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*doesn't have a mobile*

=P

Thank you for the warning. I came on here trying to find some answers as to why I even got this stupid message on my phone. Now i know. Thanks

It's not Cingular, because I got the message and I have a different service.

I'm with the company that owns ringstar mobile - we only send the offer to people who have ordered ringtones from one of our partners OR who have requested offers from one of our own sites. The offer is fully compliant with the Privacy Policies of those partners' sites, and we, of course, allow people to never be contacted again by a simple opt-out.

But our horoscopes are pretty damn good!

Thanks for posting that info Kevin. Could you tell me what your company is or what other sites they own?

The only place I've ever purchased a ringtone from is Cingular, like 4 years ago.

I would like to remove the service from my phone, and the links here are all PHP formatted and I can't get anything to open, how do I remove my name from the list?

Kevin, I would like to know who you're partner sites are as well, considering I have never downloaded a ringtone in my life and would never ask for a horoscope text message.

I have never subscribed to ANYTHING on my phone and will never do so. I have no idea how you came up with my business number, but you sure didn't get it from me or anyone I do business with. Now i am being told that I am being charged 10 bucks a month, and if i want to cancel it then i still have to pay for the 10 bucks. My god you and your company are a fucking joke and i really wish that con-artists like you would just fucking die.

Kevin, what you are saying is untrue.

I just got this TEXT message spam from your stupid company, and I've never ordered a ringtone in my life, let alone used my cell number/email, etc. on ANY sites, much less your mythical "partner" sites. I don't even use TEXT messaging -- congrats on being the first company to spam my phone.

Thanks for making me PAY Verizon $.10 for the priviledge of being spammed by your company via text message.

And there is no simple "opt-out", as you say, not that anyone should ever follow opt-out instructions from a spammer.

I Googled ringstarmobile.com and this is the only page I found. I hope others find their way here when they try to figure out what idiot is spamming their cellphone.

whois results, circa 2005-11-17 (now changed):

Domain Name: RINGSTARMOBILE.COM

Administrative Contact, Technical Contact:
Bertram, Kevin kbertram@gmail.com
18 9th Street, NE
#302
Washington, DC 20002
US
703.864.2618

also see: http://www.kevinbertram.com/resume.htm

oops, the numbers match!

He's behind Katazo, that company with the really dumb monkey ads you see on TV. It's all spam, I'm sure.

I got that same text message with link for horoscope disguised as downloading digital media. Whatever you do don't clink on that link. I called Sprint right away and told them I got two messages with this link. I wanted to be sure I wasn't being charged for just getting the text message. The spint tech said she didn't see any charges and told me to reply to the message with one word "STOP". I got a message back a few seconds later saying "you are not signed up and we will never contact you again. Have a nice day." I was charged before almost .25 a text message for spam that I didn't even know I was being charged for. I couldn't figure out why my bill was so way off every month for like 3 or 4 months. It was hidden in a charge on my Sprint bill under something like "special or Other charges"....

I received the text today on my personal mobile number. I am in Washington, DC where Kevin's whois info is showing. I see that he has changed addresses and phone numbers for the ringstarmobile.com domain name. He is now:

Kevin Hobbes
1050 Connecticut Avenue, NW
10th Floor
Washington, DC 20036
domainxster@gmail.com

Maybe I should pay him a visit!

He answers his cell phone at the number above which is Sprint PCS and his voicemail as Kevin Bertram.

He may not like it if you go to the Sprint PCS website and send text messages to him. But he may not mind...hmm!

I, unfortunately, just received one of these annoying text messages as well. I have NEVER downloaded a ringtone. I don't know how they could have gotten my cell phone number. This is so annoying. I couldn't get the opt-out to work. This is rediculous!

I'm a Sprint Cust as well And just recently changed my #. Not even a month later with my new # i get this crap!!!! I have not even givin this # to my own MOTHER!!!
Kevin Hobbes is going to be harassed by me NOW!! He missed with someone that like to do the messing....OOO Yea now i got a mission in life. Please keep updating this sight with his info if it chages.

