Friday, February 11, 2011

Managing spam text messages on the AT&T iPhone

AT&T doesn't provide a way to block spam text messages. They suggest signing up for a $120/year service that enables number blocking.

Yeah, mobile phone companies are pure Satan.

AT&T does provide a reporting service:

Answer Center | AT&T - What should I do if I receive spam text messages on my wireless phone? ...

To report spam text messages to AT&T: When you receive text spam, forward the whole message to short code 'SPAM' (7726) from your wireless device. There is no charge to report mobile spam. Messages forwarded to 7726 do not count toward your data usage or voice package.

To this on the iPhone you

1) view the SMS text message conversation

2) tap EDIT at the top of the screen

3) check off the message(s) you'd like to forward

4) tap FORWARD at the bottom right of the screen

Problem is, this only forwards the message, not the sender number. When you submit AT&T replies with a request for the sender number. I had to inspect my incoming message list to find that, and I couldn't copy paste. I had to do the old memory/pencil thing.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

They don't answer their phones either. I just hung up after 28 minutes on hold trying to cancel all our accounts as we switched back to Verizon. No dropped calls since Monday! Verizon was ready for the iPhone as they said, but ATT still isn't ready for the cancellations.