iMessages with advertising content about gambling are being sent to iPhone users in Vietnam.

Network operators have the responsibility of discovering, handling and blocking spam messages to protect users. But some operators are the sources of spam messages themselves.

Decree No.91 by the Government about fighting against spam advertising calls, emails, and messages went into effect from October 1, along with the new hotline 5656 of the Vietnam Telecommunications Authority to report spam calls, messages.

Nguyen Khac Lich, deputy director of the Authority of Information Security, said in order to prevent spam calls and messages, advertisers must register identifier names and must not use normal phone numbers.

Competent agencies will deactivate the SIM cards of unknown users in late 2020, while spam text messages and calls will also be blocked, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Phan Tam told a review conference in Hanoi yesterday.

Mobile phone users nationwide have long been plagued with spam text messages and calls, prompting the Government to step in, reported Tuổi Trẻ (Youth) newspaper.

All organisations and individuals will have the right to refuse spam calls and messages to their phone numbers if a new draft decree is passed.

Mai Thuy Linh, 32, has received several spam messages and at least two spam calls each day over the past week, which makes her very annoyed.

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VietNamNet Bridge - The Bach Khoa Anti-virus Center (BKAV) and mobile network operators disagree on the number of spam messages sent every day.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ha Noi Department of Information and Communications called on telecom network providers to do more to block spam messages.

 Telephone numbers that often sent spam messages should be blocked, experts agreed at a recent conference held by the Hanoi Department of Information and Communications.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The HCMC Department of Information and Communications has requested mobile carriers to submit their detailed plans for blocking unwanted text messages to mobile phone users and enhancing information management

Mobile subscribers are receiving more and more SMS spam in addition to spam messages from OTT (apps. Both the watchdog agency and mobile-network operators say they have not been able to find effective solutions to control the messages.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Information and Communications has pledged to take bold steps to crack down on spam messages sent via mobile phones as its past measures have not worked effectively.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Viettel Telecom has been declared the most effective mobile operator in the fight against spam messages.