critique to each of the printed and creative<br />
images. She shared with the audience her wide photographic experience<br />
and her knowledge about composition, lighting and image processing and<br />
demonstrated that by making very subtle changes to an image such as<br />
to contrast and colour, a great improvement would result. There was a<br />
beautiful selection of colour and black and white printed images on show<br />
and Libby judged the top three printed images to be by Robert Fulton, Mike<br />
Cruise and Guy Phillips.<br />
Creative photography is defined as altered reality and involves producing<br />
an image through the use of imaginative skill or originality of thought. This<br />
includes modifications on the computer or in the camera, as well as an<br />
unusual point of view, imaginative use of lighting or any other presentation<br />
that begins with the photographer’s image but defies the normal appearance<br />
of things.<br />
There was a wide variety of interesting, sometimes amusing but always<br />
superbly produced images in the Creative Competition and Libby gave well<br />
considered comments to each image in turn. Her fourth placed image was<br />
Ken Dow’s clever smoke and portrait composite image entitled “Incenseed”.<br />
Third place was awarded to Linda Rodger for her colourful and precisely<br />
worked painterly style image “Venice” whilst in second place was Ann<br />
Philpot for her beautifully arranged and coloured triptic image “Design Art<br />
Deco Tiles”.<br />
For the second year running the top image in Paisley Colour’s Creative<br />
Competition was awarded to Linda Rodger for striking and subtly textured<br />
portrait image “Laura”.<br />
For further details about PCPC including future lectures and competitions<br />
and updated members galleries please view: www.paisleycolour.co.uk<br />
<strong>Gryffe</strong> <strong>Advertizer</strong> - Current & Past Issues<br />
www.advertizer.co.uk/issues
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