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Silence unknown texters?

Is there a way to silence the text messages from unknown numbers? I use the "Silence unknown callers" feature regularly. However, the spammers are making it through on the text messages. I even pay for a subscription from AT&T to filter them and I have a tool from work that filters them, but I still get notified.

Detect and block spam phone calls - Apple Support

iPhone 11 Pro, iOS 14

Posted on Jan 8, 2021 11:33 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 8, 2021 12:01 PM

> I want to block the same notification


I get that, but how is the phone supposed to know that any given message is a spammer if there's no apparent connection to a previous message? The number is the only component it can use.

It's a pretty serious limitation of the SMS protocol that no one thought of when the system was designed. Very similar to the issues with phones and CallerID - which sounds great in principle, but too easy to spoof, and email spam.

5 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 8, 2021 12:01 PM in response to resing

> I want to block the same notification


I get that, but how is the phone supposed to know that any given message is a spammer if there's no apparent connection to a previous message? The number is the only component it can use.

It's a pretty serious limitation of the SMS protocol that no one thought of when the system was designed. Very similar to the issues with phones and CallerID - which sounds great in principle, but too easy to spoof, and email spam.

Jan 8, 2021 11:41 AM in response to resing

resing wrote:

Is there a way to silence the text messages from unknown numbers? I use the "Silence unknown callers" feature regularly. However, the spammers are making it through on the text messages. I even pay for a subscription from AT&T to filter them and I have a tool from work that filters them, but I still get notified.
Detect and block spam phone calls - Apple Support

no.

Jan 8, 2021 11:45 AM in response to resing

You can block the alert/notification that the phone displays when the message comes in. The phone will still receive the message, and it will fall into the Unknown Senders bucket, but at least you won't be (as) disturbed by it.


Just look at any offending message - at the top of the message pane you'll see the sender's number - tap that to see the callback icons (Audio/FaceTime/Info). Under Info is an option to 'Hide Alerts'

Silence unknown texters?

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