How To Remove Robokiller From Your Phone

Every year, Americans receive more than iv.5 billion spam texts—that's more spam texts than in that location are people in the U.S., China, India, Russia, and the whole of Europe combined.

Imitation contests, shady insurance offers, or vacation deals? Spam texts are enough to make you throw your iPhone or Android out of the window—or worse. Thankfully, apps like RoboKiller stop spam in its tracks. That means you'll only receive texts from people you actually care well-nigh. You lot're going to love information technology. In this guide, updated for 2022, nosotros're going to comprehend:

• What are spam texts?
• How do spam texts bear on you lot?
• Why practise you receive spam texts?
• Are spam texts legal?
• And more...

You're about to find out everything yous wanted to know about spam texts only didn't know to inquire.

What are spam texts?

Spam texts are a type of spam sent to a mobile device where the recipient has NOT expressed interest in receiving the communication. Typically, spammers send these letters in bulk to a large group of recipients. The latest technology and software makes these messages exceedingly inexpensive and piece of cake to send. Spam texts might exist enticing. They might fifty-fifty promise you 1 of the following:

• A gift card
• A complimentary vacation
• A credit carte du jour with low-interest
• A way to reduce or write off your debt

These offers are fake, and the sender is trying to deceive yous. Spammers use offers like these to phish for your private information, such as your:

• Name
• Address
• Social Security number
• Banking concern details

What do spammers practice with this type of information? They can sell information technology to marketers or identity thieves. Marketers and identity thieves tin can then bombard yous with farther messages or, worse—try to admission your bank business relationship. Other times, spam texts comprise a link in the bulletin that installs malware onto the recipient's mobile device, and they can steal your information that way. Spam texts aren't just annoying. They're potentially dangerous. If you lot've received a spam text, yous're not lonely. Research shows that:

• 68% of Americans have received text message spam—that'south more than than one in three of the whole population!
• As a whole, men and women are just every bit likely to receive spam texts
• However, women under the historic period of 17 are the most probable to receive spam SMS

How do spam texts bear on you?

You might remember that spam SMS texts are harmless. "Just delete them," we hear you say. "Simply ignore them."

But sometimes this isn't plenty. You need to take more drastic measures to protect your privacy and security. Here are a few reasons why spam texts are dangerous:

• Scammers use spam texts to identify whether a real human uses your phone number. Always wondered why some spam texts ask you to answer "STOP" to unsubscribe? This is one of the oldest tricks in the volume! You might think that replying will stop you from receiving further communications. The truth is, you are just identifying yourself as a target. The sender now knows yous're a real person, because yous replied to the bulletin.
• Scammers use spam SMS messages to steal your personal data—e-mail address, Social Security number, bank details, you proper name it. These messages might promise you greenbacks or prizes or debt relief services if you reply with your personal data. Don't fall for this pull a fast one on!
• Some spam texts volition install malware onto your device. If yous click on a link in the message, malware might collect your individual information from your phone. Scammers tin and then sell this information to marketers and identity thieves.
• Spam texts can also generate unwanted charges on your telephone bill. Your telephone carrier might charge you simply for receiving a text message, even if you never requested it. This is why simply ignoring spam texts (or deleting them) won't prepare the problem.

Unfortunately, there have been loads of cases where people have fallen victim to spam texts.

• I woman lost her life savings later on she received text messages promising her a gift card.
• Some other adult female lost $43,000 after responding to a spam text message that she thought was from her depository financial institution.

At that place are thousands of other people who have been affected by scam messages who haven't fabricated the headlines. Yous might know someone. Or perhaps it's happened to yous. (If it has, let u.s.a. know. We'd love to hear your story.)

Why do you lot receive spam texts?

In that location's no particular reason why some people receive spam texts more than than other people. It'south completely random. Information technology's aught to do with your location or age or how long y'all've had your phone number. These are all myths.

Threescore-seven percentage of 18-24 year-olds, 68% of 25-34, and 66% of 35-54 year-olds receive spam texts. As you can run into, scammers don't discriminate by age!

Here's the matter: Spammers use auto-dialing services that send texts to any telephone number they can find. If yous showtime receiving spam texts, sorry to break information technology to you, but the odds are just not in your favor. As spam texts are generated at random, there are very few solutions to stop them.

• Sure, you could change your phone number, and this could stop spam texts for a little while. The chances are, though, that spammers will target your new telephone number.
• You could study spam texts to your phone carrier, but all they will do is add together the spam number to their database. Scammers change their phone numbers frequently, so this is pretty pointless.
• Y'all could add together your phone number to the Do Non Call Registry—a database that tells legitimate third parties not to contact you lot. Scammers, however, don't operate within the boundaries of the law and the Do Not Call Registry won't terminate them from contacting y'all. They just don't care.

