Sharon Koehler

Stone Industry Consultant

I Hate SPAM Texts!UGH! You hear a notification ping on your phone, or you get a notification on your watch. You put the TV on pause or stop what you’re doing, get up and find your phone where you left it, charging or just hanging out on your desk or bed, or maybe you even left it in the car, and you must hunt it down. You open it to find that the reason you have stopped what you are doing is to read a spam text about jewelry, insurance, male enhancement products, account issues with your bank, Amazon, etcetera, or some other thing that you have no interest in.  UGH!

Spam texts, aka Smishing, are increasing in numbers that are out of control. U.S. News and World Report calculates that by the end of 2022 (now), 147 billion spam texts will have been delivered. That is a 68% increase over 2021. 68%! In one year.

Not only are they annoying, but they are costly to consumers as well. RoboKiller estimates that $10 billion dollars were lost by consumers in 2021 as a result of spam texts, with an average loss of $800. Now, add a 68% increase to those numbers and try to wrap your head around that. The FCC’s Robocall Response Unit warns “that text messages are being used by scammers to target American consumers.”

What You Can Do

Spam texts are definitely out of control. However, there are some things you can do to stop the assault on your inbox.

  • Do NOT respond to texts you suspect are fraudulent. A lot of us think that if we reply NO or STOP, we are stopping the onslaught, but that is not the case. A reply of any kind alerts the scammers that they have reached a live number and the messages will continue.

  • Definitely do NOT click on any links or attachments in the message. Some people think that if they follow the links, they will get to a place where they can be unsubscribed. That is not the case. Don’t click the links.


Report spam texts to the FCC, FTC, and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. If you don’t want to get involved with the government, then at least report it to the company that appears to have sent it, like Amazon, Zale’s or your bank (if there is one listed). Many big companies like Amazon, FedEx, Costco, etcetera, will put scam alerts and information on their websites.

Never share personal or financial information by text, email, or phone call.

  • Learn how to spot suspicious texts. Scam texts are generally full of spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors, much like spam emails. 

  • Check with your phone carrier to see if they offer the 7726 service. This service will let you block messages before they get to you. If they don’t, download an app like RoboKiller, Hiya, Trucaller, or Call Control to help with the problem.

  • Another avenue is to go to CTIA.org. This is a site provided by the wireless industry to learn about the different blocking services provided by different carriers.

  • Put your phone number on your state and the federal “DO NOT CALL” list  (  www.donotcall.gov/ ). Some people have lost faith in the Do Not Call system because scammers figured out some work-arounds, but once your number is on the list you must give permission to receive texts from a company. The thing is that legit companies will follow the list, but scammers – not so much. 

  • Report spam texts to your carrier. This helps them block spam numbers before they get to you or another customer.

Smart phones are getting better and better at blocking spam texts, much like spam calls. Depending on the phone, when a possible suspicious text arrives, the phone may ask you if you want to block the number and delete the message. If it really is spam, just reply “yes” and block it.  

If your smart phone isn’t asking that question, there is something else you can do to help alleviate the problem: program your phone to help you. 

For an iPhone:

  • Tap the info button beside the spam number from your Recents screen

  • Then tap – Block this Caller

Another solution for iPhone users is to go in the settings app under Messenger and turn on “Filter unknown senders.” Be careful with this setting, though, if your doctor or other trusted professional sends text messages, they may get caught up in that. 

Android phones work a bit differently:

  • Tap the Messages app.

  • Tap and hold the spam text conversation in question.

  • Tap Block.

Depending on the age and manufacturer of the phone, you may have to vary these directions a bit. If you can’t get it set up, please call your carrier; they are more than happy to help. Spam texts are a problem for them, too.  

Spam texts are becoming more and more frequent, more and more annoying, and more and more costly to all of us. Let’s do what we can to curb the damage. It benefits us all. 

Please send your thoughts and comments on this article to Sharon Koehler at Sharonk.SRG@gmail.com .