Question

Spam emails being sent to [Phone number]@TMOmail.net, despite the feature being blocked in Message Blocking settings.

  • 19 February 2021
  • 21 replies
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A
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Starting a new thread, as many people are having this issue and posting to the following [Solved] thread without any help:

 

Recently, over the past few weeks, myself and many other T-Mobile users have been receiving spam SMS messages that have originated from EMAIL addresses.  They seem to have been sent to our [Phone number]@TMOmail.net addresses, yet many of us have disabled this feature on our accounts/lines with no effect (i.e. enable “Block TMomail.net email") at  https://www.t-mobile.com/support/plans-features/message-blocking

 

Some of us have found after examining the text message logs on their account that the messages show as coming from the short code “6245” (spells “MAIL" on a number pad), yet blocking this short code also has no effect on the incoming spam emails. Posted yesterday from T-Mobile community customer “Franzy" in the original old thread:

“...I finally logged in to my account and thought to check my incoming text logs. It shows that these messages are coming from 6245 (spells out MAIL and it sounds like it's a generic code used by web-based programs for  IMing, Texts, etc)...Since these spam messages seem to be the only ones I can see coming from that number, I just blocked it...Ugh. I just got another one.  So apparently that didn't work.  I'll keep digging around for ideas.”

 

I just got off the phone with T-Mobile (1-800-937-8997), had the service rep escalate me to the tech support team, and the guy there was surprised that their Email to SMS service wasn't discontinued already.  I informed him that the option to “Block TMomail.net email" is available to customers, but enabling the option has no effect.  He was then able to confer with his supervisor and confirm that the block I turned on has been enabled since yesterday, but was surprised to learn that I still received another spam message today. I also explained that I can email my phone # at the address (##########@TMomail.net) any time, at will, from my Gmail account and get the text message seconds later, despite the block being in place.  He will be digging into it and getting back to me...

 

 

21 replies

K

I'm just trying to figure out where those settings are on My Sprint. I tried logging in through T-Mobile and it said I was a Sprint customer so it sent me back to the My Sprint app.

Sporadically throughout the year I've always gotten messages from Sprint about deals or messages once my bill is paid but since a couple of weeks ago I've also started receiving these spam text messages that are definitely not from Sprint.

 

I'm going to try the 7726 method but it looks like nothing else works. I even ran malwarebytes and an antivirus on my phone to see if it found anything and it didn't. It's definitely something on their end. It's not only annoying but it also feels like a huge breach of privacy considering if someone can send you these things you have to wonder can they get into your actual account or into your phone also. I never had problems like this until these two companies merged.

T

Thanks acreswild for your initiative. I sent myself an email at xxx@tmomail.net and it comes through in a different format vs the spam email/texts I get.  Like the email I send myself, it says click here to download and just looks different from the spam texts in format.  Not sure if that means anything.

A
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Interesting tadad. 

My test emails sent to #@TMOmail.net come through in the same format as the spam email-to-SMS messages I've been receiving.  Maybe we are experiencing different attacks, or maybe we just have different devices or message handling apps.  I'll look into my account shortly and check the SMS logs to see if my emails look different from the spam ones, and I'll follow up.

In the meantime, here are some screenshots of the test messages I sent recently, which also included a “Subject:” line, like my spam messages did.  The format appears the same to me (except the spam message’s “Subject:” line content always consists of the single character “/”), which leads me to believe my spammers are using the same method as my tests (sent to #@TMOmail.net).

 

A
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More to the point, as “fun" as all of this investigative work may be for some, the problem can be completely solved if T-Mobile just made it's “Message Blocking" setting actually WORK for “TMOmail.net Email"…

In other words, T-Mobile should actually BLOCK all of these Email-to-SMS messages at the GATEWAY level, when we as customers select the option to do so. 

They need to FIND and FIX this basic service functionality problem, completely apart from their spam-blocking efforts/technology.

A
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I'm just trying to figure out where those settings are on My Sprint. I tried logging in through T-Mobile and it said I was a Sprint customer so it sent me back to the My Sprint app.

Sporadically throughout the year I've always gotten messages from Sprint about deals or messages once my bill is paid but since a couple of weeks ago I've also started receiving these spam text messages that are definitely not from Sprint.

 

I'm going to try the 7726 method but it looks like nothing else works. I even ran malwarebytes and an antivirus on my phone to see if it found anything and it didn't. It's definitely something on their end. It's not only annoying but it also feels like a huge breach of privacy considering if someone can send you these things you have to wonder can they get into your actual account or into your phone also. I never had problems like this until these two companies merged.

I understand your concern, completely, but rest assured, the spammers won't have access to your account or phone just because of these unwanted messages.  It is incredibly easy for them to send spam texts (SMS) or spam Emails to us, and the RISK only presents itself if YOU take action on the CONTENT within the message (click on a link, respond to the message, etc.)

While I am not familiar with your exact situation (being a Sprint customer merged with T-Mobile) I can assure you that spam will always be an increasing problem these days going forward, regardless of the company you subscribe to.  Always continue to be vigilant and skeptical of any unsolicited communication, but don't unnecessarily stress yourself with speculation. That said, MalwareBytes is awesome, and it's better to be safe than sorry :)

 

A
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So, for the people hoping to find that their spam messages are coming from a particulaly revealing short code like “(624)5” (MAIL), this doesn't prove the same for me.  Mine are all showing on my text logs as from “(500”, which is the same code as my test emails. 


I think the code doesn't matter as much for the purposes our analysis, as long as it isn't a real phone number, it may be arbitrary, or in my case at least proves that the method of delivery for the spam is the same as for my test emails. (Add 3 hours to the text logs to correlate the screenshots. I am in EST, logs are in PST).

