Android Smartphone Users Can Now Avail a New App from PrivacyStar
February 14, 2013
By
Meenakshi Shankar, TMCnet Contributor
Analysts estimate that the amount of spam text messages in the U.S. rose by 45 percent from 2011 to a total of 4.5 billion text messages in 2012. Spam text messages aren't going away any time soon and neither are calls from debt collectors and telemarketers.
PrivacyStar, a company specializing in smartphone applications for Android (News - Alert), BlackBerry and iPhone announced the availability of an application with simple, one-touch call and text message complaint filing so mobile users can easily report those who are breaking the rules to the FTC (News - Alert).
Jeff Stalnaker, chief executive officer of PrivacyStar, confirmed the same in a statement.
PrivacyStar’s new launch is a free SMS spam complaint filing feature for Android smartphones. With an all-new polished and functional interface, the application now offers for the first time the ability for users to easily file text message spam complaints directly to the Federal Trade Commission from their mobile phones.
Customers wishing to use this app can download the app from Google (News 
- Alert) Play, said the company.
PrivacyStar currently offers a subscription-based application with unlimited call and text blocking capabilities, along with call and text number lookup features. Previous versions allowed users to report calls that are potential violations of the Do Not Call Registry and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. To date, PrivacyStar users have filed more than 470,000 complaints to the FTC. Now users can additionally file text message spam complaints.
Mobile users can enjoy the benefits of FTC complaint filing for SMS spam, Do Not Call Registry and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act violations without purchasing PrivacyStar's full suite of features.
Buyers can avail a free full feature seven-day trial, after which they can enjoy filing complaints free of charge and may continue using all features for a small monthly fee.
PrivacyStar recently announced a new Spanish language version of Metro Block-it, a call and text message blocking service for MetroPCS customers.
Edited by Brooke Neuman