2023 United States robotext trends

There are a few reasons you might receive spam texts. It's possible you were targeted or autodialed randomly (scammers use technology that randomly generates phone numbers for text blasts). It's also possible your phone number was exposed during a data breach or sold by a third-party company. Your phone number may also be on a list of people who have previously engaged with a call or text scam (scammers often share these lists with each other). That's one reason we recommend avoiding answering or interacting with unknown phone calls or text messages!

If you don't recall ever opting into receiving text messages from a legitimate business, the message is likely a scam. All legal robotexts are required to obtain prior consent before sending you a message. If the message is trying to get you to take immediate action such as making a purchase, sharing personal or account information, or clicking a link, this is likely a scam — especially if it says there is a consequence for not doing so. If the message contains spelling or grammatical errors, it's more likely to be a scam. Finally, be on the lookout for strange-looking URLs. If the text message contains a link that looks like a string of letters and numbers, don't click!

First of all, don't reply to the text or click on any links (even to "opt out"!). Often, URLs in spam texts contain malware that can infiltrate your phone when you click them. Second, never provide personal, account, or financial information over text. Third, you can report the spam call to your phone carrier. Check your carrier's website for instructions. Forwarding the message won't prevent you from receiving more spam texts, but will help shut the scam down for others.

The only way to prevent spam texts from reaching you in the first place is to use a spam text blocker app like Robokiller to automatically stop them.