"STOP" to unsolicited texts, or not?

[Telly]

For any unsolicited voice mail messages I get, I never "Press 9 to be taken off our list", as I figure that just shows me as a live person who is somewhat interactive, to have followed through with doing that.

But what about text messages? So far, I have done the same, just ignored. Most, not all, are from the same political organization and supporters thereof.

What is your take on texting back "STOP" as they "suggest" in the offending texts?

 

[Marita40]

It makes my blood boil when I get unsolicited texts. I always text STOP back and I've not received any more texts from the offending parties, so I'd say it has worked. For the obnoxious political posts from the side I oppose, I write educational posts back enlightening them on the supreme truth of my views, and that usually does it.

 

[CoolRich59]

What is your take on texting back "STOP" as they "suggest" in the offending texts?

I take the same view - sending "STOP" just lets them know they've got a live number. I block the number instead.

 

[skipro33]

I flag to block those numbers for calls or texts. That way they can keep on trying and my phone will keep on blocking.

 

[braumeister]

I almost always report them by forwarding them to 7726 (SPAM). I get an acknowledgement from T-Mobile when I do. I assume other carriers do the same. Better to let them deal with this trash.

 

[austin944]

I don't have a texting block option with my simple flip phone, and I've been researching myself to decide whether to send a STOP or not.

I joined one of the peer-to-peer texting organizations as a volunteer texter. I made a fake gmail email account, which takes a minute, and no other identifying information is required. Took about 5 minutes total to get in.

This particular organization had guidelines for removing people if they request it. But there's no requirement that the texter remove the person from their list.

They had a slack channel where I posted a complaint about getting texts, and I was quickly booted out. But I got back in with a different email ID very easily, after clearing cookies.

I sent 6 texts with their software, and sent multiple texts to several of the people, and never got a reply text. So I suspect a lot of people have blocked them. After that, I quit out.

They had me sending 1000 texts by clicking a send button for each one. One texter bragged about sending 10,000 texts in a day! I can see how this technology can be seriously abused in the future unless something is done. Apparently this is legal and skirts the existing regulations.

 

[walkinwood]

I find that sending STOP works for political and charity texts.
I ignore any other kind of text message for the reasons cited above.

 

[Sunset]

Each text I get costs me 10 cents, which sucks, but my yearly cost for the phone is now down to about $25 so I can't complain too much.

 

[scrabbler1]

Texts cost me about 12 cents, so I hate getting unwanted ones. I have replied with "STOP" to most of them. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I have gotten a bunch of political ones from candidates running in an upstate NY district and I live on Long Island, more than 50 miles away.


The annoying ones which didn't stop were from some lending outfit. But maybe, finally, they have stopped permanently. I do forward most of them to 7726 (SPAM). It costs me 2 more texts each time.


Then I get these texts asking me to download a file (not!). The bad news is there is no number the text came from. The good news is I'm not charged for them. The cell phone service provider told me they didn't send them.


I wonder how many junk calls and texts are meant for the guy who used to have my cell number. Took me years to get his name, but I have no way of contacting him.

 

[Koolau]

Fortunately, we receive relatively few of these (hope I don't jinx myself here.) The few I've gotten, I simply delete. I don't pay by the text, so there's only aggravation, not cost but YMMV.

 

[Dtail]

I find that sending STOP works for political and charity texts.
I ignore any other kind of text message for the reasons cited above.

Same here.

 

[Midpack]

I take the same view - sending "STOP" just lets them know they've got a live number. I block the number instead.

+1.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Texts cost me about 12 cents, so I hate getting unwanted ones. I have replied with "STOP" to most of them. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I have gotten a bunch of political ones from candidates running in an upstate NY district and I live on Long Island, more than 50 miles away.

The annoying ones which didn't stop were from some lending outfit. But maybe, finally, they have stopped permanently. I do forward most of them to 7726 (SPAM). It costs me 2 more texts each time.

T-Mobile doesn't charge you for reporting spam texts, no matter your plan; I don't know who your carrier is, but I hope they don't charge you for those!

 

[jazz4cash]

For any unsolicited voice mail messages I get, I never "Press 9 to be taken off our list", as I figure that just shows me as a live person who is somewhat interactive, to have followed through with doing that.

But what about text messages? So far, I have done the same, just ignored. Most, not all, are from the same political organization and supporters thereof.

What is your take on texting back "STOP" as they "suggest" in the offending texts?

I figure the same as you. I imagine they capture the time and date you responded and it all goes o to the giant database. I always assumed that the “press 9 to be taken off our list” only worked if you responded during the recorded call. Is it possible to use this feature once the call is captured on voicemail? I don’t see how that could work.

 

[Telly]

....I always assumed that the “press 9 to be taken off our list” only worked if you responded during the recorded call. Is it possible to use this feature once the call is captured on voicemail? I don’t see how that could work.

No, you're absolutely right, that won't work! I have gotten used to not answering calls I don't recognize, but listening later to any messages left. After a while, I think it's all become one big blur, between live, and recorded.

 

[jim584672]

I send "unsubscribe" and also "stop".

 

[CRLLS]

I block those texts and report as spam. I have an unlimited texts with T-Mobile so I don't worry about the cost of texts. If I paid for texts, I think I would do the same. Consider spending the occasional 10-20 cents for 2 texts a small, albeit a very small part of blow that dough. I'd gladly spend that to stop receiving annoying, future texts from that number. I never reply to them.