Spam text messages.

By gailisaiah, 4 August, 2022

Forum
iOS and iPadOS

Hello all:

Lately, I am getting messages from someone saying they're from Amazon or Paypal. The messages say something like if you do not respond, your account will be suspended or your account has been suspended. Then messages direct that you activate a link. These are definite spam. So my questions are: is there a way to block a text from the Messages App? And is there a way to report these to Apple?

Thanks in advance for help!

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Comments

By Gar on Wednesday, August 24, 2022 - 15:27

If you open the conversation, you will notice a little dialogue that says the sender is not in your contact list. There will be a report message button after that.
Hope this helps

By Jo Billard on Wednesday, August 24, 2022 - 15:27

They'll just find another number to spoof and send you another text. Unfortunately, I can't remember how to block a text, mostly because I simply gave up blocking them. If there's a way to report them to Apple, I'm all ears, but I suspect it'll be as useless as blocking them.

By Tyler on Wednesday, August 24, 2022 - 15:27

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team

In iOS 16, at least with some wireless carriers, Apple will be expanding the "Report junk" function to standard SMS messages. If You're using iOS 15, you can report the messages to your carrier with the number they provide for that purpose.

HTH

By Tyler on Wednesday, August 24, 2022 - 15:27

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team

It sounds like the setting you're referring to is silence unknown callers, which can be enabled by going to Settings > Phone > Silence unknown callers, and toggling it on. However, to my knowledge, it only works for phone calls, not for text messages.

By gailisaiah on Wednesday, August 24, 2022 - 15:27

Thanks , Tyler. I will report these to Verizon. Just this morning I got one claiming to be from Amazon and if I did not verify my identity, my account would be terminated. And of course, there's this big link they think I'm going to click on. have silence unknown callers enabled.

By treky fan on Wednesday, August 24, 2022 - 15:27

Hi there. I know you are reporting those messages to Verizon, but you should also call amazon if you have an account with them and tell them about the messages as well. I've gotten a few of those spam texts myself, and the first one I got, claiming to be from netflix, scared the heck out of me until I called netflix and told them about it. They said, and this goes for any messages that look fishy, not to click on the links in the messages. You can filter unknown senders in a separate list in your messages app. To do this, go to settings, then messages, then near the bottom, you should see something like filter unknown senders, turn this on. After you turn this setting on, there will be a separate thing in your messages app called unknown senders. Any messages from people not in your contacts will go here. I have this set up to block the spam texts. Just check it from time to time, as messages that are safe, like ones from your carrier, may end up there.

By gailisaiah on Wednesday, August 24, 2022 - 15:27

Hello Treky Fan: Yes. I will make that change in messages. Thanks for the tip. And I have not fallen for any of those messages even the one that supposedly came from Amazon customer service. They won't fool this old girl!