In France, nearly 100% of the population owns a mobile phone, and they are increasingly having to deal with the practice of unwanted text messages. These are defined as the abusive and repeated sending of unsolicited messages with the intention of getting the recipient to call back premium-rate numbers, often involving fake offers, prize notifications, or suspicious voicemail alerts. Less common than web-based spam, mobile spam is very real, and you notice it on your bill. Inboxes do not have a "Spam" folder, and even if you can report it to your mobile operator (Bouygues, Orange, SFR, etc.) by sending them a comment when you are a victim, it will not stop the scammers from continuing, as few complaints actually reach the police. For companies that decide to organize quality SMS marketing campaigns, without being categorized as a spammer, best practices must be implemented in terms of regulation and copywriting. Services are also available to guide you and help you manage your campaigns.

How to recognize an SMS scam?

There are different types of phone scams. The first, which concerns calls, is the "call back" or "ping call" technique. The person receives a call with very little time to answer or a text message inviting them to call back quickly. The second type of scam involves sending a text message with a fake alert that strongly encourages the recipient to call back a premium-rate number:

• Lottery win: "You have won a large sum of money. Call 0899… back."
• Fake job offer: "Your application for the sales assistant position has convinced us, please call 0899…"
• Dating: "Thanks, I had a great evening. Don't hesitate to call me back at 0899…"
• Bank confirmation request: "Please call 0899… to confirm a purchase of €599."
• Package delivery: "You have received an item, call 0899… to pick it up as soon as possible."
• Classified ads: "I am interested in your table. Could you call me back at 0899…"
• Mobile operators: "We have noticed suspicious calls from your line. Could you call us back at 0899…"

Everyone has dealt with these types of texts, and even if the numbers start with "08," we are tempted to make these famous calls without paying attention, even though they are premium-rate numbers (1 or 2 euros per minute), and the scam works. These fraudulent SMS messages are sent without targeting specific groups of recipients, and without the recipients having given their consent to be contacted by SMS. Fraudsters also resell lists of people who have already been victims of abuse and are potentially easier to scam again. Various methods are also used to harvest information from the Internet.

Best practices for sending SMS

To ensure you are not considered a spammer, a few best practices must be implemented. First and foremost, these relate to regulations: Opt-in contact list During a mobile marketingcampaign, all information must be collected legally, and the recipient must have given their authorization to receive messages on their phone. Day and time Messages must be sent between Monday and Friday, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Contacting customers or prospects on weekends or public holidays is prohibited. Furthermore, marketing studies have shown that text messages are most effective during the following time slots: 8:30 a.m.–9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., and 5:30 p.m.–6:00 p.m. There is therefore no reason for companies not to comply with legal hours when sending their campaigns. Unsubscribing Just like an email unsubscribe link, SMS messages must include the "STOP" option, which allows the recipient to unsubscribe. Additionally, best practices regarding the drafting and configuration of the message are essential:

• Identify the company as early as possible (for example, by replacing the number with the company name)
• Do not use a number starting with 0800 to avoid being flagged as SPAM
• Highlight the offer first
• Personalize texts with at least the first name
• Use capital letters and punctuation for clear identification
• Adapt your tone of voice to your target audience
• Use calls to action
• Provide a store address or a link to a webpage

Octopush: a professional platform for managing your sends

Octopush is a messaging tool that helps you manage your SMS campaigns. The online platform allows you to be autonomous with:

• Contact management
• Setting up one-off or automated campaigns
• Access to campaign statistics

Furthermore, Octopush is committed to not sending campaigns outside of legal hours and automatically inserts the "STOP" option. It should also be noted that the service respects data privacy, both for the company and the contact list, and does not sell recipient lists.