Robocall Guide · Answers
How do I report spam texts?
Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM), report it to the FTC, and tell your carrier. One step gets missed: if the texts broke the law, you may be owed $500 to $1,500 per message.
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Short answer
Forward the spam text to 7726, which spells SPAM on the keypad, to flag it to your carrier. Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and let your carrier block the sender. Those steps help shut spammers down. But reporting alone doesn’t put money in your pocket. If the texts were sent without your permission or after you said STOP, you may also have a claim worth $500 to $1,500 per text, so save them before you report.
How to report spam texts
- Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) to flag it to your carrier.
- Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Ask your carrier to block the sender and reply STOP.
- Screenshot first. Illegal texts may be worth $500 to $1,500 each.
The reporting steps, in order
- Screenshot the text first. Capture the message, the sender’s number, and the date and time before you do anything else. Reporting can move the message out of view, and those screenshots are also your evidence if you have a claim.
- Forward it to 7726. On the keypad, 7726 spells SPAM. Forwarding the text there reports it to your wireless carrier so they can investigate the sender.
- Reply STOP. A legitimate sender has to honor it. If the texts keep coming after STOP, that’s a stronger claim, so keep those later messages too.
- Report it to the FTC. File at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC uses these reports to track and pursue mass spammers.
- Ask your carrier to block the sender. Most carriers offer spam-blocking tools or apps; turn them on.
What reporting does, and doesn’t do
Reporting is worth doing. It feeds the carriers and the FTC the data they use to chase down spam operations, and blocking cuts off the immediate annoyance. But be clear about its limits: reporting a text to 7726 or the FTC does not pay you anything, and it usually won’t get you a personal response about your specific texts.
One step gets missed. The same texts you’re reporting may also be violations you can be paid for. Reporting protects everyone; a claim is how you personally recover. The two aren’t in conflict, so do both, and screenshot before you report so nothing is lost. For the broader version of this process, see how to report a robocall.
Reply STOP, it helps two ways
Replying STOP deserves its own moment because it does double duty. First, it’s the universal opt-out keyword a legitimate sender is required to honor, so it should end the texts. Second, if the texts keep coming after STOP, you’ve upgraded your situation: every message that arrives after a clear opt-out can be a separate violation, and ignoring your request tends to look willful, which is what pushes a $500 violation toward $1,500.
You’re not limited to the exact word STOP, since telling a sender to quit in plain language can revoke consent too, but STOP is cleanest because it leaves an obvious, time-stamped record. The one thing to avoid is replying to a clearly fake or scam text with anything other than STOP, since engaging can confirm your number is live. When in doubt, screenshot, send STOP, and report.
The step most people skip: you may be owed money
Reporting alone won’t tell you this. If a company texted you marketing without your written permission, or kept texting after you replied STOP, each message can be worth $500, or $1,500 if the conduct was willful, and the texts stack. That’s true even if you were never a customer and even if the texts cost you nothing but irritation.
A free review with Max Morgan, Esq., a real TCPA attorney, tells you whether your texts add up to a claim. He works on contingency, with no fee unless you recover, nationwide, and the review costs you nothing. So report the texts to shut the spammer down, but save them first and find out whether you’re owed money too.
Related: How to report a robocall · Do I need to keep the spam texts? · Can I sue for spam texts? · Do I qualify?
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More on reporting spam texts
Does forwarding to 7726 cost anything?
No. Forwarding a spam text to 7726 is free and doesn’t count against your messaging plan. It simply flags the sender to your carrier.
Should I report or save the texts first?
Save them first. Screenshot the message, number, and date before reporting, since reporting can move it out of view and the screenshots are your evidence.
Will reporting a spam text get me paid?
No, reporting helps regulators and carriers but doesn’t pay you. A separate TCPA claim is how you personally recover, and a free review can tell you if you have one.
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