At that place are a few ways you tin reduce the chances of receiving spam SMS, yet. Scammers detect phone numbers by scraping public databases on the net—things like business concern listings, LinkedIn accounts, and social media accounts. With that being said, you lot could do the following:

• Google your phone number and run into if it'southward publicly available. If y'all own a business, your website and other business organisation listings might list your phone number. Scammers can hands find these numbers and add them to their databases, then you might want to remove them.
• Check your social media accounts like Facebook and Instagram and see if your number is listed. Yous might want to remove your telephone number or, at the very to the lowest degree, tweak your privacy settings then only your friends tin access your number.
• Read the fine impress of whatsoever forms you complete online. Sometimes, companies send you annoying texts with promotions and appointment reminders if you don't "opt-out" of communications by ticking a box. You tin always cull not to be contacted by a company when providing them with your information online.

A word of alarm: Opting out of the in a higher place can cause problems! You might want your phone number on the internet so customers and clients can phone y'all about products and services. Or you lot might want to leave your number on Facebook so friends can message you. Or you lot might desire to receive promotions from genuine companies yous are interested in.

Is there another solution to spam texts?

Y'all could download a spam text blocker app on your smartphone. Apps like RoboKiller block incoming spam texts and spam calls earlier they can impairment you lot. RoboKiller uses machine learning to analyze text messages for disquisitional predictors of spam, such as:

• The number of the sender
• The content of the message
• Any suspicious URL or link structures
• Any attachments
• Any keywords associated with known scams

This way, you don't demand to remove your telephone number from business listings or change your number at all.

Are spam texts legal?

If you lot received a spam text, there's a proficient adventure it's illegal. Hither's what the FTC says:

‍Information technology'south illegal to send unsolicited commercial electronic mail messages to wireless devices, including cell phones and pagers unless the sender gets your permission outset.

‍And here'south what the FCC says:

‍FCC rules ban text letters sent to a mobile telephone using an autodialer (which most commercial spam uses) unless you lot previously gave consent to receive the bulletin or the message is sent for emergency purposes.

‍So, yes, information technology's illegal to send unsolicited commercial electronic mail messages to wireless devices unless the sender gets your permission starting time. Information technology's also illegal to send unsolicited text messages from an auto-dialer.

There are two exceptions to the law:

• If a company has a relationship with yous, it tin can send you things similar statements or warranty data.
• A non-commercial system can send you political surveys or fundraising letters.

Information technology'due south important to notation that while legal texts are undoubtedly annoying, these letters aren't dangerous. Information technology'due south the illegal spam texts that y'all should worry about because of the following:

• Scammers have no regard for the law.
• Scammers won't stop sending you messages if you ask them to (fifty-fifty if you're actually squeamish!).
• Scammers might effort to steal your personal and financial data.

So, what else is the authorities doing? Recently, the FCC announced a new engineering science called STIR/SHAKEN, where telephone carriers will effort to place an unknown caller on your phone. However, this framework doesn't really extend to text letters. Messages from unknown senders will still finish up in your inbox and you'll still receive notifications, which can be extremely distracting (and disappointing if you're waiting for someone important to message yous!) This may hateful an increase in spam texts in years to come. STIR/SHAKEN as well doesn't prevent unwanted telephone calls from reaching yous in the get-go place. Sure, it acts as an actress layer of security, merely y'all still have to decide whether to accept, reject, or block a phone number. This process still takes time out of your day and doesn't really solve anything in the long run.

Why are spam texts so hard to terminate?

In recent years, scammers have get far more sophisticated in their methods. Now, it's hard to tell whether a message is from a genuine person or a scammer attempting to steal your information. It all has to do with something called caller ID spoofing. Caller ID spoofing is the applied science that allows spammers to alter the information that is forwarded to your caller ID. In simpler terms, caller ID spoofing enables someone to brandish a phone number different than the exact number from which the call was placed. Caller ID spoofing works for both telephone calls and text messages on your smartphone.

By spoofing your phone number, nearly anyone can phone call y'all from:

• Blocked caller ID
• "No Caller ID"
• Unknown caller ID
• Random phone numbers
• Telephone numbers from local expanse codes
• Even your own phone number!

Caller ID spoofing allows scammers to remain totally anonymous. Often, they get in appear that someone is sending a bulletin from a legitimate, local phone number—but that'due south not the example. To brand matters worse, caller ID spoofing and auto-dialing engineering science are very inexpensive to use, especially at a high volume. Illegal texters utilise caller ID spoofing because information technology guarantees total anonymity for their scams. Spammers send spoof texts from fake phone numbers that are non their own. Spoofing increases the odds that a scam texter will non get caught for their illegal actions, making spoofing the weapon of option for many spammers worldwide.

The problem of spam texts is becoming an epidemic. 20-five pct of people encounter problems with unwanted spam texts at to the lowest degree weekly.

How does caller ID spoofing impact you?

Caller ID spoofing makes it difficult for you to stop spam texts on your own. No longer can yous just delete or ignore the bulletin. This is because scammers have admission to thousands, perhaps millions, of phone numbers, so they will just keep to flood your phone with unwanted communications.

