How to Report Cell Phone Spam Text

Spam text is to your mobile phone what a spam email is to your email account. Since almost every person today uses cell phone for communication, marketing companies are quick to capitalize on this as they often embark on unsolicited marketing campaigns like SMS marketing. Unwanted SMS, like spam email, is illegal under common law in several countries, and there are strict regulations for telecommunication companies to help protect its consumers from such practices by marketers.  SMS spam can be very annoying as you don’t want your mobile inbox crammed with unwanted marketing messages sent by unknown and known companies.

–       Visit the website of FTC. The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) is a platform where you can report SMS spam. The FTC, a state-run organization with an aim to protect consumers of any product and service in the United States, receives complaints from people like you throughout the years. Visit the website and explore what category your complaint should fall under. If you acted on the SMS spam and lost money or faced fraud, you can file a complaint by filling out an online form.

–       Visit the page “ftccomplaintassistant.gov” or “ftc.gov/complaint” to fill out the form.  This page will walk you through the simple process of how to go about submitting your complaint.

–       Be sure to provide your personal information accurately as the more reliable information you give, the more effectively the FTC will investigate the spam issue that you are facing.

–       The form will require you give information like name, address, email address, and phone numbers. If you are filing the complaint on behalf of someone else, be sure to use their name and contact information in the online form—not yours. The phone numbers you mentioned should belong to the person facing the issue as it will be used for further references if the case leads to any legal action in the future.

–       Mention the type of product and service that the user is using. The type of product and service involved means that SMS texts that have been sent to your mobile. The category given in the FTC website is telephone/cable. You may be getting SMS messages from a number of companies and senders — in that case you can briefly mention their categories.

–       Give information about the company whose service you are using. It is important with regard to SMS spam as telecommunication companies are supposed to stop such spam and your service provider is an important party in your case.

–       If you acted on the spam and lost your money or faced any loss, mention it in the online form. Once you have filled out the form, the website will notify you of a further development.

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