Statistical spam message detection

An apparatus for detecting unsolicited messages in a mobile communication network, comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive from a sender a request for routing information for sending a mobile message to a recipient, the mobile message referring to a message addressed using a subscriber number of a mobile telecommunication network;
• a processor configured to detect whether the recipient is an existing mobile communication network subscriber and:
• if the recipient is not a valid subscriber of the mobile communication network, to simulate to the sender that the recipient is indeed a mobile communication network subscriber in order to provoke the sender to send the mobile message and to identify the mobile message as a suspected spam message;
• if the recipient is a valid subscriber of the mobile communication network, to proceed to deliver a normal response to the request to deliver the routing information.

A computer program stored in a non-transient computer readable medium, the computer program comprising computer executable program code adapted to cause an apparatus to implement:

• receiving from a sender a request for routing information to send a mobile message to a recipient, the mobile message referring to a message addressed using a subscriber number of a mobile telecommunication network;
• detecting whether or not the recipient is a valid subscriber of the mobile communication network and:
• if the recipient is not a valid subscriber of the mobile communication network, then:
• simulating to the sender that the recipient is indeed a valid subscriber in order to provoke the sender to send the mobile message;
• and
• identifying the mobile message as a suspected spam message;
• if the recipient is a valid subscriber of the mobile communication network then:
• proceeding to deliver a normal response to the request to deliver the routing information.