How To Stop Spam Texts: A General Overview
The FCC’s top consumer complaint is unwanted calls and texts. While these come in the form of unsolicited advertisements from various companies, many are spam communications.
In addition to phone calls, many of these scammers use text messages to attempt to get to you. Some people find themselves hounded by spam text messages, many of which target people with links that could compromise their data.
There are a number of ways you can protect yourself against these spam texts, regardless of what kind of phone you have. Here are a few of the ways you can fight back against these unwanted text messages.
Stopping Spam Texts by Filtering Unknown Senders
iPhone users have access to a feature that filters out any unknown senders from their inbox. The process for this is simple:
Go to your settings application.
Select ‘messages.’
Select ‘filter unknown senders.’
In the messages app, you will now have the ability to select whether you only want to see messages from known contacts.
Once you have done this, you are good to go. This is called whitelisting, which means that you are selecting which individuals are able to send you messages. If you are expecting messages from someone who is not on your contact list, it is important that you turn the spam filter off.
If you are using a company phone and only expect messages from a specific group of people, utilizing this feature could be in your best interest.
Blocking Spam Numbers
A simple but effective way to reduce spam or scam texts is to block every number that sends you spam texts. This method is called blacklisting, and it is functionally the opposite of whitelisting. Instead of choosing who you let into your inbox, you block contacts who you want to keep out.
For this to work, you need to identify a spam message. If a message from someone you do not know is asking for personal information in exchange for a prize of some kind, this is a red flag for spam messages. If a hospital or a bank has important information for you, like your social security number or credit card information, they will never ask you to reveal important personal data over text. Any message that asks you to do so should be blocked, and you should be wary of messages from any unknown numbers.
It’s possible to block numbers on any phone you have. iPhones and Android phones alike have the ability to block particular phone numbers easily. However, the drawback of blacklisting is that spam calls are so prominent, and they are likely to continue reaching you through different cell phone numbers in the future. It is important to be diligent when you block spam texts. However, you do it.
Using a Third-Party Application
While the options that come with your phone might not be enough for you, many third-party apps are built to block spam messages. Here are some of the most popular options on the market today:
Dialed
SMS Spam Stopper
Robokiller
Truecaller
Dialed
The premier third-party option on the market is Dialed. With the Dialed app, you can access a business phone number with marketing and contact management features that can streamline your project management needs. Some of these features include setting office hours and a Do Not Disturb mode, which helps you separate your personal life from your business needs.
Of course, Dialed makes this list because of their award-winning, built-in robocall and spam call blocking from Nomorobo. All spam calls and texts are automatically sent to your “filtered” folder, keeping your business line free for your actual business needs.
SMS Spam Stopper
SMS Spam Stopper is an iOS application that uses artificial intelligence to detect and block spam messages. The software utilizes a database of over 5,000 spam texts along with Heuristic detection to identify spam messages before you even see them.
There are multiple tiers within SMS Spam Stopper, ranging from blocking all unknown senders to blocking messages that employ spam phrases or keywords. All messages blocked go to a separate folder in your phone, so you are free to check on any blocked messages just in case a mistake is made.
SMS Spam Stopper is priced at $2.99, putting up a price barrier for people who are looking for free options. However, if you have an iPhone and spam texts are a regular issue, it could be worth investing in a one-time payment.
Robokiller
Robokiller is an application that claims to block 99% of unwanted text messages from reaching your primary inbox. Robokiller is a good option because it is compatible with both iOS and Android.
Robokiller uses a predictive spam blocking algorithm to keep you safe from potentially dangerous text messages. The service costs a whopping $29.99 per year, so it is more of an option for people who need to ensure their phones are protected from spam texts in their business.
Truecaller
Another piece of software that works with both Android and iPhone is Truecaller. Truecaller works similarly to Robokiller and SMS Spam Stopper by verifying the identities of callers or messengers and providing you with all the information you need to determine whether or not you want to accept the call or text.
Truecaller is another option that costs $2.99. The application comes with auto blockers that make it easy to keep your inbox free of unwanted text messages. The service is not as all-encompassing as either of the other two, but it is great for people who want a more in-depth caller-ID system to help them determine who to block.
Conclusion
Robocalls and spam texts are not going away any time soon, but that does not mean you can’t defend yourself. Using only the tools available to you on your iPhone or Android, you can take steps toward reducing spam texts.
You can reliably get rid of scammers by blacklisting certain known spam phone numbers. On the opposite end, you can create a whitelist that only allows individuals in your known contacts list to reach you on your device. Another option worth considering is to enable spam protection through your cell service provider. Companies like Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T offer this kind of service.
If these options fail, you can always turn to third-party software. While these options cost money in most cases, they are a tried and true way to keep your phone safe from phone scams of all varieties.
This type of privacy is built into Dialed for users of the service. Dialed specifically uses a whitelisting protocol, allowing you to block all unknown callers. Dialed provides you with your own work phone number, and it is important to be able to keep your business phones free of unwanted spam.
No matter what phone you have, it is always vital to utilize the tools at your disposal to keep spammers away from your data.
Sources:
Stop Unwanted Robocalls and Texts | Federal Communications Commission
Blockphone numbers, contacts, and emails on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch | Apple
How To Recognize and Report Spam Text Messages | Consumer Advice
SMS Spam Stopper on the App Store | Apple
