The mobile phone has become an integral part of the life of a modern person. Every year new opportunities and services appear that make the life of a modern person more convenient. However, along with useful services, there are no fewer ones that cause inconvenience. Even the most savvy in mobile gadgets have at least once encountered the problem of having to disable SMS advertising mailings on their Beeline, MTS, MegaFon, or Tele2 phone number, and activate the ban on content subscriptions to paid short SMS numbers. Subscribers of any mobile operator can use services that allow you to block SMS from short numbers or prohibit calls to them, but to do this you need to know which blocking command to send via SMS on your MegaFon, Beeline, MTS phone, or which number to call from Yota and Tele2. Today in our review we will tell you how to enable a ban and set a block on short telephone numbers for subscribers of the mobile operators MegaFon, MTS, Beeline, and Tele2: how to block the receipt of advertising SMS to avoid accidental charges when using messages.
Blocking toll numbers
Of course, SMS to short numbers are not sent by the phone itself, and the reason is that on the phone number (MTS, Beeline, MegaFon, Yota, or Tele2) your iPhone or Samsung, or other Android smartphone, sends requests through the SIM application from operator. But only at your command. This is the most common problem for cellular users who are faced with excess funds being written off. Why are such SMS sent to a short number? The fact is that this is not entirely true, since in this case the request is sent through the SIM card application, and you may not even notice how to consent to its sending. Such menus are available on the SIM card of any operator, and are initially designed to make life easier for the user, but in reality everything turns out completely differently. Advertising alerts are periodically displayed on the phone screen, and you must confirm your consent to the paid service. Since the display is activated at this moment, you can give your consent by simply taking the device out of your pocket or bag. Therefore, if your phone on Android or another operating system sends SMS messages to a short number, but you find out about this only after you have charged money for paid content, then you need to set a ban on using the SIM menu. To do this, use the device menu, where you will find the corresponding item in the list of programs. On an iPhone, to do this, you need to go to the SIM programs through the settings. After setting the ban, advertising alerts will not appear on your phone screen, and accordingly, money will not be debited for accidentally ordering content. However, this does not completely solve the problem of using paid content. If a subscriber uses the Internet on his phone, then on various sites he may be faced with an offer to activate access, which will allow him to download a song or a book in electronic format. Usually, in such situations, the user, when going to the page, already agrees to use the paid service.
The second problem may be related to the use of a cell phone by a child, who may inadvertently dial a short number or send a message to it. These problems can only be solved if you completely block the connection of subscriptions and services via short paid numbers, and prohibit access to content via SMS on your Beeline phone or another operator. Depending on the provider, you can disable the ability to send SMS and block short numbers using additional free services MTS, Beeline, MegaFon, Tele2. There are several main operator services that allow you to protect yourself from advertising mailings:
- Prohibition on short paid numbers;
- Separate account for content;
- Filters and blocking of individual numbers.
Please note that you can cancel the ban and remove the block yourself at any time if you need to allow access to paid content services via SMS to Beeline, MegaFon, or MTS short numbers. Also, do not worry that after setting the ban, you do not receive SMS from a bank or other service, since disabling short numbers only affects entertainment content services.
Legal regulation of SMS mailings
Any SMS mailing carried out by a provider operates within a certain legal framework. Advertising messages must not mislead potential customers. Mass mailing is possible only with the written consent of all recipients.
If the subscriber personally contacted the subscription service, signed an agreement or voluntarily filled out a form, then consent is considered received. Sending of any advertising messages must be stopped at the first request of the user. The regulatory body in this area is the Federal Antimonopoly Service, which controls all SMS services.
Blocking on Beeline
Previously, it was possible to block SMS from short numbers and refuse advertising on Beeline if you activated the “Stop Content” service. Please note that this service is not currently available. If you have already activated a paid service, then you can cancel subscriptions using short numbers by calling the operator using the number 0611. Also, during a call to the Beeline operator, you can check which subscriptions and paid services using short numbers are already active, refuse and turn off calls to them , asking the specialist to remove them from the list connected by your phone. You can also unsubscribe from already used subscriptions using short numbers on Beeline yourself, through the subscriber’s account - on the website or in the application. To do this, you will need to log into it, and go to the services section and disable it. But if completely disabling content services via Beeline short numbers is unacceptable for you, you use such services, then you can use verification to avoid unnecessary costs. On a special page of the site, you just need to indicate the number to get complete information on it, as well as the cost of use.
You can also request the operator’s office to create a separate account to pay for subscriptions. This will allow you to use them, if necessary, by transferring money to a special balance for the amount required for payment, or simply block their connections if the content account balance is zero. The operator has also introduced automatic protection against paid content for its subscribers, which works as follows. When you try to connect a paid subscription, a notification will be sent to your number - the connection will be made only after confirmation from the subscriber.
Blocking on MTS
You can unsubscribe from the ability to use short number services on MTS by setting “Content Prohibition” (“Protection from unwanted subscriptions”) for calls and SMS using a special USSD code * 984 #, or connect with the help of an operator at number 0890 by filling out the appropriate application. You can also activate the refusal of advertising SMS from MTS itself. Important! Previously, the operator provided the service for free, but now its cost depends on the tariff package used. We recommend that you clarify the conditions for your number before activating the ban service.
The advantages of the second option are that if the content is banned, advertising SMS from short numbers from the MTS operator itself will continue to arrive, and through a consultant you can remove the possibility of receiving them. In the future, you can configure sending SMS to short numbers through “My MTS”. To do this, you need to go to the service management section. Please note that by again allowing sending SMS to short numbers, advertisements from MTS will also be sent to your phone if you unblock access and disable the ban. But re-activation of the ban through “My MTS” will not be available. To do this, you will again need to contact the operator. If you use content services, then on the MTS website you can also check the cost of sending to short numbers, like Beeline.