 

 

A
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Everyone with this exact issue (Email-to-SMS spam) maybe just call T-Mobile and pleasantly demand that they turn this antiquated service off for their line/account.

I have called them and made this exact request, but they have not yet gotten back to me. 

This issue is a basic problem with their service, and they need to prioritize correcting it.  Again, if you present the clear option for the customer to turn “Email TMOmail.net" off... actually turn it off PLEASE!

R

None of these  solutions work! Still getting multiple a day! Can't block because it's not a #. Even adding as a contact to then block does NOT work! This is ridiculously annoying! There are far too many people experiencing this problem this needs to be fix. 

M

I am also still receiving these emails after disabling the TMOmail setting.  Latest one I got was bestbuy@winner319.com

I

Ditto to what everyone above has already stated. No solution in this sting has worked, It started January 26, 2021 and I’ve been getting these daily and sometimes 2-3 a day. I was ported over from Sprint (customer for 12 years, never had this issue). Your forcing me to contemplate  changing my number because it’s so annoying.

I’ve called and talked to sprint first tier support, escalated to higher tier support, and then tech support, wasting maybe 3 hours in the process while they looked for Knowledge Base articles that don’t exist yet to fix this. All were completely worthless, one seriously told me I should file a police report. At that point I ended that approach.

My first impression of Tmobile are that it’s a shit company. Please make this stop. The best part is that half the messages include a link to tmobile to claim some prize. It looks like I’m being spammed by tmobile!!

 

S

I am having this exact issue as well. It is very annoying. I received this one today. I block them and they just send from a different address.

 

 

K

Happening for me as well, despite blocking tmobile.net email to sms functionality, they are coming through and are exclusively spam and scams. T-Mobile is doing an absolute trash job at protecting their customers.

bluehaze911

This started happening to me also the last week of January and many of them have links that make it look like it’s from t-mobile.  You’d think they’d want to fix this for that reason alone.

M

I am also receiving these email sms spam.  It started after I went to the T-Mobile store to switch my Sprint SIM for a T-mobile sim.  I have since switched back to the Sprint sim, but this has not solved the issue.  Now I am waiting for Sprint to solve the issue.  20+ years with Sprint, not a single SMS spam message.  An hour after visiting the T-Mobile store on Feb. 3rd, 2021, I am now being sent 2-3 of these email sms spam each day.

What kind of company automatically sign you up for spam?

I

Update: After receiving about 6 spam texts over the past 24 hours I was pissed off enough to waste an hour and call in a second tech support ticket. I made sure the rep added this email string for supporting evidence and read it back to me to be sure he wasn’t BS’ing. They are investigating and supposed to call me back Thursday. They never called me back regarding the ticket I called in last week, so we’ll see. 

W

Same problem here.  If someone has the patience, you could try twitter.  I've gotten good results but it takes a lot of DMs and you work with different reps every time you message to get anything resolved, but it could help.  A bunch of mine have T-Mobile in the body, you'd think they'd be all over blocking these scams.  Attaching my texts from the past week.

 

I

Tech support called me this morning and said they’re definitely aware of this issue, it’s escalated as high as it can go. The employees at t-mobile are experiencing this as well. No ETA for resolution. 

M

I’m waiting for a callback from the Sprint 3rd/4th level Tech support (based in OK and TX, not India).  Last spoke to them yesterday afternoon and they claimed to have no knowledge of this problem.

T

Everyone with this exact issue (Email-to-SMS spam) maybe just call T-Mobile and pleasantly demand that they turn this antiquated service off for their line/account.

I have called them and made this exact request, but they have not yet gotten back to me. 

This issue is a basic problem with their service, and they need to prioritize correcting it.  Again, if you present the clear option for the customer to turn “Email TMOmail.net" off... actually turn it off PLEASE!

You know what's real crazy looking at the screenshots of the messages and the spammers emails addresses well obviously fake ones I realized I'm getting the same exact messages from the same exact contacts. Chances are everyone is unfortunately. I'm on Central time and they've been coming in multiple times a day especially the stupid fake Tmobile ones too. I literally think someone got ahold of T-Mobiles directory and is playing around hoping to scam and steal some information from someone unfortunate enough to click those links. I'm gonna need TMobile to do something about this, WHERE THE TECH GUYS AT? 😯

R
Badge

More to the point, as “fun" as all of this investigative work may be for some, the problem can be completely solved if T-Mobile just made it's “Message Blocking" setting actually WORK for “TMOmail.net Email"…

In other words, T-Mobile should actually BLOCK all of these Email-to-SMS messages at the GATEWAY level, when we as customers select the option to do so. 

They need to FIND and FIX this basic service functionality problem, completely apart from their spam-blocking efforts/technology.

Exxxactly!

R
Badge

Ditto to what everyone above has already stated. No solution in this sting has worked, It started January 26, 2021 and I’ve been getting these daily and sometimes 2-3 a day. I was ported over from Sprint (customer for 12 years, never had this issue). Your forcing me to contemplate  changing my number because it’s so annoying.

I’ve called and talked to sprint first tier support, escalated to higher tier support, and then tech support, wasting maybe 3 hours in the process while they looked for Knowledge Base articles that don’t exist yet to fix this. All were completely worthless, one seriously told me I should file a police report. At that point I ended that approach.

My first impression of Tmobile are that it’s a shit company. Please make this stop. The best part is that half the messages include a link to tmobile to claim some prize. It looks like I’m being spammed by tmobile!!

 

I actually think the same way. My number having been on sprint for more than a decade never had spam. I have a feeling this stinks like an inside job.

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