About direct marketing messages

If you would like to report unwanted SMS marketing messages to WASPA, please use this link.

What is spam?

  • Spam usually means an unsolicited marketing message, which might be an email message, an SMS, or a message sent using some other technology.

What does the law say about spam?

  • The Consumer Protection Act (No. 68 of 2008) and the Protection of Personal Information Act (No. 4 of 2013) both contain some restrictions on the sending of spam and on companies selling your personal information to someone else.
  • Unfortunately, some of these restrictions have not yet been enacted, meaning that consumers do not yet enjoy blanket protections against receiving spam.

What does the WASPA Code say about spam?

  • WASPA’s Code incorporates all of the requirements of these laws, and the Code is binding on members of WASPA and any companies sending messages via a WASPA member.
  • This means that WASPA’s members (and their clients) can only send you marketing messages if you are already a customer, or if you have given them permission to do so.

What should I do if I’m getting SMS spam?

  • The most effective way to stop unwanted messages is to reply to the message with the word STOP.
  • All WASPA members are required to honour STOP requests for marketing messages.
  • You may not be charged more than the normal price of sending an SMS for this message.

Should I report spam to WASPA?

  • You are welcome to report spam to WASPA using the report SMS scams and spam page on the WASPA website.
  • If the spam was sent by a WASPA member, we will try to help stop those messages.

Don’t be scammed!

  • Be careful about text messages, pop-up messages and banner adverts which tell you that you need to update software. Don’t be tricked into subscribing to a service.
  • If you receive an SMS telling you that you have won the lottery, then someone is trying to trick you. You have not won the lottery.
  • If you think you have been tricked, please report this to WASPA. You can also report a potential scam on the WASPA website.
  • You can also report serious incidents to the national Cybersecurity Hub.