How to get rid of mailings
To unsubscribe, you can use the following options:
- If a subscriber wishes to unsubscribe from a mailing list to which he was previously subscribed, it is enough to inform the operator of his intention.
- If the subscriber has not signed up to receive SMS messages, but notifications are received regularly, you must ask the operator to solve the problem.
- If messages continue to arrive on the mobile phone, the subscriber can send a complaint to the FAS. Otherwise, the subscriber should contact the FAS with a corresponding application and photographs of SMS messages.
In order to file a complaint, you must provide all the necessary information: sender number, message text and time of sending. The subscriber will also need to provide personal information. A letter confirming acceptance of the request will be sent to the user’s mobile phone number in the form of an SMS or e-mail message.
Blocking on MegaFon
Like any other operator, MegaFon can disable content via SMS and calls to short numbers, and this can be done either using the command * 526 # or by setting a ban through “Services” in your personal account. If you decide to allow content using your number again, or simply decide to send an SMS one-time to a short number for a paid service, then in the same way as connecting, you can unlock the ability to send. If MegaFon also has a service that allows you to provide protection against accidental activation of paid content - “MegaFon Protection”. Like Beeline, this service allows you to connect a subscription only after re-confirmation by the subscriber. On MegaFon the service costs 2 rubles. per day, but can be used for free:
- When issuing a MegaFon bank card;
- On package rates;
- When autopayment is activated.
Additionally, MegaFon offers the use of a paid service that allows you to disable SMS advertising from individual numbers. Using the “SMS filter”, you can enter up to a thousand names of spam senders. The service is paid and costs three rubles per day. To connect, use the command * 440 #.
Please note that the service allows you not only to block numbers and alphanumerics. You can create a “white” list, and you can manage it through a special section on the service’s website. You can also view received messages from blocked numbers through the website - they are stored for thirty days.
Cost and rules of Sberbank SMS alerts
Sberbank has provided 2 service options for its clients:
- "Full package;
- "Economical".
The complete package allows you to keep your finger on the pulse of your current account at all times. But his service is paid. Thus, for Instant card holders, the subscription fee is 30 rubles per month. Owners of “Classic” cards pay 60 rubles per month. And only clients with a “Gold Card” use SMS information for free.
The “Economy” package does not provide for a subscription fee for service, but also has a much more modest list of functionality. You can use it to block your card, view your credit limit, and request an account or card statement. Such requests are paid: information on the account balance – 5 rubles, a detailed statement of the last 10 transactions – 15 rubles.
Blocking on Tele2
With the youngest federal operator, you can block and allow SMS and calls to paid short numbers only by calling the contact center at 611. With the corresponding request, you must contact a specialist who will set up blocking by number for short content numbers. An alternative is to contact support via chat or messenger. You can check already active subscriptions by dialing * 189 # and receive a list of them in a message. You can deactivate using the USSD service * 931 #. Important!
This ban only allows you to unsubscribe from already active ones, but it will not be possible to restrict the sending of SMS to paid short numbers. If you already receive mailings from short numbers, or using the sender’s name instead of a number, then you can use the Antispam service on MegaFon. The operator's service is free, but the number of blocked senders is limited to seventy. After adding the next one, the first one added is deleted and so on.
Also, for all private clients, the operator offers comprehensive protection with the “Safe Mode” service. This service has a daily fee of 6 rubles, and allows you to automatically block:
- WEB subscriptions;
- SMS advertising;
- SMS spam.
To activate this service, you need to dial the combination * 956 * 1 # from your phone. A bonus of this service is a licensed program to protect your smartphone from viruses - available only for Android.
Safety regulations
By turning off SMS notifications, you must be aware that you are deliberately exposing yourself to risk. Since now Sberbank will not be able to notify you on time about the withdrawal of money from your account. But, if the decision has already been made, remember:
- Sberbank sends all SMS messages exclusively from number 900.
- Contact Center numbers are not used to send messages.
- Sberbank never asks you to indicate passwords, PIN codes and personal data in the response SMS message.
If you receive any suspicious SMS, immediately call the Sberbank support service.
note
If you use a ban on sending to paid short numbers, but messages are not sent to the service numbers of the bank or the operator itself (MTS, Beeline, MegaFon), or SMS messages are not received from them, then you should not blame the established ban for this. Why can’t I send SMS to short numbers, or why don’t I receive messages? This may be due to the setup of the SMS center on your phone, or it may be a problem on the operator’s side. To receive SMS from short numbers (exceptions for banning content), you need to find the SMS center number in your phone settings and check its correctness. If it is specified correctly, you will need to contact the operator to complete the application.
Brief conclusion
If a subscriber voluntarily signed an agreement to receive SMS notifications, but decided to refuse to receive them, you can go to the company’s official website and submit a refusal yourself. You can also call the store and ask them to stop sending advertising messages. Every conscientious company that respects its customers will quickly respond to a request in an appropriate manner.
If a subscriber receives an SMS message to which he did not give voluntary consent, you can call the operator or install a special program. It is necessary to carefully study the information on sites where you need to enter a mobile phone number. In any case, it is important not to overdo it, since blocking SMS messages entails the loss of information support and contact with the operator. The subscriber may lose such useful options as SMS messages from a bank, car service center and other organizations. Now it’s clear how to unsubscribe from SMS mailings. All that remains is to get acquainted with the reviews of people who have already done this.
