Spam text evidence and screenshots

Why a text is such strong evidence

Spam texts are some of the cleanest evidence in any TCPA matter, and the reason is simple: the entire exchange is already saved on your phone. Unlike a call, where you’re relying on memory and a call log, a text preserves the exact words, the sender, the timestamp, and, if you replied, your STOP request and everything that came after it.

The single most important thing you can do is also the easiest: leave the thread alone. Don’t clear it, don’t delete the sender, and don’t “tidy up” your inbox.

Step 1: Don’t delete anything

The instinct is to wipe spam the moment it lands. Resist it. A deleted thread is deleted evidence.

• Keep the full conversation, including the earliest texts, since they show when the campaign started.
• You can block a sender without deleting the messages on both iPhone and Android. Blocking stops new texts; it doesn’t have to erase the old ones.
• If you’ve been clearing spam out of habit, stop now and preserve whatever remains.

Step 2: Screenshot so the key details all show

A good screenshot captures three things together: who sent it, what it said, and when.

• Sender: open the message and capture the number or short code at the top of the thread, not just the message bubble.
• Message: the full text, including any link, offer, or company name.
• Date and time: make sure the timestamp is visible. On many phones you tap a message to reveal the exact time, so capture that.

For long threads, take a series of overlapping screenshots so nothing falls between them, or use your phone’s full-page capture if it has one. Capture each separate text, not one example. Every violating message can be a separate $500 to $1,500.

Step 3: Capture your STOP reply

If you replied STOP, that screenshot may be the most valuable one you take. It shows you revoked consent, and every text that arrived afterward is potentially a willful violation worth up to $1,500.

Your screenshots should show the sequence: their texts, your STOP, and their texts that came after. That timeline is exactly what makes an after-STOP case. See calls after you said stop.

Step 4: Back it up and add context

Screenshots that live only on your phone can be lost with the phone. Protect them and add a little context:

• Save the images to your photo library, then email them to yourself or upload them to cloud storage so there’s a second copy.
• Keep a short note of anything the screenshots don’t show, like whether you ever did business with the sender, whether the number used to belong to someone else, and when the texts started.
• If you also reported the texts (forwarding to 7726, the FTC), note that too. See how to report a robocall.

What to do with the evidence

You don’t need a perfect file, and you don’t need to identify the sender. Spoofed numbers and short codes are common, and tracing the campaign is part of what an attorney does. What you need is the thread, preserved.

Once you’ve saved your screenshots, a free review with Max Morgan, Esq. will tell you honestly whether the texts break the law and what they might be worth. If there’s a case, he works on contingency, with no fee unless you recover. Not sure if your records are enough? See whether you qualify or read about a spam text message lawsuit.

Related: Spam text message lawsuit · Calls after you said stop · How to report a robocall · Do I qualify?