Or better still, email Kevin random messages that will be sent to his own phone. His email address is 7038642618@messaging.sprintpcs.com. Enjoy.

Looks like "Kevin" took his site/resume down.

I just got one of those messages but mine was to download a ringtone. This guy has the guts to send messanges at 4am the day after thanksgiving!!! Now im being charged for a service that I never requested. What a joke!!! I just put this cellphone on the do not call list too!!

I got one of thos messages too. I have called Sprint and told them about the spam. I told them that Kevin is also a sprint customer. If you guys have the time you should call your cellphone company and complain to them. Ultimatelly your cellphone company is the one that charges you for this. If you let them know before you receive the charge you might be able to waive it.

I got this message on my phone ringstarmobile.com/pop_sprint.php?msn=999999999&trey=0427acfdac45a6eac28&aff=next-sprint
9999999999 being my phone number. This guy is also trying to sell us ringtones and garbage. I am thinking of contacting the Better Business Bureau and the FCC to complaint about this company. Perhaps even with the do not call list.org.

his aim/yahoo id is kevinx777

I just moved and switched cell numbers. I also got a text message yesterday from "ringstarmobile" along with some pretty weird calls for some guy "dre" Apparently verizon shut off this guy's phone, then waited about a week before giving me this his old number. Now people he owed money are calling ME and I'm getting his text messages. This is bullshit, but i can't have verizon shut off all services. What should I do?

I got that same text message with link for horoscope disguised as downloading digital media. Whatever you do don't clink on that link. I called Sprint right away and told them I got two messages with this link. I wanted to be sure I wasn't being charged for just getting the text message. The spint tech said she didn't see any charges and told me to reply to the message with one word "STOP". I got a message back a few seconds later saying "you are not signed up and we will never contact you again. Have a nice day." LISTEN TO THIS PERSON I JUST REPLIED STOP AND THEY REMOVE U.

Even if you reply with STOP, and they actually honor it (which they probably won't) -- they'll simply resell your number/info to other companies -- so as with other spammers, technically they've removed you from THEIR list, but your number is still an asset to be sold.

Back to square one: Complain to your provider about ringstarmobile is the best thing to do.

I am a t-mobile customer and just got one of these solicitations. I've just sent Kevin about 15 msgs to his sprint phone using this email address:

7038642618@messaging.sprintpcs.com

when you dial this number, his voice mail kicks in. I encourage everyone to do the same thing. I have a hotmail address I use for online sites that request email addresses that I think might generate email spam, and I sent it from that account, knowing they'll likely sell the email address as well as the phone number.

I hope it costs him a fortune to receive all these msgs.

Well,I just got this as well, I sent the words STOP to the number and it sent me a "You are not sighned up. We will never contact you again. Have a nice day!" message... Grr.. calling sprint right now to try and stop this, or at least get this guy jailed, isn't spam illegal?

Just like Kathy, I'm a T-Mobile customer and just received this spam msg. I tried calling tmobile customer service, but they said that my account hasn't updated to show the message yet (to see if I actually got charged). I'll wait for a result till then, but seriously, Kevin, quit being a d**k and stop spamming people.

In the mean time though, I encourage everyone to continue bombing his phone, maybe he'll learn a lesson from this. Someone find his home phone (if he has one) and nail him there too. Hey, why don't we just register his address for free snail mail spam! haha. w00t! Rock the vote!

Kevin's email (cell): 7038642618@messaging.sprintpcs.com

More information - he's started a company for this project.

http://mmaglobal.com/modules/content/index.php?id=98

I agree with all of the above:
(1) Sending me an SMS that I have to pay for = very not cool.
(2) Claiming non-existent opt-out information = very not cool.
(3) Claiming valid source of number acquisition = very not cool.

Understandably, this individual and his kin are already in a load of hurt.

No useful service would advertise via US cell phones. The problem is that -we- pay for the text, both send and receive. If it was free, I wouldn't care. I do care, however. Sprint can hire thieves like this to send out a million or so texts a day, thus making a lot of money. Very not cool.

Kevin Bertram also shows up on Google as a guy that likes to play games online, and who started a mock e-zine when he was younger.

