Spam text messages can be very irritating. You get a notification to stop what you are doing and check your phone to see if someone is trying to sell something to you. What can you do to stop it?There are no guarantees that you will be able to stop text spam. There are ways to reduce the spam messages that reach you. These are some of the strategies you can try.Don't answerAs you already know, never reply to spam texts and never click on links within spam messages. Do your research before you reply to a spam text.Use the spam filter to protect your phoneYou can enable spam-filtering options on both iPhones and Android phones.Android phones:Open the Messages AppClick the three dots at the upper-right cornerChoose Settings > Spam ProtectionCheck that Enable spam protection has been toggled onYou can see the spam numbers that you have blocked by going to Settings > Spam and Blocked.If you own an iPhone:Apple's spam blocking is slightly more simple than Androids. It blocks phone numbers you don't have in your contacts list or havent spoken to before. This could cause problems (e.g., if you expect a call from a car company).Open the Settings appScroll down and choose Messages > Unknown SpamYou can toggle Filter Unknown SendersSpecific texts should be blockedYou can stop spam texts from coming back to you by blocking the individual number.Android phones:Android will sometimes give you the option to report a message as spam or verify it is not spam by tapping on it. If you receive a spam message that was not flagged,Tap the three dots at the upper-right cornerSelect Details > Report spam & blockYou can either block the number or report spam to send it to Google.This process may differ depending on the Android phone you are using.If you own an iPhone:Click on the spam text to open it. Then, click the user icon at the top of the page.Tap on the info icon, then tap on the information buttonBlock this CallerTo report an iMessage you have received as spam, first look for the Report Junk button under the message. Tap it, then tap Delete and then Report Junk.Forward the text to: 7726You can report spam messages to any of the major carriers (Verizon or AT&T) by forwarding them to 7726. This will cause your phone to display SPAM. You may be able to use this feature with other carriers; check with your carrier to see if it is possible.Your carriers' services can block spamMany major carriers now offer spam-blocking services to block spam calls. These can also be used to block text messages. The carrier sites will provide details about the free and for-pay security options offered by AT&T and T-Mobile. If you are using a different carrier, visit its website.A third-party spam-blocking system can be usedYou can also use a third-party antispam service if you are really frustrated by the above strategies. These services are not free. RoboKiller is $4.99 per month, or $39.99 per year, after a seven day trial. Nomorobo, on the other hand, costs $1.99 per device per month after a 14-day trial. You can try the trial before you commit to a third-party service if you decide that you do need it.
