Block anonymous senders in Message app?

Citing the article(s) these phrases appear and are applicable.

Block a phone number, contact, or email.

There are a few ways that you can block phone numbers, contacts, and emails.

And I've used these to help resolve and block several anonymous

iMessages from (& unknown callers) without having to save into

my Contacts first. The entire reason why, is that for me, this works.

• Block phone numbers, contacts, and emails on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201229

In part these also helped remove 'unwanted unknown' messages.

Manage your blocked phone numbers, contacts, and emails:

Filter messages from unknown senders

"You can filter messages from people who aren't saved in your Contacts."

Sometimes I haven't time from my real world to answer again.

As a volunteer from 2003 in these discussions; little time away

from life and actual mostly unpaid work in either case, helps me.

[The proof to me, is these worked. One of the only paths with

an older macOS and newest iOS in iPhone; to make this work.]

Previously I was able to use an antique iPad Mini w/ iOS9.3.5

(wi-fi only) and the Messages app there, to block unknowns.

The Mac hasn't been fully satisfactory for me, with any these.

Perhaps due to using an older macOS; marginal but adequate.

The iPad still does this task; & takes me more steps to accomplish.

Instructions for macOS, on the other hand, tell me that I could be

be able to do these. Maybe articles apply to newer than Catalina.

My newest installed and running macOS in my daily use Mac, is

an older High Sierra. This machine has dual-drives and three OS.

(2 newer macOS installers are on second internal drive, 10.15/10.14.)

Purposefully and quite useful, was the ability to direct unwanted

and totally unknown to me (some suspected as spam) Messages

from Unknown Senders; to block & not enter those first in Contacts.

Often enough are times like these ~ are reason to need to block ASC

threads, where my experience wasn't good enough to match inquiry.

In this case, I've eaten my own stew. And so on.. I should feel insulted.

Not sure what level of success you've attained or tried first.

Sorry to find my efforts, are unsatisfactory; in your situation.

..Jagmurcredrea:

Should you try & first use iPhone, instead of the Mac; the field gets clearer.

The iPhone has best aspect of fuller control; yet both leave something out.

Tip: On your iOS device, block text messages without first creating a new Contact.

See the Apple Support article:

• Block phone numbers, contacts, and emails on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201229

While the macOS 'block texts in Messages on Mac' article(s) are Contact-based

depends on macOS version of the article you read; these can vary. Mojave 10.14

link; has some helpful 'How To' lines about Blocking iMessages/iOS, others miss..

(How to Block messages without Adding them to Contacts: In iDevice article only?)

• Block texts in Messages on Mac - Apple Support [mojave 10.14] Tip? was in here:

https://support.apple.com/guide/messages/block-texts-in-messages-on-mac-icht1019/12.0/mac/10.14

Those also like to change, with macOS and iOS versions. Why instructions for Mac OS

is lacking direct method to Block? As clear & plain as iOS version, is hard to figure out.

Use the iPhone to 'block' item/article, much more direct; with that, to arrive at Done.

It may be a little faster to add new Contacts to iPad, than Mac, to Block them, Superior, to use

the iPhone. Too: Avoid loading what you really don't want, (into Contacts) just to remove them.

[No logic there at all, to my pragmatic thinking; about all these darn devices.

..I really kinda want to flatten them with a good 8-pounder against an anvil.]

Jagmurcredrea wrote:

K,

Did you notice that the question was "Block anonymous senders in Message app?".

None of what you wrote referred to "anonymous senders".

Unless I'm missing something..?

You can't block anonymous senders using the features of an iPhone. You can see what your carrier offers in the way of blocking services. Or, you can look at the blocking apps available in the App Store.

..IdrisSeabright:

Sorry to be delusional about this. But 'none' of those I've successfully blocked

and nearly zero of those spam or phishing, have returned; when using path

found in twice cited article; around between or through their fake messages.

[And these qualify by definition as Anonymous and Unknown. Unsolicited, too.

To OP: Be aware of what you ask, and know the differences once those arrive.]

Thank you for the input.

I've also had a few phishing scam messages from nobody. The IP was able

to temporarily block. But those came back, with different identifiers again.

Mine were resolved by methods in cited articles.. Cellular provider, failed.