Kevin: nice of you to get us to talk and stalk. Now that you've had your moment, kindly bugger off.

More info:

DistributiveNetworks.com ( & .net) are registered to Kevin Hobbes, at the same address. Fake phone (2025551212). Perhaps I will contact his nameserver provider and let them know that he has provided them false contact information.

If you check his contact page, you'll also see that his contact information is displayed via a graphic - almost like he doesn't want his phone number to be cut/paste into a web spider that might spam him ... hmm.

You mean the graphic that says:

Kevin Bertram
Director of Business Development
kevin@distributivenetworks.com
(202) 772-4270 (office)
(703) 864-2618 (cell)

Is that the one you're talking about?

I just found this discussion by Google after being SMS-spammed this morning. Does anyone have an email or website for Sprint to complain that one of their customers is sending SMS spam?

Getting Sprint to cut off his service will have longer lasting impact than spamming the creep directly.

11/30 and Kevin's cell # (7038642618) is still working. I've decided to send him two text messages for every one I receive (and maybe a few more for good measure). They can be sent anonymousely from http://www.messaging.sprintpcs.com/textmessaging/compose

I received the Horoscope message via "Browser Message" and can't reply to tell it to "STOP." Any insights?

I got the "digital media" one this morning. I contacted Sprint and was put through to their tech support to try to block anymore text messages from 392-98. While on my other phone, I replied back to the message on my cell with "Stop All Opt Out". I recieved the message "You are not signed up. We will never contact you again. Have a nice day!" The tech support lady was monitoring the messages, and she said she couldn't tell where the messages were coming from. He's found some kind of loophole to disguise orgination of the messages. She blocked the 392-98 number on my phone, but I'm sure he'll probably send out the next batch of crap from another number. She also took off the text charges on my phone for all of this. She said they're unable to block these messages network-wide because they don't come from a website or a discernable number. I'm going to report ringstarmobile.com to the FCC next. Hopefully, if enough people do this, some action will be taken against this guy!

I got this as a Ringtones message, and this is the only site I've found on the subject... I will call sprint as well. He should be cut off!

This site/post was mentioned on Digg:

http://digg.com/security/Mob_Justice_vs._Cellphone_Text_Spammer_

katazo comes from "opera telecom usa" (ironically headquartered in the uk): http://www.operatelecomusa.com

http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:BmnuBmgLjRoJ:www.barsuk.com/web.cgi%3Fmbd%26mbvars%3DT15970!C19!Avkputq!Fcufuptw!Ovbnusvtnj&hl=en

also see http://www.wiffle-by-the-bay.com/pastyears.htm for some great pictures of kevin! (we know it's the same guy, email address matches here: http://www.wiffle-by-the-bay.com/rsvp.htm )

recommended:
http://www.wiffle-by-the-bay.com/2004pics/johnbeck_kevin.htm
http://www.wiffle-by-the-bay.com/2004pics/matt_kevin_trophycup.htm

Got one today too, via Sprint. Never had a spam text before. Guess it was just a matter of time. Calling Sprint now... What a bastard.

BULLS**T!! "I'm with the company that owns ringstar mobile - we only send the offer to people who have ordered ringtones from one of our partners OR who have requested offers from one of our own sites. The offer is fully compliant with the Privacy Policies of those partners' sites, and we, of course, allow people to never be contacted again by a simple opt-out." Only offer to people who have ordered ringtones, yeah right! I have NEVER ordered any ringtones, and now that Sprint has merged with Nextel, I am getting text message SPAM! I, too, have notified Sprint to remove the charge from my bill, and if possible, block this from access to my phone.

I just got this ringstarmobile shit too - something about "pop gossip". I have Verizon and I don't text message, so I just had it disabled. Go ahead assshole, send some more shit this way. This fool needs his ass kicked!

The problem with using the URL or returning the "STOP" is that the URL contains your phone number, so he now knows you've got a real phone number.
I didn't... however, it's entirely possible that some unspecified law enforcement agency did based on the link I was sent. I won't say which one, just in case he's reading this. Let him sell their number.

... a friend of mine was fond of giving out the number for the Secret Service... but I'm not sure this would constitute credit card fraud...

