How to stop spam texts on iPhone or Android, Almost all of us are used to robocalls, infomercials, and spam in our emails – and scammers are now targeting a different form of communication: spam text messages. Don’t worry about deleting messages because there is a way to get rid of them for good. Here’s how to stop spam text messages and everything else you need to know about protecting yourself from phone scammers.
How to spot spam text messages when you see them
There are some key signs that a text message is not legitimate. First, is the name of the company in the text? Legitimate businesses will notify you in advance when they contact you.
Second, look at the link. Is there a company name in the link? If so, it’s probably legit. If the email contains a shortened link (scammers often use a bit.ly link), don’t click on it.
For example, https://www.ups.com/tracking/1234 will let you know that it will redirect you to the UPS tracking page.
On the other hand, the http://bit.ly/3msAZfP link doesn’t give you any clues and could be from a scammer.
Scammers often use urgency to get you to act without thinking. Catching you off guard makes it easier to get you to click on a link or reply with information.
Here’s an example of a joke text that’s vague, uses urgency, and has a shortened link: “You need to pick up a shipment as soon as possible,” I said. https://bit.ly/3msAZfP ”
Misspellings, poor grammar, slang, emoticons, and misspellings are further red flags. The wording is probably not from a brand or firm you trust if it doesn’t look professional.
Recent and ongoing text scams
It promises to remove negative information from your credit report for a fee
Product range, especially health and beauty products, iPhones and MacBooks
Diet pills and research surveys, often offering a gift card for participating
Fundraising for a political campaign
Free cash or quick loan offer, precisely $5,000
It says that the recipient’s license will be revoked soon and you need to click the link to fix it.
Get rich quick offers and be your own boss
What is phishing text?
Phishing texts, also called smishing, are attacks by cybercriminals to trick someone through text messages. These texts often aim to steal personal information or trick the recipient out of money by asking for credit card or bank account information. Some encourage you to click on a malicious link that will download malware to your phone. After that, the malware starts to steal your personal data.
What to do if you receive spam
The best course of action is to block the sender of the text – don’t click on any links! – and report spam. The text will then be deleted from your phone.
Silence is always the best policy. Never respond to unsolicited messages, even “stop”. “A lot of times, spam texts are sent by programs that send them out in bulk,” explains Burton Kelso, chief technical expert at Integral, a computer and laptop repair service When you respond to a text message, you show the spammer that your phone number is real, which encourages them to keep sending spam. Then, he continues, your verified number might be offered for sale to other text spammer businesses, which is why “quiet is always golden.”
How to block spam text messages
Block spam texts on iPhone:
To block text on your iPhone, follow these steps:
Open the text.
Tap the arrow next to the contact number at the top of the screen.
Click on the gray “Info” button.
And click on the blue “Information” button.
Click “Block this caller” after scrolling down.
Block spam texts on Android:
Follow these steps to block spam messages on your Android
Open the text
In the top right corner of the screen, tap the three dots menu.
Click on “Details”.
Tap “Block contact”.
Note: Sometimes Android phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S20, have an easier process where all you have to do is tap the three-dot menu and just tap “Block”
How to stop phishing texts from reaching you
Filter text messages on iPhone:
Your phone may also have the ability to automatically filter spam text messages. Follow these steps:
In the Settings app, select “Messages” from the menu.
Scrolling down will see “Filter Unknown Senders.”
Turn it on by dragging the button to the right. All messages from a number not in your contact list will be filtered to the “Unknown Senders” tab in the “Filters” section.
Filter text messages on Android:
To filter spam messages on Android, follow these steps:
Go to the Messages app and tap the three dots icon at the top right of the screen.
Tap “Settings” and then “Spam Protection”.
Scrolling down may help you find “Enable Spam Protection.”
Turn it on by dragging the button to the right.
Your phone doesn’t have a spam filtering feature if you can’t find the “Spam Protection” option.
In this case, you will need to install a third-party filtering application.