
You can stop receiving advertising text messages by opting out of text message marketing campaigns. If you've already signed up for a service and are receiving unwanted texts, you can try contacting the company directly to request removal from their list.
To opt out, look for a keyword like "STOP" or "UNSUBSCRIBE" in the message and reply with it. This will send a request to the company to remove your number from their list.
Text message marketing campaigns are regulated by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), which requires companies to obtain your consent before sending you texts.
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Blocking Text Messages
You can block spam text messages on your phone to reduce unwanted advertising.
To block a specific number on iOS, open the text, tap the arrow next to the contact number, click the gray "Info" button, and then hit the blue "Info" button to scroll down to "Block this Caller." This will prevent the number from being able to call or text you.
Filtering spam texts automatically on iOS is also an option. Open Settings, click on "Messages", and scroll until you see "Filter Unknown Senders." Swipe right to activate the setting, and your phone will send all messages outside your contact list to the "Unknown Senders" tab under "Filters."
You can also block spam text messages on Android by opening the messaging app, tapping the three-dot menu, and tapping "Details" to block the contact. Some Android phones may have a slightly different process, but most will have a "Block" option in the three-dot menu.
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No Sender Information
Many spam texts don't contain any sender information, which is a major red flag.
If a message is cryptic and includes a link to "more information", it's best to steer clear and delete the message.
Brands and companies that communicate via text usually include context, such as their name and why they're reaching out.
This is a far cry from those spam texts that are designed to get you to click on a link without thinking.
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Block Unknown Senders
To filter spam texts automatically on iOS, go to Settings and click on "Messages", then scroll down to "Filter Unknown Senders" and swipe right to activate the setting.
If you don't recognize the sender or the number, ignore instructions to text "STOP" to prevent future texts - this is a common trick to verify that your number is active.
Blocking a number on your Android is relatively easy - open the messaging app, tap the three-dot menu in the screen's upper-right corner, tap "Details", and then tap "Block Contact."
You can also report spam text messages to your cellular provider by forwarding the text to the shortcode 7726, or to data protection authorities like the ICO or the Federal Trade Commission.
Even with spam protection activated, some spam text messages may still get through, but you can block the senders of these messages manually by selecting "Yes, report" and "Report spam."
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Filtering and Reporting
You can filter out spam messages on your Android phone by enabling spam protection in the Google Messages app. Tap the profile icon, select Messages Settings, and turn on the Enable spam protection switch.
To filter messages from unknown senders on an iPhone, go to Settings > Messages and turn on the switch next to Filter Unknown Senders.
Most major carriers, including AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and T-Mobile, have signed up to a service that lets you report spam texts by forwarding them to the shortcode 7726.
You can also report spam texts to data protection authorities like the ICO (covering Europe) or the Federal Trade Commission (U.S.).
The TextKiller app, available for iPhone, blocks text messages using artificial intelligence and allows you to label spam messages to help it learn.
To block a phone number on iOS, open the text, tap the arrow next to the contact number, and click the "Info" button, then scroll down to "Block this Caller."
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To filter spam texts automatically on iOS, go to Settings > Messages, scroll down to "Filter Unknown Senders", and swipe right to activate the setting.
Stopping spam texts on an Android device is relatively easy and similar to stopping spam texts on iOS. Some Android phones will also prompt you to report the number as spam when it receives a text it believes is spam.
You can filter spam texts on Android by going to the Messaging app, clicking the three dots, clicking "Settings", and then "Spam Protection."
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Stopping Unwanted Texts
Stopping unwanted texts can be a real pain, but there are some effective ways to block them. You can use apps like SMS Spam Stopper or SpamHound to filter out spam messages based on keywords and other factors.
Some phones also have built-in features to help you stop spam texts. For example, on iOS, you can go to Settings and click on "Messages" to filter out unknown senders. On Android, you can go to Settings and select "Spam Protection" to enable spam filtering.
To report spam texts, you can forward the message to the shortcode 7726, which is a service that most major carriers have signed up to. You can also report spam texts to data protection authorities like the ICO or the Federal Trade Commission.
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Block Texts Manually
Blocking spam texts manually is a straightforward process. You can do this by selecting 'Yes, report' and 'Report spam' after receiving a spam text message. This will block the sender's number.
Some Android phones will even prompt you to report the number as spam when it receives a text it believes is spam. This can be a convenient way to block spam texts without having to take any extra steps.
If you're using an Android phone, you can also block a number by opening the messaging app, tapping the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner, tapping 'Details', and then tapping 'Block Contact'.
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Texts, Be Gone
Don't reply to unknown senders, it's a common trick to verify that your number is active and you'll probably get more text spam than ever.
You can block a number on your Android by opening the messaging app, tapping the three-dot menu, tapping "Details", and then tapping "Block Contact."
Spam texts can be filtered on Android by opening the Messaging app, clicking the three dots, clicking "Settings", clicking "Spam Protection", and activating the "Enable Spam Protection" setting.
Don't reply to spam text messages, even with the word "STOP", as this can encourage the sender to continue sending you messages.
You can block a phone number on iOS by opening the text, tapping the arrow next to the contact number, clicking the gray "Info" button, and then hitting the blue "Info" button and scrolling down to "Block this Caller."
RoboKiller is designed for both iOS and Android and looks at each message to analyze the phone number, message content, attachments, and other elements to determine if the text is legitimate or not.
The RoboKiller Lite version is $3.99 a month or $29.99 a year, while the Standard version is $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year, and the Premium version is $5.99 a month or $49.99 a year.
You can filter spam texts automatically on iOS by opening Settings, clicking on "Messages", and activating the "Filter Unknown Senders" setting.
SpamHound is a free service that works differently depending on the type of phone you own, and it can filter out SMS spam based on keywords and other factors.
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What Are Text Messages?
Text messages can be a real nuisance, and it's essential to understand what they are. Any type of unsolicited or unwanted text message is classed as spam.
Marketing spam texts are particularly irritating, but it's the fraudulent ones that present a real worry. Scammers can send texts that look like they're from your bank or service provider, offering free gifts or other incentives.
Our phones aren't entirely secure, which is why scammers can do this. Think about how many apps you have on your smartphone right now – each one has access to some of your personal data.
Scammers can use these apps to their advantage if you click a dodgy link. This could infect your device with malware or give scammers access to your personal data.
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Platform-Specific Solutions
You can also report the number as spam on some Android phones, which can help prevent future unwanted messages. For iOS users, the process is similar, but we don't have specific steps to share in this article.
To filter spam texts on Android, you can follow these steps: open the Messaging app, click the three dots at the top-right of the screen, click "Settings", click "Spam Protection", and then scroll to the "Enable Spam Protection" setting and activate it.
If your phone is on an older version of Android or doesn't have this feature, you may need to install a third-party app to get the job done.
Final Thoughts
Combating spam texts effectively involves using built-in tools, reporting unwanted messages, and manually blocking spammers.
Using third-party apps like Truecaller or RoboKiller can enhance your defense against spam with advanced detection capabilities.
Actively opting out of commercial messages is crucial in minimizing spam.
The more your phone number is out there, the more likely it is to be scooped up by spammers.
Be mindful of where and with whom you share your contact information, whether it's online forms, social media platforms, or contests.
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