We are a technology and content company, not a marketing company. We have several companies who market our products and after some internal investigation, two of our affiliates were clearly abusing the very specific rules set down by us and the carriers that we work with.

Therefore, we have immediately ceased the ringstarmobile marketing campaign. If you have received an SMS that you did not request we will send you a refund check for $1.50 to cover any text messaging costs and the annoyance of receiving the text message.

To do so, please send an email to ringstarrefunds@gmail.com with:

Your name
Your mailing address
The phone number that the text message was sent to.

We are also in the process of setting up a toll-free number, 877-822-5092, for anyone to voice their concerns. However, between the time it takes Verizon to set up a new toll-free number and with the Christmas holidays, it's unclear when this number will be available.

To answer a few specific concerns,

1. We have several incentives not to send messages to people who do not want them. In addition to not wanting annoy people, we are charged between 4 and 11 cents per message, depending upon the cellphone carrier. Therefore we only want to send messages to people who have specifically requested them.

2. We 100% honor requests to not be contacted again. We also do not sell the numbers of our customers, as this is directly prohibited by our contracts with the cellphone carriers.

3. Please don't ask us to directly credit your account instead of receiving a refund check. It is not technically possible at this time for cellphone carriers to process refunds originated by third-parties (such as us).

Haha Kevin, I don't know if you are telling the truth or not, but I do know your IP matches the commenter "Mark" above. Somebodys full of shit.

http://gtmcknight.com/log/archives/2005/10/21/ringstar_mobile.php#005218

While I have no idea if any of what "Kevin" just said is true (and I sympathize there is no easy solution for his company), I'll never understand why companies that abuse the personal information of members of the general public ("spam their cell phone" in this case) think the solution is to ask for MORE PERSONAL INFORMATION from those same individuals.

"Hey, sorry we spammed you. You have no idea who we are or if we are to be trusted (probably not, since we just screwed you by spamming you), but if you could just give us your name, address, and phone number, we promise not to do anything else evil to you. No, really."

wow, i don't even have a cell phone and im pissed off. I hope Kevin gets consumptive throat herpes

Seems to me that if your phone is on the Do Not Call list, Kevin should be offering you $500, nit $1.50.

How many of you have sent complaints to the FCC, FTC, and Sprint?

I got this message last month, and sure enough the charge showed up on my bill this week. I called Sprint and they informed me that they can't block messages from being received by me, and they refused to reverse the charge.

I'm curious to know if anyone was actually stuipd enough to send their address to this schmuck.

Wow Heather, that's really lame. You might try calling back Sprint to complain again (lean on them a bit more). Sometimes threatening to go to a different carrier will produce results, if you are inclined to try that.

Again, this is why what Kevin's company did is so wrong on so many different levels. Having to pay for the priviledge of being randomly abused by an unknown company.

Just got two texts from him on my sprint phone. I have reported him to the FCC, and to his hosting site theplanet.com

I have Sprint and I've been receiving "pop gossip" text messages for several months now. I don't know how to stop it. I am unable to reply because the numbers are apparently invalid. I receive a couple of them every day and it is very irritating.

Can anyone offer any advice or information about this "Pop Gossip" text?? Is Kevin behind this too? What should I do?

I have tmobile and I just got another spam message from Ringstarmobile. I also got a spam message from Kevin's other company wannabeheard http://www.wannabeheard.com/ I'm going to make it my personal mission to file complaints with the FCC and the attorney general's office. I'm sick of people like Kevin and his scam companies ripping off people. And Kevin, I don't buy your bullsh*t excuse that you're not a marketing firm. That's what you do. I hope your company gets shut down and you go to jail fro fraud.

pop gossip is from another company kevin is a part of 762 wireless. I found your pop gossip problem http://762wireless.com/index.php?page=7

Just got off the phone with sprint. They don't have the text in the system yet, but told me to call back in two days and it should be there. She took done the info for the text and told me to report it to sprint.com snice it will go up higher thought that way then her taking a report. Havn't found the link in there for it yet but looking. I called the number on the pop gossip website and goes to voice mail box, and the box is full. The FCC said it would take a few weeks to get back to me. I will try and keep a update on here.

jon good idea on the attorney general's. Didn't even think about that. Going to file a report with the MD attorney general office this week.

