Fake texting, the dark art very well known to anyone who’s spent five minutes with a chap from a mobile aggregator, has been continuing to hit the headlines in India. Indeed, so much so, that Yahoo News reports that two high profile lawsuits depend on mystery texts.

Allowing almost anyone to set the originator address when they send text messages is a huge, huge potential problem. It always has been — however it’s oft been controlled by smart aggregators who won’t allow you to set dynamic originators (i.e. so I can send a text message to your girlfriend’s mobile and set the originator field as your mobile number.) but in the past years, more and more companies have been competing to offer this facility by default.

Link: SMS alert: Beware of fake messages – Yahoo! India News

The practice of fraudulent SMS texts has intensified so much that two unresolved high-profile lawsuits are more or less hinging on the mystery of SMS texts.

An hour before his death, Rizwanur Rehman had texted his father-in-law, telling him that he would leave a letter. This and few of the preceding texts have formed the crux of the case that is still shrouded in mystery.

Even Pravin Mahajan’s death threat SMS message to his brother Pramod was considered concrete proof of a motive for murder. But an expert, Rajesh Kumar’s testimony proved that just about anyone could have sent that text to Pramod Mahajan.

But sending fraudulent SMS messages is so simple that it is downright scary.

Googling “Bulk SMS” will bring forth a slew of results, several of them pointing to websites that will permit any user to send text messages to anyone’s cellphone. What is a cause for serious concern is that these websites do not verify their users – users are free to pose as just about anyone.

Extremely sad news. Paul Griffiths, Dialogue Managing Director, died on Sunday. (Dialogue are a tier-1 UK and Australian based mobile aggregator.)

I’ve never actually connected with Paul, although I have done work with Dialogue in the past. Thanks to Chris Hunter of mytxt who emailed me the news. I phoned Dialogue and spoke to Gemma who confirmed the news.

I’m sure many of those reading, especially from within the UK, knew Paul well. If you did and you feel minded, perhaps you could post a quick memory of your interactions with him on the comments below.

We extend our deepest sympathies to Paul’s family and everyone at Dialogue.

Update: The Dialogue Statement:

It is with the deepest regret that Dialogue Communications informs you of the sudden death of Paul Griffiths, on Sunday 8th July 2007.

Paul was a wonderful, family man, who was a role model in the mobile industry and a respected company leader.
Our immediate thoughts are with Paul’s family, at this sad and difficult time.

Dialogue Communications will continue to develop and expand the business Paul and his business partner Hugh Spear started back in 1994.

For those who knew Paul, and would like to pay their respects, a funeral service will be held in Sheffield at 12 noon on Tuesday 17th July 2007, at the Mother of God RC Church S7 1DX, on the corner of St Ronan’s Road and Abbeydale Road. This will be followed by an interment at Abbey Lane Cemetery, S8 0BQ, and a funeral reception at Sheffield Park Hotel, Chesterfield Road South, S8 8BW.

The family would like to request that no flowers are sent and instead donations made to local Sheffield charity, ‘PACT”. This charity – Parents Association for Children with Tumours and Leukaemia – assists children with cancer and their families and can be contacted at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TH.

Cards can be sent to Louise Griffiths, and her children Rachel, Michael and Isobel at c/o Dialogue Communications, The Workstation, 15 Paternoster Row, Sheffield, S1 2BX.

Please contact info@dialogue.net or call 08700 790 100 ext 501 if you would like to attend the funeral.

Following an investigation by premium rate regulator ICSTIS into claims that Channel 4 chat show Richard & Judy had been conning viewers, their service provider Eckoh were today fined a record £150,000.

ICSTIS rules that the competition ‘You Say We Pay’ had “seriously misled viewers by actively encouraging them to enter the competition after the potential winners had already been selected”. They’ve also passed the case to broadcast regulator Ofcom, for further investigation and possible action under the Ofcom Broadcasting Code.

Announcing the record fine, ICSTIS Chairman Sir Alistair Graham said: ‘The size of the fine reflects the very serious nature of the breach of our Code of Practice. The Hearing Panel found clear evidence of fundamental failings in the winner selection process. Winners were being chosen before the competition closing deadline, whilst millions of additional viewers were still encouraged to phone in and pay to enter competition but were denied the opportunity of fair consideration. Such reckless disregard for viewers is unacceptable.”

‘There is no doubt that the public thoroughly enjoys taking part in premium rate competitions and votes on television. However, as well as being entertaining and fun, services should be reliable and trustworthy. Consumer protection should be at the heart of television rather than a broadcasting philosophy of ‘the show must go on”. The public should be able to use these services with absolute confidence. Consumers must get a fair deal.”

At the same time, ICSTIS announced they’ll be changing their name to the more friendly “PhonePayPlus” in October 2007.

Link: MX Telecom Inks Deal With Textopoly to Deliver High-Value SMS Campaigns and M-Commerce Solutions

MX Telecom, a leading provider of global SMS text messaging and wireless multimedia solutions, today announced that Textopoly, a mobile marketing agency that integrates technology, creativity and feasibility to drive mobile campaigns, has selected MX Telecom’s Messaging Gateway to deliver SMS messaging campaigns and M-Commerce solutions to its customers. MX Telecom is operating short codes for Textopoly and delivering high value mobile campaigns through its sophisticated messaging platform.