What Can You Do to Stop Receiving Spam Text Messages?

how to stop receiving spam texts | 123-txt

Using SMS to communicate with potential and current clients, or to generate leads, comes with many benefits. It is a low cost communication channel that is still much less noisy than email. Thus, text boasts a high open rate.

Statistics show that 98% of users open a text within minutes of receiving it. Such a high open rate is three times better than what we see with email at 25%. No wonder companies utilise text as a significant part of their marketing communication strategy.

However, many users find themselves receiving text messages they did not opt in for or simply no longer want to receive. This blog explores the topic of spam texts and what to do to stop receiving them.

What Is Spam Messaging?

Spam texts are defined as unwanted, irrelevant or unsolicited messages sent to a mobile number that promote a particular product or service.  The purpose and aim of spam texts can vary greatly.

Organisations often send spam messages in an effort to generate leads and increase sales. There are companies who would phish for active numbers and sell data to clients. Although this type of activity is now rare as Ofcom have been proactive in reducing these type of businesses.

What Does the Law Say on Spam Texts?

According to the law and GDPR regulations, an organisation should not send you text messages unless you have given them permission. However, it is different if you have an existing relationship with a sender.

If you have purchased a product or service from a company, they can contact you offering similar products or services as long as there is a clear way for you to opt out of receiving such texts. It is worth noting that the law does not cover instances of spam texts that are sent to business numbers.

With 123-txt we have an Anti Spam module, which if configured as part of an SMS marketing campaign ensures you don’t hit your mobile data more than X number of times over a predefined timeframe. This is particularly useful if you are a business with multiple products you wish to cross sell to your customer base too.

How to Stop Receiving Spam Texts?

There are a few things you can do to reduce the number of unwanted text messages you receive. The best course of action in a given situation will depend on whether you are familiar with the sender or not.

How to Stop Spam Text Messages from a Known Sender

When you get a text from a familiar sender or a short-code (normally a 5 to 8 digit long number), reply to the same number by typing the ‘STOP’. The text itself may contain different instructions on how to opt out, make sure to follow them. A common option is texting back with ‘OPT-OUT’ in the message body.

Doing this should signal the sender you no longer wish to receive text communications from them.

Reporting Unwanted Texts from an Unknown Number

In the case of receiving an unsolicited message from an unknown number, it is better not to respond in any way. Make sure not to click on any links, open attachments or call numbers. Replying to a spam text from an unknown sender may signal to them that your number is active and result in an increased volume of texts, and even calls.

Instead, you have the option to report that text to your network operator by forwarding it to short number 7726. Note that texting 7726 does not incur any fees and is free of charge. You may receive an auto responder acknowledging your report and providing further instruction when needed.

An easy way to remember the short number is thinking how you’d spell ‘SPAM’ on a keyboard phone, by pressing keys 7,7,2 and 6.

Sending an Official Complaint

The office responsible for enforcing spam text rules is the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). If you have followed all of the above steps and continue to receive unwanted text messages, you could issue a formal complaint to ICO.

Doing so may not resolve your issue immediately, but will provide invaluable information to ICO who can investigate and act on suspected regulation breaches.

To issue a complaint to ICO regarding nuisance texts, you can:

  • Phone 0303 123 1113
  • Visit their website
  • Send a letter to their postal address:

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow, Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Actively reporting unethical senders will help eliminate the issue of unsolicited junk texting in the long term.

123-txt Anti-Spam Feature

123-txt provides an easy and effective way of sending automated, bulk and personalised text messages in just a few clicks.

Built within the platform is an anti-spam feature, which helps protect your company’s relationship with customers by imposing a limit on how many messages you can send the same contact within a certain timeframe.

This is particularly useful for businesses that may have the same subscriber on a number of different sending lists and therefore subject to multichannel correspondence.

Additionally, the mobile user can reply with “optout”, “opt out” or “opt-out”, which will blacklist their mobile number against the number that they replied to. Their request is reflected in the system within 3 hours of receipt.

Don’t be a Spammer with 123-txt

To find out more about 123-txt’s Anti-Spam policy and get a better understanding of all features the platform offers, click here.

In addition, when you sign up, we will give you 20 free credits to test the platform risk-free. Register here to claim your free credits today.