Is it illegal to send unsolicited text messages?

Ever receive unsolicited text messages? Technically, you should not. Because it is illegal for any individual or organization to send unsolicited text messages. Yet unsolicited text messages still remain a problem we commonly face. Why is that so? Well, read on further and we shall explain more about unsolicited SMS, its dangers who send them and ways to stop it.

Why is it illegal to send unsolicited SMS

Because the law forbids it. The “Do not call” list, for example prevent telemarketers or scammers to send unsolicited messages. Clearly, if you are on that list and you still receive unsolicited messages, the sender has clearly broken the law. Else, the methods that these telemarketers or scammers employ to acquire these phone numbers are often through illegal means.

Dangers of unsolicited SMS

Unsolicited text SMS brings about tremendous danger to the user and their phone. Unsolicited text messages may entice you with gifts, deals and interest free loans for instance to extract your personal information. Financially, it may add to your phone bill if the amount of unsolicited text message received become too excessive. Some phone operators charge users for the number of SMS received and these unsolicited messages only add to your cost.

Who send unsolicited text messages?

Scammers

Scammers send unsolicited text messages to steal your personal information like your bank account number. Another way is to send you phishing links that show you a fake website to steal your username and password. A common example is the advanced fee scam where scammers offer too-good-to-be-true deals and require you to prepay a sum to enjoy the non-existent discount.

Telemarketers

Telemarketers who do not ignore the “Do not call” list or obtain your number through unauthorized manner and attempt to sell you something are also guilty of sending you unsolicited text messages.

If I get it, who do I report to?

Unsolicited text messages are annoying and dangerous. If you find yourself receiving these unsolicited messages repeatedly, you can report these numbers to the following agencies

Federal Communication Commission

This department, under the Federal Trade Commission deals with and manages with spam text messages. Alternatively, report it to your service provider to find out available features to protect yourself against unsolicited text messages.

Service Provider

For AT&T customers, you can report to the AT&T service provider and use their Protection Feature to separate out your spam messages at $3.99 a month

For Sprint customers, you can report to Sprint and subscribe to their Premium Caller ID to identify and alert you to messages from foreign caller ID.

Is there any way to avoid it?

There is frankly no possible way to avoid receiving unsolicited messages. But there are ways you can adopt to minimize their occurrence.

Unsubscribe the message

For unsolicited messages from legal companies, you can unsubscribe their messages. Though be fully sure that the senders of these messages are not scammers. Requesting to stop receiving unsolicited messages may only help them verify your number.

Block the number

Block their number. For Android users, simply tap onto Settings and click Block this number. However, be mindful that this only block one number. Telemarketers and scammers tend to use more than one number when sending unsolicited messages.

Second Phone line

The best way we found is to always use a second phone number. Apps like Phoner enables you to use a second phone number when signing up or using unknown services. It also keeps your personal number message-free from the telemarketers and scammers