Blocking Mobile Phone Text Spam

Here are some tips if you have AT&T wireless service and you are getting text spam. I'm here to spread the word about item #6, which sounds so convenient! Just forward your text spam to code 7726 (SPAM).

1. Block all text messages from specific email addresses and/or Internet domains

Create a Message Preferences account to manage your email-to-text messaging options and block/allow lists.
To block messages from a specific email address and/or Internet domain:

- Set up Block lists online, from your Message Preferences account.
- Add an email address to your Block list directly from your handset whenever you receive a spam text message by replying with BLOCK in the body of the response.

2. Block all email messages sent to your device's default email address (i.e., your-10-digit-wireless-number@txt.att.net)

Create an email alias for your phone in Messaging Preferences, then change the Mobile Number Control settings so that only those text messages addressed to your email alias will be delivered to your wireless device.

3. Stop email-to-text messages from being sent to your handset

Reply to unsolicited short codes with STOP in the body of the response to prevent future messages from that sender.

4. Block all calls and text messages from specific phone numbers

Sign up for AT&T Smart Limits for Wireless and create a Blocked Numbers list. With Smart Limits you can designate up to 30 numbers to block, and designate how many texts can be sent.

5. Other sources of unwanted text messages

Opt-in alerts are sent to your wireless device via text message. If you've signed up for this type of alert, either knowingly or not, you have to proactively cancel or opt-out of your subscription to stop receiving unwanted messages. Learn more about opting out of text alert services here.

6. Additional Support

If spam continues to be a problem for you, contact Customer Service at 1-800-331-0500 for assistance with your issue. It is impossible for us to determine if a message is unsolicited unless you bring it to our attention. When you receive text spam, forward it to short code SPAM (7726) from your wireless device. There is no charge to report mobile spam. Messages forwarded to 7726 do not count toward your data usage or voice package.

SPRINT Mobile Users: To stop texts, Sprint customers can text various commands to 9999. The range of options is wide. For example, customers can block all messages from one Internet domain, like example.com, by texting “block @example.com.” Specific e-mail addresses can be blocked by texting “block” followed by the address, while text senders who use numeric short codes can be stopped by texting “block” and then the code.

Similarly, customers can create a list of e-mail addresses from which they’d like to receive messages by substituting “allow” for “block.”

A complete list of Sprint commands can be found at here.

T-MOBILE T-Mobile subscribers can block all text messages at no charge, but cannot selectively block texts from specific senders — with one exception.

If spammers are using PCs to send text messages, users can block specific ones based on content. To do so, you use the E-mail and Text Tools tab on the T-Mobile Web site to set up filters that look for specific words in the “from,” “to,” and “subject” fields.

For example, any spam texts that ask you to “lose weight fast, let me show you how” could be blocked by designating the word “weight” as a red flag.

VERIZON The nation’s largest carrier offers perhaps the most extensive palette of spam-blocking tools, and does so at no charge.

Verizon customers can block unwanted messages from individual cellphone numbers as well as e-mail addresses by using the company’s Spam Controls tools, found in the Verizon Safeguards area of its Web site (see this link for more information).

Up to 15 e-mail addresses and Internet domains, plus five phone numbers, can be blocked from sending text, picture or video messages.

All blocks expire 90 days after they are set, but they can be reactivated by revisiting the Spam Controls page.

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And don't forget to check apps like Anti-SMS Spam, Call Blocker, Handcent SMS, smsBlocker, SMS Filter and Mr. Number.