A few weeks ago, we wrote a post about how to recognize spam texts, as well as the difference between spam and legitimate texts businesses might send out.
In that article, we included minimal information on actually reporting spam texts and getting the sender removed from their texting platform.
Who is in Charge of Regulating Text Messages?
The CTIA (Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association) is a non-profit organization that works with phone and internet providers to create a safe internet and phone ecosystem.
The TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) is a law passed by Congress in 1991 that provides specific guidelines for promotional communications by SMS and phone calls. It maintains the National Do Not Call Registry that contains a list of phone numbers who have opted out of receiving phone and SMS marketing material.
How to Report Spam Texts
There are a few things you can do to report spam SMS and make it easier for the regulator to block and pursue them
Forward Spam to 7726
7726 is the number used by the GSMA (Global System for Mobile Communications) to identify and catalogue spam senders. Any cell phone user can forward suspicious texts to this number.
To forward a text you’ve received, tap and hold the message until a menu pops up.
On iPhones, there will be a blue arrow:
Click the arrow, and type in “7726” as the number to forward to.
On Android, when you hold down a text, a menu popup will appear. Click “Forward” and send the text to 7726.
Report Spam Texts to the FTC/FCC
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the federal agency in charge of consumer protection. To report a spam text, go to https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ and choose “Report Now.”
The Federal Communication is the federal agency in charge of regulating communications. You can also report a spam text message to them by going to https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=39744 and submitting a ticket.
Conclusion
Spam texts are a harmful and annoying part of mass communication, with over $5 billion dollars being lost in 2021 from fraud. When you get a spam message, you can do your part in getting the senders banned from the carrier networks by reporting them to the proper authorities.
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