Group texting allows you to remain in contact with multiple people at one time. However, like any other communication tool, it can be abused.
The result can be spam texts and phishing scams via group messaging.
If you’ve been subjected to a spam group text recently, you’re not the only one. Luckily, there are preventative steps that can be taken for both iOS and Android users.
Texts are a useful way for businesses to connect with customers, but increasing numbers of scammers now use text messaging for malicious purposes.
Many kinds of spam texts are designed by scammers to collect personal information like your name or social security number, and make you the victim of fraud. These include:
In the incidence of spam group texts, the content of these texts are likely to be generalized, and centered around “winning prizes,” “getting freebies,” or “clicking links.”
Now, if you’ve received a group text, you’ve noticed the chaos that follows as a result of your phone notifications being triggered. iPhone users, for example, can add up to 32 numbers to a group text. On some of the latest Android models, up to 20 recipients can be added.
The confusion that group messages and notifications provide is exactly what scammers try to exploit to better target you for a text scam.
If you received an unexpected group text, it might be a straightforward scam. Usually, recipients in the group will quickly start to “leave” the conversation when they recognize it.
Others signs that you might be dealing with a scammer include:
Both Apple and Google are constantly at work to stop text scammers from being able to reach their customers by reinforcing options in their operating systems.
The companies also each provide useful information online about how to identify and stop spam texts and spam group texts.
Users for both iOS and Android also have the option to report and block unwanted spam texts or robocalls from numbers they believe could be scammers.
iOS allows users to “leave” group chats in their messaging app, as well as report and block any number flagged as spam.
As well as blocking spam texts, you should also report the message. If you report the message, the information will be sent to the Apple team to investigate.
There are several options for Android users to stop spam texts or block spam group texts.
As well as blocking, you can also report spam texts directly. That means Google will receive a report, including the last ten messages from the spammer, plus contact details.
As well as activating your phone’s built-in spam filters, sign up with a third-party app to further monitor and restrict spam texts and spam calls you receive.
There are plenty of services available in both Apple and Android app stores, but some of the most popular options include:
Also, read our guide on how to stop spam texts for a full rundown on all your available options.
An increasing number of household phone lines receive spam texts, calls, and junk mail. This is largely due to the increase in data brokers.
Data-broker platforms are businesses that harvest publicly available information before selling it to third parties that tend to use it for marketing purposes.
Unfortunately, this completely legal practice can frequently lead to scammers accessing your personal information and using it for fraudulent activity.
There are over 400 different data-broker platforms in the U.S. alone, which means there’s a high chance that your information is on one or many of these databases.
If you want to stop spam group texts once and for all, you need to remove your information from these data-broker platforms, a process that takes a lot of time and energy.
Instead, you could also hire a data-broker removal service like DeleteMe to do it all for you. We specialize in securing your online data by opting you out of data-broker platforms.
Although there’s a distinct lack of regulations around data brokers operating in the U.S., there are at least some regulations for spam texts.
It’s actually illegal to spam cell phone users without a sender’s permission. In fact, if spammers are caught, they can be fined millions of dollars.
However, these laws seldom stop scammers from contacting you. Therefore, we all need to do our part by identifying and taking action against spammers.
Sign up with DeleteMe, and when we remove relevant information like your phone number from the Internet, you’ll likely see a reduction in spam texts almost immediately.
Find out more about how we can start helping you secure your online information today.
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