Caller ID spoofing as well tricks you into thinking that someone important is trying to contact y'all—a loved one or a colleague, for case. Replying to a spam message (because y'all think it is genuine) is a mutual mistake, but information technology'southward one that could price you lot. If you have received a spam text, in that location's a good chance that an illegal scammer has sent the bulletin.

Many scammers operate from overseas, where they are not field of study to the laws of the United States. Every bit a upshot, they tin can continue to bombard people with unwanted communications without fear of getting caught.

Here are some of the virtually mutual caller ID spoofs, co-ordinate to the FCC:

• Scammers text you pretending to be from your depository financial institution or credit card company. They might utilise a number of tactics, such every bit imitation fraud alerts or promises of low interest. The real purpose of these messages is to steal your personal information and access your financial accounts.
• Scammers text you pretending to be from charitable organizations. They might ask you to donate funds to a good cause, especially during the vacation flavor. Again, the purpose of these fake messages is to steal your information.
• Scammers text you pretending to be from your health insurance provider and remind you to enroll in or change your wellness program. These messages also seek to steal your information.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Scammers might pretend to exist someone from the government or constabulary enforcement with the intent of tricking you into thinking you're reading a bulletin from a loved ane. In recent months, spam texts have become fifty-fifty more than targeted and might include personal data that makes you believe the texts are 18-carat, such as your nickname.

How to end spam texts, for skillful.

Spam texts are on the rise and evidence no signs of slowing downwardly. The but manner to stop scammers from stealing your time, money and identity? Preclude them from reaching your phone in the first identify!

Equally you lot can see above, this tin exist difficult. Despite recent legislative changes, scam calls and texts are still impacting millions of Americans every single day—and changing your phone number or contacting your carrier merely won't cutting it. There is one effective solution that yous need to know nearly. A spam text blocker app can stop spam texts for good. These apps apply machine learning to clarify and cake thousands of potentially harmful texts every unmarried twenty-four hour period.

‍Apps such equally RoboKiller provide advanced spam text and spam call protection to protect personal identity and financial information. All you need to practice is download the app from the App Shop or Google Play. This is how it works:

• RoboKiller analyzes letters that attain your phone for specific predictors of spam such equally the number of the sender, the content of the bulletin, any attachments, and other important factors.
• RoboKiller volition filter out these messages if it believes they are spam.
• RoboKiller will move spam messages to a special folder in your letters app called "Unknown & Junk."
• You lot tin review these flagged messages at any time to brand sure it's definitely spam.

RoboKiller provides spam protection whether your phone is online or offline. Hither's how to ready it all up after you've downloaded the RoboKiller app:

• Open your phone's settings.
• Scroll down and tap on messages.
• Scroll down and tap on "Unknown & Spam."
• Enable RoboKiller under the SMS filtering section.
• Yous're done! RoboKiller is now protecting your letters!

With RoboKiller, y'all are protected from spam texts before they attack. It's the only weapon you lot demand in the fight against unwanted spam texts and calls. We highly recommend signing up for RoboKiller if you want to end spam texts and robocalls for adept. Across offering the well-nigh effective spam phone call protection, SMS filtering, real-time caller identification, and block/allow list functionality, RoboKiller also allows you to become revenge on spam callers using Answer Bots, which are hilarious pre-recordings that keep spam callers on the phone for hours.

Larn more!

With a low monthly fee, RoboKiller is a secure investment to protect your privacy and personal data confronting annoying spam texts and unwanted calls.

‍Join the fight to finish spammers for good and enjoy a spam-gratis smartphone!

Why Blocking Spam Texts with Default Call Blocking Won't Work

You might be wondering if in that location's a divergence betwixt RoboKiller and the default block feature on your phone. There is. Both Apple tree and Android have text bulletin filtering features. They can block some unwanted texts, but they weren't designed to fight the current spam text epidemic. Hither are the steps you lot need to take in gild to block spam texts on your iPhone:

• Access "Messages"
• Tap on the message from the spammer
• Select "Details" under the "i" icon on the summit right of the screen
• At the lesser of the screen, select "Block Caller"

Notice anything wrong with this solution? If y'all thought nearly caller ID spoofing, then y'all're correct!

Considering a scammer is likely to text y'all from a spoofed number, blocking a phone number following the above steps will Non end the spammer from texting y'all once more or assistance your spam text problem. It will only block that ane telephone number, and the inundation of spam texts volition go along coming. The same goes for Android.

‍RoboKiller, on the other manus, was designed to fight all types of spam texts, including those sent with faked, spoofed numbers. As a upshot, you lot tin can stop unwanted texts from reaching you in the commencement instance and customize your settings to make sure yous even so receive messages from people you lot know. It's that unproblematic!

Ready to showtime with RoboKiller? Click here to find out more, or download the RoboKiller App from the App Store or Google Play now.

Source: https://www.robokiller.com/blog/spam-text

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