Caller: Some one from the Social Research Centre on behalf of the Cancer Institute in NSW.

No one called me; they left me this message, “This is a message from the Social Research Centre on behalf of the Cancer Institute NSW. In the coming days, we will call to see if you can take part in an important health study. Reply '1' if you live in NSW or ACT. Reply '2' if you do NOT live in NSW or ACT. Reply '3' to Opt Out.” I live in Melbourne so I replied ‘3,’ and blocked the number.

I received a text about reseach from the Social Research Centre on behalf of the Cancer council of NSW. It is legitimate research. I emailed the Cancer council of NSW directly and they provided a link to the research - see below. As they access mobile numbers they do not know what state the person resides in so need to send the request to get an appropriate sample. It pays to go to the source to double check.

https://www.cancer.nsw.gov.au/what-we-do/working-together/cancer-institute-tobacco-tracking-survey-citts

https://www.srcentre.com.au/our-research/cancer-institute-tobacco-tracking-survey-citts

Text message from so called Social Research Centre giving 3 options. My choice is no options. Probably phishing for a live mobile number. My advice is don't reply at all.

Caller: Social Research Centre

FYI after receiving sms, I googled and contacted by email, actual real Social Research Centre connected with ANU in Canberra. They have confirmed the calls and sms are legitimate research calls:

https://srcentre.com.au/our-research/cancer-institute-tobacco-tracking-survey-citts

Importantly it says:

The research is being conducted to understand behaviours, attitudes and knowledge about smoking. To do this, we need to understand more about the use of tobacco among smokers and recent quitters living in NSW and the ACT, their experiences of quitting, their knowledge of health issues related to smoking, and other issues related to tobacco smoking.

You may have received a text message from 0481 075 088, 0448 441 910 or 0481 074 806, or a phone call from (02) 9060 8470, (02) 9060 8482 or (02) 9060 8450 regarding this study.

Caller: Social Research Centre

Received an SMS from the Social Research Centre on behalf of the Cancer Institute NSW with 3 options.

I didn't reply, but looks legitimate based on their website:
https://srcentre.com.au/research-participants#contacted

Caller: Claim to be ‘cancer research’

Contact with me by my mobile on 6 June 2023:
1. SMS (introduction/warm up) “… message from Social Research Centre… giving three option to reply to depend on while state I am in” @10:24am from 0448 441 910
2. Followed by a Phone call - to my mobile @3:23pm from (02) 9060 8432. I told the male caller I would not answer his first question of ‘which state I am from’. He pressed me for the reason why? “Because of scams” I replied. He then persisted to urge me to reply (no mention of detail - just it was about cancer) so I cut in said “thank you; goodbye” then hung up.

They (if legitimate) need to respect people’s reasons for not providing any identifying detail (eg state). If it was my elderly mother they were speaking to, I would have been even angrier than I was (but never expressed).

If it was legitimately about smoking - none of that was relayed in the conversation. They could say “we are conducting research about smokers or recent quitters” to which most replied would be ‘I’m a non smoker’ so that no further discussion was required (supposedly for ‘their research’).

Any pressure from someone on the other end of the phone deserves reciprocal treatment: give no personal information, hang up, block number and report. All harassment should be reported!

Even if it they approached it another way I would ask potential victims - particularly the elderly - to not even disclosure the Mir state/location.

Caller: I wasn't sure

Sue knows her stuff

Caller: Malware

This is a message from the Social Research Centre on behalf of the Cancer Institute NSW. In the coming days, we will call to see if you can take part in an important health study. Reply '1' if you live in NSW or ACT. Reply '2' if you do NOT live in NSW or ACT. Reply '3' to Opt Out.
Malware
Block and report

Caller: Social Research Centre (claim to be)

As per previous reports I got same sms mssg about research on behalf of Cancer Institute, but my check of legitimate Social Research Centre website does not list any project research for the Canxer Institute under their heading: Projects - Health & Wellbeing. So I will email real Social Research Centre to check, and otherwise assume is a scam

Caller: Social research centre

Received sms. Appears legitimate research.
https://srcentre.com.au/our-research/cancer-institute-tobacco-tracking-survey-citts

Caller: Social Research Centre

They left me this message, “This is a message from the Social Research Centre on behalf of the Cancer Institute NSW. In the coming days, we will call to see if you can take part in an important health study. Reply '1' if you live in NSW or ACT. Reply '2' if you do NOT live in NSW or ACT. Reply '3' to Opt Out.” I ignored it.

Caller: Social Research Centre

Text message from so called Social Research Centre giving 3 options and targeting NSW and ACT, either phishing for a live mobile number or a marketing firm masquerading as a Research Centre.

Caller: Social Research centre

They seemed quite legitimate and were focusing on smokers, presumably for their work on behalf of the Cancer Institute of NSW.
I responded to their question as being a non smoker, and the conversation ended.

Caller: Text from 'Cancer Research Institute'

Was sent the same text message 1.25pm today 24/6

Caller: Text from 'Cancer Research Institute'

Was sent same text at 12:05pm today, 21/06.
Was going to call the number from the public phone next time I'm out to check legitimacy of message. Will advise here what, if any, response is.