If you did, call your carrier immediately and they will remove the charge from the bill. Unfortunately these apps are not available for iPhone users because Apple restricts this functionality.Īnd finally, try to motivate yourself to take a close look at your cellphone bill and make sure that you didn’t incur any charges from unwanted third-party spam.
(This service is not yet available to report text spammers). PrivacyStar has the additional benefit of allowing users to file complaints against telemarketing calls to the FTC directly from the app. Number is one of the most popular of these services. Not convenient if the text comes at 3 a.m.Īndroid users will find hundreds of mobile phone spam-blocking apps at the Google Play store. If you are supremely organized, you can even file a complaint directly with the FCC, but be forewarned that you’ll have a rather lengthy form to fill out.
If you are an AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, Sprint or Bell Mobility subscriber, you can report spam texts to your carrier by copying the original message and forwarding it to the number 7726 (SPAM), free of charge. By entering your cell phone number you agree to enroll into the program and receive Text4baby Text Messages from 511411. This makes it illegal for a telemarketer to call or text you unless you have given them permission or they are exempt from the rules. Text spamming is illegal under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and the FTC is fighting some of the most egregious text spammers in court, and major mobile carriers are investing in spam-fighting technology.įirst of all, make sure your mobile phone number is registered with the FTC’s Do Not Call list. Any reply to the message will only confirm that the spammer has hit on a working cellphone number, and he or she can sell the number to marketers.Įven if you choose to ignore the texts, they can still show up on your phone bill with charges as high as $9.99 per unwanted text.
If you want to claim that “free” iPad, or a $1,000 Wal-Mart gift card, you’ll often be asked to divulge personal information that the spammer may sell to marketers or, worst case scenario, use to access your bank account.Īnd if you think replying “STOP” to the message will make it all go away, think again. Having your personal mobile space interrupted by a text you didn’t want is always annoying, but some of these spam texts are downright dangerous.