Stop spam texts — the free playbook
Spam texts are now worse than spam calls — cheaper to send, easier to fake, and one tapped link from disaster. The free defenses take five minutes.
1. Forward junk to 7726
Forward any spam text to 7726 (spells SPAM). It's a free reporting shortcode every major US carrier honors — the carrier replies asking for the sender's number, and your report feeds the filters that protect everyone. It costs nothing and doesn't confirm anything to the spammer.
2. Filter unknown senders
- iPhone: Settings → Apps → Messages → Filter Unknown Senders. Texts from strangers land in a separate tab, notifications off. Under any junk text, tap Report Junk to delete and report in one move.
- Android: Google Messages → your profile → Messages settings → Spam protection → on. Long-press a junk thread → Block → Report spam.
3. Know the current greatest hits
- Fake tolls and fake USPS — "your package is held" / "unpaid toll, pay now." Real agencies don't text payment links.
- The "wrong number" opener — a friendly "hey, is this Sarah?" from a stranger. It's the first line of a long-con investment scam. Don't reply, not even to correct them: any reply marks your number live.
- Bank fraud alerts with a callback number — real banks put alerts in their app. Call the number on your card, never the one in the text.
4. Never tap the link
The link is the whole scam. Tapping confirms your number is live even if you enter nothing, and the page it opens is built to harvest whatever you type. If a delivery or bill might be real, go to the company's app or site directly.
5. Report the persistent stuff
Ongoing fraud campaigns are worth two minutes at reportfraud.ftc.gov — complaint data drives real enforcement (and it's the same public dataset that powers spam-number databases, including ours).
Spam Slayer's free Shield tier blocks known spam texts automatically using the same crowd database the crew feeds — so the whack-a-mole plays itself.