How to Recognize and Report Spam Text Messages

To deal with a suspicious text message, here are some questions you can ask yourself based on information from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

If you have an iPhone, you can report junk iMessages by using the Report Junk link under the message.

How To Spot and Stop Spam Text Messages

This works because the Cellular Telephone Industries Association (CTIA) requires text message programs to acknowledge and act on phone users' requests to opt-out or end correspondence when told to.

How to Recognize Spam Text Messages

Does it ask you to give any personal information?
Does it claim that you have a fake invoice for a transaction you believe you didn't authorize?
Does it claim that you have a package delivery when you haven't ordered anything?

See the Federal Trade Commission's website for more ways that scammers target unsuspecting people via text. In the meantime, here's a rule of thumb you should always remember:

If you believe that the information in the text message is true, always contact the company using a phone number or website that you’ve confirmed is authentic. Never use the contact information in the text message.

How to Report Spam Text Messages

1. With Your Phone

On an Android phone, you have to tap and hold the message you want to report and follow the prompts to Tap Block > Report Spam > OK.

2. To Your Carrier

3. To the Government

You can also report spam text messages online to the U.S. government, specifically the FTC. Visit ftc.gov/complaint. From there, all you have to do is select the category from the FTC Complaint Assistant.

Final Thoughts

One more thing you can do is block the sender's number. That way, you won't have to worry about receiving messages from that particular number ever again. Here's how to block a number on an iPhone and an Android.