I just received a "browser message" from "madlovetips.com." I couldn't find any physical addres for their company (a WhoIs search gave me a Washington, D.C. post office box). At their web site, their contact number is 877-822-5092. I Googled the number and the only link I got was this page.

So, thanks for the info. Cell phone solicitations are covered under CAN-SPAM. I think I'll write Kevin a nasty letter.

Oh, and FYI: The FCC handles cell-phone spam complaints:

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/canspam.html

The complaints in this column began October 2005. It is now almost the end of January 2006 and I just got spammed by this guy. I have NEVER signed up for anything. Can't the FCC do anything about it??

I am an RCC in a Sprint store in upstate new york. I located this site trying to assist a customer in finding the source of their Premium Rate txt msging charges. I just thought I'd let everyone know that I passed this information up to my district and regional management team. I hope this gets cleared up.

Look all of you I have real information. First names like Katazo.com, ringaza.com, dirtyhippo.com, blah blah all of them are "brands" this is not the name of the company. Katazo.com's real company name is Opera Telecom USA this is there corporate name, i used to work customer service for them. I hate the bastards, they openly told us to lie to people. They even said we were legally responsible to refund ALL MONIES if it was a minor that signed up. However the catch was we were not allowed to tell the angry parents that called. Instead we were forced to argue with them intill they settled with a small percentage of what they were charged, may be a month. However, if they ever demanded a full refund we would have to comply, but we were told not to let it get to that point. The bastard that manages the customer center is Brian, the owner is Collin, the faggot which runs the show for Collin (which is a nice british guy) he is a prick a true prick. Look tell everyone you know EVERYONE that the way to get a full refund for all charges is to state that it was "your kid that did it which was a 14 year old MINOR" they'll argue and try to distract you by lecturing you YOUR kid should have asked u blah blah it's a ruse, demand your money because it was a minor and then demand to speak to Brian, the first people you'll speak to are cool there stuck as slaves in an unforgiving capitalist economy. There only trying to make a buck (not much at all) it's the people above them Earl, Collin, Brian that are stealing from you.

Has anyone found a phone number to call for a refund from 762 Wireless? The opt out number is BUSY. The email has not been responded to, and charges are still being billed. It took my cell company a month to tell me who was billing it.

i just got "signed up" for this bullshit service. i called wannabeheard.com where i was lectured that i signed up and i entered the passcode, blah, blah. bullshit. i contacted my carrier to let them know about this scam. i will not be charged.

I just finished waisting 4 hours of my life trying to trackdown this BS and deal with Verizon. I was given (by verizon) the following number to "opt out" with out sending a text message (866-784-4412). I also opted out of any of the text/picture/get it now options on all 4 cell phones which the Verizon rep said should protect me. Well, we'll see.

Bottom Line: If the cell phone companies would not allow automatic billing of these charges much of the problem would go away. If "Kevin" had to call you (or the OWNER of the account) and ask for a credit card number to start the service this problem would die. Kevin might even have to get a real job. Naw, that would be too much work. Better to insert misery into others lives to make you feel good. Right Kevin?

Kevin probably likes having a site dedicated against him!

Sorry, that number is 866-784-7712

Again, 866-784-7712

JR

762 Wireless is such a scam. I got billed by them and then called to get my money back but I couldn't get through. I'm going to call the carrier and then the FCC to find out who the hell is ripping me off.

damn, kevin just signed up for a bunch of spam

I got spammed by these assholes at wannabeheard too. I called and the guy tells me that he has a record of me going to the website, put in my cell phone # and purchased a ring tone and signed up for a daily horoscope. I told him that was a lie. I did go to the website to see who was spamming me and to get the phone # to call, but I absolutely didn't put my cell phone # in their database. I asked to be put on their do not contact ever list for that company and any other company involving fuck boy Kevin.
The confusing part is that when I called AT&T to complain, they suggested that I send a stop message to the number in the message. I never told them that I received a message about sending a STOP. These carriers must not be watching too closely becuase they are making money off of these spammers sending messages.

