Annoying text messages

[temporal1]

Among my biggest “annoyances” with politicians (esp Congress) is ..
they have ZERO problem, ZERO hesitation, to pass any legislation that serves THEM. BIPARTISAN support.
Quiet+efficient. ZERO drama.

When it comes to important decisions, cooperation FOR THE GREATER GOOD, they are suddenly+chronically BRAIN DEAD.
Decades pass while they conveniently fumble around getting nowhere.

That’s a clue, people.

Anyone who has ever raised children-teens can recognize this behavior.
Anyone who has taught children-teens should be able to recognize this behavior.

Yet, it’s allowed. With impunity.

[Soloist]

Wife: I get random text messages sometimes from people pretending to have the wrong number, and I usually just ignore them, although soloist occasionally has a lot of fun with them.

The other day though, there was a message from a boy who was asking his mom whether or not his buddy could come home with him and then they go to the Y(MCA?) It was a colorado number, so I decided to risk it and respond...

I am not your mother. I am a cow.


No seriously, I'm not your mom, but I love that book.

he shot something back about it being a good book and I never heard from him again. The children and I had all these plans in case he really was a spammer of telling him not to talk to strangers or we would tell his mother, or maybe at some point responding "SNORT!!!", but alas, he was probably only a boring teen or tween.

[temporal1]

she’s asking for money now.

[Ken]

If you want to actually block messages you have to block the individual numbers that the texts are coming from.

"Report Junk and Delete" just deletes the message and forwards it on to Apple or your wireless provider (Verizon, AT&T etc.) who almost certainly do absolutely nothing with that information except just collect it for statistical purposes.

If we are talking about email then google does put the information and sender into your junk folder if you hit report junk and delete in Gmail or other email systems. But text messages don't have folders like email so you just keep getting them unless you actually block the number.

[temporal1]

One of today’s texts showed up on a different device, it included the option to “Reply STOP” to end messages.
i replied STOP.

Maybe that will do it.

[temporal1]

This may be the way out:

NH / TEXT MESSAGE PRIVACY POLICY
https://nikkihaley.com/text-privacy-policy/

.. If you do not wish to continue participating in the program or no longer agree to these Terms,
you can reply “STOP” to any mobile message from Us in order to opt out of the Program. ..

So far, so good.

[temporal1]

They look so authentic!

U.S Customs USPS Parcel Scam Texts: What You Need To Know
https://malwaretips.com/blogs/u-s-custo ... cam-texts/

[Szdfan]

They look so authentic!

U.S Customs USPS Parcel Scam Texts: What You Need To Know
https://malwaretips.com/blogs/u-s-custo ... cam-texts/

I get a bunch of these and I block them. I’m skeptical that USPS is texting me with a number from the Philippines.

Also: how is it that USPS doesn’t know my address, but knows my cell number?

[temporal1]

They look so authentic!

U.S Customs USPS Parcel Scam Texts: What You Need To Know
https://malwaretips.com/blogs/u-s-custo ... cam-texts/

I get a bunch of these and I block them. I’m skeptical that USPS is texting me with a number from the Philippines.

A few months ago, i got a similar text from .. IRS? .. i’m not sure. i meant to add it here, didn’t get to it.
My family thinks i’m completely vulnerable - i enjoy every pothole i’m able to sidestep.

Unfortunately, it seems more are bound to come, with increasing sophistication.

[cooper]

“It’s to warm the number.

You cannot send bulk texts containing a URL until your number has earned credibility with phone carriers.

To earn credibility, it needs to have replies from other numbers. So the message they send is always something that tries to elicit a response from you.

Once response rate is high and the phone number is warmed, they send tens of thousands of spam links to people.”

Best way to fight back? Replying STOP in all caps will immediately flag the number.