Reliance, Hutch to track down SMS pranksters

If you receive an SMS on your Hutchison Essar or Reliance IndiaMobile's CDMA phone saying forwarding this message will fetch you some free calls, hold on before pressing the forward key.

The companies have disowned the SMS and are in the process of tracking down the prankster behind the fake message in circulation for the last one week or so.

Senior officials of Hutch described the SMS as a "prank messages".

Reliance officials said such SMS are the handiwork of some "mischievous elements". Sources said both the companies may go for enquiries to track down the pranksters.

"Hutch celebrates becoming the second largest cellular service provider in Karnataka with three lakh customers. Forward this SMS to five subscribers and get Rs 25 free talk time" is the SMS circulated among the Hutch subscribers across the country, mainly in the Karnataka and Gujarat circles.

The company handles a total of over 11 lakh subscribers in these circles. It has eight lakhs in its Gujarat circle.

"Though the message, as it seems, is originated from our Bangalore circle. Hutch has nothing to do with this SMS circulated by some persons with evil intentions. We have learnt that even our subscribers in Gujarat are receiving such messages for the last few days. Now we are trying to find out the people behind this misleading message," said Sanjoy Mukerji, chief operating officer, Hutch.

An official of Hutch, Karnataka, said, "The SMS received by Hutch subscribers in Gujarat read the offer is made because the company reached three lakh subscribers in Karnataka. We never offered any such thing. We got to know about this only after some officials in Gujarat informed us. Some subscribers in Karnataka also reported receipt of such SMS."

A Hutch user in Gandhinagar said, "I received this message from a close friend of mine. I sent the message to five persons at a cost of Rs 7.50. Later I came to know through Hutch customer care that it is all bogus."

In a statement on Monday, a Reliance spokesperson said, "Reliance Infocomm wishes to caution all subscribers of the Reliance IndiaMobile service against a false and misleading SMS being circulated today on sections of its network."

The SMS received by the Reliance subscribers read, "Reliance celebrates its anniversary by giving a special offer. Just forward this message to five Reliance IndiaMobiles and make 100 free calls."

The company statement said, "We clarify that this message is a hoax and no such offer is available from the company. This is clearly the handiwork of mischievous elements seeking to confuse our customers. We wish to reassure our customers that when the company announces schemes and offers, the same is done across our customer base and not to selective users as in this case."

It has been learnt that even Idea cellular users in Gujarat circle have also started receiving such SMS. Idea officials could not be reached for comments.