I too have never signed up for any ringtones or crap like that. Got my first text spam today (Feb. 18, 2006) from Astromobo asking me to "pick up my digital media."

Of course that site lists no contact information, just has a form. A whois search for astromobo.com shows our boy, Kevin...

Administrative Contact , Technical Contact :
Account, Role
domainxster@gmail.com
PO Box 18667
Washington, DC 20036
US
Phone: 877-822-5093

BTW I just emailed Laura Marriott, the CEO of the Mobile Marketing Association referenced above, to complain about one of her members (i.e. Kevin Bertram): http://mmaglobal.com/modules/content/index.php?id=68

I got a mobile spam from Astromobo.com too. I have never signed up for anything with my mobile number. I have complained to the FTC, and I suggest that everyone else does the same. My cellphone is the last place on earth that I want to get ads, not to mention that mobile providers charge for these...

Very interesting commentary. If anyone would like to thank Kevin personally for all this, he can be seen at an industry meeting in DC on March 1st representing his "company" Distributive Networks"

http://www.washingtonwirelessforum.org/

Cell Phone Spam from what I can tell uses a smoke screen to protect the guilty. I contacted Cingular about the unsolicited Spam text messages. I put a block on my phone, but the message kept coming. I contacted Cingular who gave me the name of a company M-Qube, they had phone numbers, but customer service said to either use the internet complaint form or leave a voice message.
They claim to be only a channel for a third party company, in my case the company was "wannabeheard" they have no phone numbers at all, just a customer service form to fill out.

In all businesses that one visits, by law, a business license has to be posted.
Yet internet companies do not have to list their business license, so no one can complain to the agency that give them a license to do business (assuming they even have a business license)

I learned that the governmental agency that one goes to file a complaint for phone or Internet fraud is The Secret Service, not the FBI or the FCC.
If it involves postal mail, (I think) one would contact the Postal Inspector.
For example if you receive tapes or CD's that you did not order from a music club, contact the Postal Inspector, you do NOT have to return the item, it's yours to keep, by law.

But we need to ask our congressman and senators to pass a law to make sure Internet companies have a business license and that it is posted on the web site.

Also I suggested to Cingular that when you receive a Spam text message, you would have the option to say it is Spam and block this Spam, or block all Spam or as they say third party companies from text messaging you, and if you say it is Spam, you would not be charged.

If everyone calls and requests this change be made, I think it will help.

But we still need to have all Internet companies post their business license.

Spamers do not care if they upset 99.9% of those they Spam, as long as a small amount of people buy their product.

As to the smokescreen, I suspect that the intermediary company that channels the text messages, as well as the cell phone provider all work together.
Separated by company names, they hope to escape blame and prosecution.
Obviously cell phone companies are aware these Spam text messages are taking place, but they have not made any effort to help.
After all, they are making money.

It’s up to us to do something.

To sum up, two things can be done, first cell phone companies can have an option to block all Spam incorporated within your phone, so you don't have to call and spend an hour talking to a Customer service rep.
Second, Congress needs to pass a law making it a requirement to post their business license on their website.

Thanks
Steve

I want to quitting that place! I dont like the horscopes! I did trying to text messaging to says Stop, End...but its not working! SO can you stop for it! My cell phone numbers is 217-248-3823.Dont send me a text messaging again! Bye!

If anyone needs help on any issues relating to mblox, let me know. I have all their information as well as access to their clients contact info. Post the question and I will get back to you ASAP.

now it might get really interesting....! lets have at them! mobile anarchy.

I would like to know how I can have this taken off of my telephone because it is the wrong horoscope and it is charging me to much for this horoscope. When i logged on this site it said that it would be .99 cents a month but when i get by telephone bill it is $3.99 a month so could you please tell me how i can get this taken off my telephone. I don't think i should have to pay for something that's telling me about somebody else.

I know Kevin Bertram really well and let me tell you, that son of a bitch means no good.

please do not send me no more messages .stop sending thank you.504)621-0767.