Tips for Consumers
Tips for protecting yourself from spam texts.

Consumers can help protect themselves and the messaging platform too. If you provide your phone number to a message sender, make sure you know what type of communication you are opting into. If you receive a text that is legitimate, but you did not want, you can simply respond “STOP” to opt-out of getting any more texts from that sender. If you receive an unexpected or suspicious text, do not respond or click a link. If you receive a text that looks suspicious, you should forward the message to 7726 (SPAM).

Here are some key tips to help you keep control over your texts:

• If you receive texts that seem legitimate, but are unwanted, respond “STOP.”
• Forward unwanted text messages to 7726 (iPhone, Android).
• Click “Delete and Report Junk” and report spam messages to Apple for iPhone users and Google for Android users. Click the links to learn how.
• You can also report spam messages by filing a complaint with the FTC or FCC.
• Depending on your device, you may also be able to block the sender. Check with your cellphone manufacturer (Apple, Samsung) to learn more.
• Do not click on text or email links in unwanted texts from sources you don’t know.

To learn more, visit CTIA’s Protecting Yourself from Spam Messages page.

Tips for Consumers
Know who you’re sharing your phone number with.

It’s also important that you know who you’re giving your phone number to and why. The following tips can help you assess whether to interact with businesses, organizations, nonprofits, and political campaigns via text:

• Organizations who want to text you should ask you to opt-in to such communication. Make sure you know what you’re signing up for when you provide your phone number.
• Read through registration or product agreement forms. You should be able to opt-out of receiving texts from organizations you sign up with—but you may have to check or uncheck a preselected box or reply “STOP” to do so.
• Check for a privacy policy and find out if any company you do business with can sell or share your information.