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Blocking Spam Text Messages
10-26-2018, 09:49 AM
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#1
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 1,127
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Blocking Spam Text Messages
Unlike some others, I have not had too much trouble with spam phone calls (except the ones that use the same prefix as my number - but as soon as I see the prefix I know to ignore it). But, I have been pulling my hair out due to spam text messages wanting me to donate to political candidates.
i figured they'll stop after the mid-terms, but they are so annoying that I want to block them. So far, I've blocked each number but they must have a massive pool of numbers because the text messages keep coming.
I've tried the Hiya and True Caller apps to no avail. Is there an iPhone app that will actually proactively block spam text messages?
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10-26-2018, 11:21 AM
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#2
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 17,774
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I got a political text yesterday, responded simply “stop”, and received this text back:
 Quote:
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You have successfully been unsubscribed. You will not receive any more messages from this number. Reply START to resubscribe.
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That’s the easiest way for me to handle them (and I don’t care who is sending them, I don’t want any of these texts!).
__________________
“Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?” J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
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10-26-2018, 12:31 PM
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#3
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 1,127
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I tried that too. Like you, I got the "You will not receive any more messages from this number" response.
The caveat is the "from this number" qualifier. Sure enough, the texts keep coming as they seem to have a huge pool of numbers to draw from. I
n fact, I got another spam text while writing my initial post. 
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10-26-2018, 12:33 PM
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#4
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 17,774
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CoolRich59
I tried that too. Like you, I got the "You will not receive any more messages from this number" response.
The caveat is the "from this number" qualifier. Sure enough, the texts keep coming as they seem to have a huge pool of numbers to draw from. I
n fact, I got another spam text while writing my initial post. |
Yeah, “stop” is the whack a mole technique. At least the political crap should be iver in two weeks.
__________________
“Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?” J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
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10-26-2018, 12:38 PM
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#5
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: yonder
Posts: 2,851
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bestwifeever
I got a political text yesterday, responded simply “stop”, and received this text back:
That’s the easiest way for me to handle them (and I don’t care who is sending them, I don’t want any of these texts!).
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But, if you successfully stop these texts, whom will you know to vote for?
__________________
When the people shall have nothing more to eat, they will eat the rich--philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau
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10-26-2018, 01:02 PM
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#6
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 1,127
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Quote:
Originally Posted by redduck
But, if you successfully stop these texts, whom will you know to vote for?
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 True. These texts are persuading me to want to vote against them.
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10-26-2018, 01:12 PM
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#7
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,657
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CoolRich59
True. These texts are persuading me to want to vote against them. |
Maybe that's the plan...
Wouldn't texting back "stop" only indicate that you're receiving the crap, and you'd get more?
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10-26-2018, 01:50 PM
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#8
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 1,127
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptTom
Maybe that's the plan...
Wouldn't texting back "stop" only indicate that you're receiving the crap, and you'd get more?
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Yeah. I suspect it's like the email spam. If you hit unsubscribe, it just lets them know they reached a "live" email account and you get even more spam.
As mentioned, I tried sending "stop" once and they said they'd stop sending from that number. But, they have plenty of other numbers. Plus, I suspect all I've done is let them know they reached a "live" phone number. 
I found another app, Call Control. I'm currently on a free 7-day trial, but I got another spam text today so I won't be buying. I'm so frustrated by this that I would gladly pay for an app to block them -- at least a month's subscription until the mid-terms are over.
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10-26-2018, 01:58 PM
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#9
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Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Flyover country
Posts: 25,340
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Since political calls and non-profits are exempt from the Do Not Call Registry, I doubt there's anything we can do about it on a general basis. Just keep deleting them.
__________________
I thought growing old would take longer.
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10-27-2018, 07:06 AM
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#10
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Pacific latitude 20/49
Posts: 7,677
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I use the Thunderbird Spam detector. Needs some training but works pretty good.
I also use Rollup to scan all my newsletters.
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For the fun of it...Keith
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10-27-2018, 07:08 AM
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#11
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 3,081
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptTom
Maybe that's the plan...
Wouldn't texting back "stop" only indicate that you're receiving the crap, and you'd get more?
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It helps a bit. I do "stop" or "unsubscribe".
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10-27-2018, 10:01 AM
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#12
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 1,127
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kcowan
I use the Thunderbird Spam detector. Needs some training but works pretty good.
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Is this available for iPhone? The only Thunderbird app I see in the Apple App Store is a VPN.
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10-27-2018, 10:23 AM
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#13
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 17,774
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptTom
Maybe that's the plan...
Wouldn't texting back "stop" only indicate that you're receiving the crap, and you'd get more?
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I don’t get more after texting “stop.” I might get a text from a different cause a few days later and I repeat the “stop.”
__________________
“Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?” J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
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10-27-2018, 10:36 AM
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#14
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,695
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Only one business, USA Credit Repair, has kept texting me even though I have repeatedly replied to their texts with "STOP!" and sometimes including some expletives. I have even called them a few times asking them to stop texting me, with sympathy and promises not to text me again. I get a text from them every few months going back a few years, but the last one I got from them was back in late July. Maybe they finally got the message?
__________________
Retired in late 2008 at age 45. Cashed in company stock, bought a lot of shares in a big bond fund and am living nicely off its dividends. IRA, SS, and a pension await me at age 60 and later. No kids, no debts.
"I want my money working for me instead of me working for my money!"
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12-04-2018, 07:54 PM
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#15
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 13,141
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For whatever reason, I've been getting at lot more SMS spam on my android phone than usual.
Went ahead to the Google Play store and tested out an app called "Postman" that does seem to do a good job of giving me control of separating what is a spam SMS text and what is to. I liked the app so much that I forked over a whole $3.99 to upgrade and remove the ads.
Hopefully, I'll have the same opinion of the app a month from now.
App was a bit cumbersome to set up, but think I have it set properly now  .
__________________
Have you ever seen a headstone with these words
"If only I had spent more time at work" ... from "Busy Man" sung by Billy Ray Cyrus
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