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Make the spam texts stop.

TSG Global · Updated August 2026 · 7 min read · We're a licensed carrier — blocking this stuff is literally our day job.

The short version
  1. Turn on your phone's built-in filter — under a minute, instructions below.
  2. Add your carrier's free protection (Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile all have one).
  3. Never tap links in texts you didn't expect. Ever.
  4. Forward junk to 7726 — it trains the network to block the sender for everyone.

Turn on the filter you already have

iPhone

  1. Open Settings → Messages.
  2. Turn on Filter Unknown Senders.

Messages from numbers not in your contacts move to their own list — they arrive silently instead of interrupting you. Glance at that list occasionally; a delivery notice or a verification code from a new sender can land there.

Android

  1. Open the Messages app → your profile icon → Settings.
  2. Tap Spam protection and turn it on.

Samsung

  1. Open Messages → Settings → Block numbers and spam.
  2. Turn on Caller ID and spam protection.

Add your carrier's tools

Each major U.S. carrier ships a free spam shield that works at the network level — before your phone even rings or buzzes:

  • Verizon: the Call Filter app (free tier blocks known spam).
  • AT&T: ActiveArmor (free with most plans).
  • T-Mobile: Scam Shield — dial #662# to turn on Scam Block instantly.

What actually works, honestly ranked

Effort vs. effect, from the carrier side of the network.
OptionCostSetupWhat it catches
Phone's built-in filterFree< 1 min Unknown senders — the bulk of casual spam
Carrier protectionFree (paid tiers exist)2–5 min Known bad senders, network-wide, before delivery
Third-party blocker appsFree–$4/mo5–10 min Crowd-sourced lists; useful if you're heavily targeted
Reporting to 7726FreeOngoing Doesn't help you instantly — it gets the sender cut off for everyone

Report it so it costs the spammer something

  1. Don't tap anything in the message.
  2. Forward it to 7726 (spells SPAM). Free on major carriers; it feeds the network-level filters that block the sender at the source.
  3. If money or identity is involved, file at ReportFraud.ftc.gov — FTC reports are what regulators build cases from.
  4. Then delete it. You're done; nothing good comes from keeping it.

Came from a number we carry?

Report it straight to our Network Operations Center — a human reads every report, and senders who abuse our network lose it. You don't need to be a customer.

Report to the NOC

Why STOP works on some texts and not others

Registered business senders — your dentist, your bank, the store you gave your number to — are required to honor STOP instantly, and the legitimate ones do (our own network suppresses a number the moment the word arrives). Scammers aren't registered and don't honor anything; replying just confirms your number is live. The rule of thumb: STOP for businesses you recognize, 7726 for everything else.

Questions people actually ask

Does forwarding to 7726 cost anything?

No. It's free on the major U.S. carriers and doesn't count against your plan.

Will filtering block texts from people I know?

No — filters separate unknown senders into their own list; your contacts come through normally. Check the filtered list occasionally for deliveries and one-time codes.

Should I reply STOP to spam?

To businesses you recognize, yes — they must honor it. To obvious scams, no — any reply confirms your number is live. Report those to 7726 instead.

I tapped a link. Now what?

Don't enter anything on the page. Close it, change the password on whatever account the message imitated, watch your statements for a few weeks, and report it to 7726 and ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Related: How to spot a scammer's phone number · all guides

Run messaging for a business?

The filters in this guide are aimed at senders who don't follow the rules. We keep legitimate programs on the right side of them — registered, screened, and delivered.

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