How to stop spam texts

Spam texts range from irritating marketing messages to dangerous scams. You cannot stop them completely, but you can reduce how many reach you and make the rest safer to deal with.

On an iPhone

• Go to Settings, then Messages, then Unknown and Spam, and turn on Filter Unknown Senders. Messages from numbers that are not in your contacts go into a separate list.
• To block a sender, open the message, tap the sender's name at the top, then choose Block this Caller.
• Tap Report Junk under a message from an unknown sender to report it to Apple.

On Android

• Open your messaging app, tap the three dots or your profile picture, then open settings and look for Spam protection or Spam and blocked numbers.
• To block a sender, open the conversation, tap the menu and choose Block or Report spam.

The exact menus differ slightly between Google Messages, Samsung Messages and other apps.

Report them to your network

Forward the text to 7726 for free. Your network provider uses these reports to block scam numbers.

Do not reply

Do not reply with the word STOP to a text from a sender you do not recognise. Replying shows the sender your number is active. Only reply STOP to companies you know and have dealt with.

Be careful with links

Even if a spam text looks harmless, do not tap links in messages you were not expecting. Open the company's website or app yourself instead.

Get extra help on iPhone

VerovaShield's Text Shield filters spam and scam texts on iPhone, and the app can check any text, link or email you are unsure about.