How to Stop Spam Text Messages: A Complete Guide for Seniors

Bottom line: Most spam and scam texts can be cut down dramatically in about 10 minutes using settings already on your phone — no new app required. Start by turning on "Filter Unknown Senders" (iPhone) or spam protection in Google Messages (Android), then forward junk texts to 7726 (SPAM) so your carrier can block the sender. If scam texts keep slipping through after that, a dedicated identity monitoring service like Aura can catch the damage if you ever do tap a bad link.

Text messages have become one of the fastest-growing ways scammers reach older adults, mostly because a text feels more casual and trustworthy than a phone call from an unknown number. According to the Federal Trade Commission, consumers reported losing $470 million to scams that started with a text message in 2024 — and total fraud losses reported by adults 60 and older reached $7.7 billion in 2025, roughly 60% higher than the year before. A fake "package delivery" or "unpaid toll" text takes a scammer seconds to send to thousands of numbers at once, and it only needs to work on a small fraction of people to be profitable.

The good news: you don't need to be technical to shut most of this down. This guide walks through exactly what to do, starting with the free options built into your phone.

Last updated: 2026-07-13

Why You're Suddenly Getting So Many Spam Texts

Unlike phone calls, text messages are cheap for scammers to send in bulk — often through overseas servers that can blast out tens of thousands of messages an hour for almost nothing. Many are sent using "spoofed" numbers that look like a local area code, a short code, or even a number that resembles a business you recognize, so the text seems more legitimate at a glance.

Scammers also buy and trade phone numbers gathered from data breaches, public records, and other scam operations. If your number has ever been part of a breach — even one you didn't know about — it may already be circulating on lists that scammers use to target texts. (You can check whether your information has shown up in a known breach in our guide to checking a data breach.)

The two most damaging things you can do with a spam text are replying (even "STOP") and tapping the link. Replying confirms your number is active and read by a real person, which often means more texts, not fewer. Tapping the link can lead to a fake login page designed to steal your bank or email password, or silently install tracking software on your phone.

Step 1: Turn On Your Phone's Built-In Spam Filtering (Free, 5 Minutes)

Both iPhone and Android now include free tools that filter or flag likely spam texts before they land in your main inbox.

On an iPhone:

Open Settings
Scroll down and tap Messages
Scroll to Message Filtering and turn on Filter Unknown Senders

With this on, texts from numbers not already in your contacts are sorted into a separate "Unknown Senders" tab instead of your main Messages list, and you won't get a notification banner for them. You can still check that tab occasionally in case a legitimate sender — a new doctor's office or a delivery service — texted you from an unfamiliar number.

On an Android phone (Google Messages):

Open the Messages app
Tap your profile picture or the three dots in the top corner
Tap Messages settings, then Spam protection
Make sure Enable spam protection is turned on

Google Messages actively scans incoming texts for known scam patterns — fake delivery notices, phishing links, "unusual" sender behavior — and will label suspicious texts as "Spam?" right in your inbox, with an option to block and report the sender in one tap.

Step 2: Report and Block Junk Texts as They Arrive (Free, Seconds Per Text)

Whenever a spam or scam text does get through, take a few extra seconds to report it rather than just deleting it:

Forward it to 7726 (SPAM) — this is a free, industry-wide reporting number used by all major U.S. carriers. Forwarding a text there helps your carrier identify and block the sender across their entire network, not just your phone.
Block the sender — on iPhone, open the text, tap the sender's number at the top, then Info and Block this Caller. On Android, open the text, tap the three dots, and tap Block.
Never reply, even to unsubscribe. Legitimate businesses honor "STOP," but scam operations use any reply — including "STOP" — as confirmation that a real person reads texts at that number.

This takes a few seconds per message, but it's the single biggest reason some numbers stop texting you within days: reported numbers get flagged and blocked at the carrier level, cutting off the scammer's reach to everyone, not just you.

Step 3: Turn On Your Carrier's Free Spam-Text Filtering

All four major U.S. carriers offer free spam-text protection as part of your existing plan, separate from the phone's built-in tools:

AT&T: ActiveArmor (free tier, available in the AT&T app)
Verizon: Call Filter, which also flags and can block suspected spam texts
T-Mobile: Scam Shield, free for all customers, covers both calls and texts
US Cellular and others: Ask your carrier directly — most now participate in network-level spam and scam-text filtering

These tools sit on top of your phone's own filtering and catch numbers reported by other customers on the same network, so a number that scammed someone else in your area may already be blocked before it ever reaches you.

Step 4: When Free Tools Aren't Enough

Free filtering catches a large share of spam texts, but scam operations rotate through thousands of new numbers and short codes every day, so some will still get through — especially texts pretending to be your bank, a delivery service, or a government agency. If you're still getting several suspicious texts a week after Steps 1–3, or if you're worried about what happens if you ever do tap a bad link, a dedicated monitoring service adds a meaningful second layer.

Aura combines spam and scam text filtering with 24/7 monitoring of your credit, bank accounts, and Social Security number. If a scam text ever does trick you — or a family member — into entering personal information, Aura alerts you the moment something looks wrong, like a new account opened in your name or your SSN appearing on the dark web, rather than you finding out months later from a collections call. Aura backs the service with up to $1 million in identity theft insurance, and setup takes about 15 minutes with support available if you get stuck.

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What to Do If You Already Tapped a Link in a Spam Text

If you tapped a link and it opened a website, or you entered any information before realizing something was wrong, here's what actually matters:

Don't enter anything else. Close the browser tab or app immediately if you haven't already submitted information.
If you entered a password, change it right away on the real website or app — typed directly, not through the link — and change it anywhere else you reused that same password.
If you entered a credit card or bank account number, call your bank or card issuer directly using the number on the back of your card, not any number from the text, and ask them to flag the account for suspicious activity.
If you entered your Social Security number, treat it seriously: consider a credit freeze (our guide to freezing your credit walks through exactly how) and watch your accounts closely for the next several months.
Report the text by forwarding it to 7726 and, if money or personal information was involved, file a report at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

None of this means you did anything wrong. These texts are professionally designed, often by the same operations that build fake versions of real company websites down to the logo and layout. Reporting the number helps carriers and regulators shut down the operation faster.

A Quick Reference: What to Turn On Today

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Most people who complete the first three free steps notice a real drop in spam texts within a few days, since reported numbers get blocked network-wide, not just on one phone. Add a dedicated service if the texts keep slipping through, or if you want monitoring running in the background in case one ever succeeds.

Stay Ahead of the Next Scam

Scam texts change constantly — a "package delivery" text this month might be a "toll payment" or "bank alert" text next month, using the exact same tricks in a new disguise. Sign up below and we'll send you plain-English alerts about new scam tactics targeting seniors, along with practical guides like this one, straight to your inbox.

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