Is a project manager hiring you for a full-time or part-time job? Did you get a 999K bonus from your cellular subscription? Or is someone selling you solar-powered lights on sale?
These are some of the incessant messages many Filipinos have been getting for months now. The messages often have an attached link at the end that may lead you to phishing websites pretending to be legitimate establishments like banks and recruitment agencies.
Not only is it annoying, but it is also dangerous. If you’re not careful, you might end up giving them your sensitive personal information like your bank account and credit card number.
While telecommunications companies are making an effort to prevent these spam messages, here are some ways you can do it yourself to get rid of these pesky messages:
1. Do not respond
With any spam messages, the safest way to be is to never engage with any of them. Do not reply. Do not click the links provided.
I know sometimes it’s tempting to reply “STOP” or troll the sender, but doing so will make them know that your phone number is valid and active. This would only encourage them to message you more. Or worse, they might give your number to other spammers who are looking for an active number.
2. Block the number
If you’ve been receiving multiple spam messages from the same number, then it might be time for you to block that number. On most phones, you can do this by clicking on the number in the spam message and choosing the “Block Contact” option.
However, take note that this technique won’t always work as most spammers use different numbers to message you, so blocking individual numbers might be taxing for you.
3. Report spam to your cellular provider
Do not hesitate to report any suspicious messages to your cellular provider. Telecommunications providers, such as Globe and Smart, are taking action against spam messages.
You can report it by sending the screenshot of the spam message along with the mobile number it came from to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) or through the designated page of your cellular provider.
4. Turn on your message filters
Prevent any potential spam messages with the filter settings on your messaging app—this feature is available on both Android and iPhone devices. This way, they won’t appear in the same inbox as your other important and legitimate texts from known contacts.
On the iPhone, go to Settings, scroll down and click Messages, and turn on the switch “Filter Unknown Senders” located in Message Filtering.
On Android, open the Messaging app, tap on the three-dot icon at the top right, choose Settings in the drop-down menu, and then enable the Spam Protection button.
5. Use a text-blocking app
If blocking and reporting individual phone numbers is too much work for you. Or if you want that added protection. Then you can install an app specifically meant to block spam. Apps like RoboKiller and Hiya—both available for Android and iOS—are some of the most popular spam-blocking apps on the market.
