How to stop spam text messages on your phone

Have you been receiving spam text messages lately?  These texts come from random phone numbers and strange email addresses.  Spam text messages disrupt your day and try to trick you into giving away your personal information. If you receive a spam message, do not reply or open any link attached to the text message.

Now getting rid of those pesky spam text messages is easier than you think.

Follow the steps below to keep the spam text away.

 

How to stop spam text messages on iPhone

Step 1: How to filter text messages on an iPhone

1. Open the ‘Settings’ app
2. Scroll down to the ‘Messages’ app and open it
3. Scroll down until you see ‘Filter Unknown Senders’
   
4. Turn this feature on
5. Open the Messages app, and you will see that your text messages have been filtered into five categories: ‘All Messages,’ ‘Known Senders,’ ‘Unknown Senders,’ ‘UnreadMessages,’ and ‘Recently Deleted.’

Now, when you receive a message from a sender that is not in your address book, the message will be sent to the ‘Unknown Senders‘ folder, and you will not receive a notification.

Tips

• Remember to check this filtered folder if you are expecting a text message from a new number. Any text message from a phone number and email address not in your contacts will be sent to the ‘Unknown Senders’ folder.
• To make sure you do not miss any text messages be sure to enter the person’s contact information in your address book.

 

Step 2:  How to block spam phone numbers on an iPhone

1. 1. Open the spam text message
   2. Tap on the profile icon with the phone number under it
   3. Click ‘Info’
2. 4. Select ‘Block this Caller’
3. 5. Select ‘Block Contact’

 

How to stop spam text messages on Android

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

Step 1: How to enable Spam Protection

1. Open the ‘Messages’ app
2. Tap the three dots icon in the top-right corner
3. In ‘Settings’ scroll down and tap ‘Spam protection’
4. Turn on ‘Enable spam protection

Step 2:  How to block spam phone numbers on Android

If you are still receiving spam text messages, blocking numbers is a good way to ensure you no longer get messages from that specific phone number.

1. Open the spam text message
2. Tap the three dots icon in the top-right corner
3. Tap ‘Add to blocklist’

Blocking spam text messages will help keep your message inbox from being flooded with scam texts. Remember to keep yourself safe and never click the links or reply to the spam message.

 

How to keep spammers from getting your phone number

Regrettably, there is a high probability that your phone number is readily available on many lists sold by data brokers to hundreds of people search websites.  However, if you remove it from the web it can reduce the likelihood of spammers and telemarketers obtaining your number and contacting you.

A service like Incogni can help you remove all this personal information from the internet. It has a very clean interface and will scan 195 websites for your information and remove it and keep it removed.

Special for CyberGuy Readers (60% off):  Incogni offers A 30-day money-back guarantee and then charges a special CyberGuy discount only through the links in this article of $5.99/month for one person (billed annually) or $13.19/month for your family (up to 4 people) on their annual plan and get a fully automated data removal service, including recurring removal from 190+ data brokers.  You can add up to 3 emails, 3 home addresses and 3 phone numbers (U.S. citizens only) and have them removed from data-broker databases.  I recommend the family plan because it works out to only $4.12 per person per month for year-round coverage. It’s an excellent service, and I highly recommend at least trying it out to see what it’s all about.

Get Incogni here

Get Incogni for your family (up to 4 people) here

 

Related:

• How to stop the never-ending stream of spam emails
• New ways to stop Robocalls & Texts