How to Stop Spam Texts and Calls (US, UK and Canada)

Spam calls and texts are more than annoying: they're the delivery method for scams, and they can bury messages that matter. There's no single switch that ends it, but layering a few free tools usually makes a dramatic difference. This guide covers the reporting shortcut that works in all three countries, the filters built into iPhone, Android and carrier apps, the do-not-call registries and what they actually cover, and the long-term fix of sharing your number less.

How do you report spam texts?

Forward the spam text to 7726. On most US, UK and Canadian carriers, this sends it to the carrier's spam team, and you may get a reply asking for the sender's number. Reports help carriers block senders for everyone. Then delete the message or use your messaging app's Report Junk or Report spam option.

Don't reply to unknown senders, even with STOP, unless you know it's a legitimate company you signed up with. Legitimate marketers must honor STOP; scammers use any reply as proof your number is active.

Which filters should you turn on?

Both your phone and your carrier can filter spam before you see it. Turn on all of the free options; they work together.

Do Not Call lists: what they do and don't do

Each country has a free registry that tells legitimate telemarketers not to call you. It's worth joining, but understand its limits: scammers ignore it, and it mainly covers sales calls rather than texts, charities, surveys or companies you already do business with.

• United States: National Do Not Call Registry at donotcall.gov, run by the FTC. Report unwanted sales calls there too.
• United Kingdom: Telephone Preference Service (TPS), free for individuals. Complaints about nuisance calls and texts can go to the ICO.
• Canada: National Do Not Call List (DNCL), run by the CRTC.

Step by step

1. Report spam textsForward each spam text to 7726, then delete it.
2. Turn on phone filtersEnable unknown-sender filtering and spam protection on iPhone or Android.
3. Turn on carrier toolsActivate your carrier's free spam call protection in its app.
4. Join the do-not-call listRegister on the list for your country.
5. Share your number lessUse email or a separate number for sign-ups that don't need your personal one.

Why do you get so much spam in the first place?

Your number spreads every time you type it into a form. Retail loyalty programs, contest entries, apps, delivery services and online sign-ups collect numbers, and some share or sell them, or lose them in data breaches. Data brokers combine these lists with your name and address. Scammers also dial or text number ranges at random, which is why even new numbers get spam.

Once a number is on many lists, it's hard to pull back. That's why prevention, sharing your number less, matters as much as filtering. Don't answer or call back unknown numbers out of curiosity either; engagement can mark your number as active and lead to more calls.

How do you keep your number off sign-ups?

Ask whether a service really needs your number. Many sign-ups ask for it but don't require it, or accept an email instead. Where a number is required just to verify a new account, you can use a separate number so your personal one doesn't end up in another database.

Options include a second SIM or eSIM, a VoIP number where the app accepts it, or a private temporary number for one-time verification. Noir SMS rents carrier mobile numbers for one verification on one service; the code appears in your dashboard, and you're refunded automatically if nothing arrives within 20 minutes. Because these numbers are recycled, use them for sign-ups you don't need to recover by phone, add an email and authenticator afterward, and use them only for your own legitimate accounts.

For your main number, keep it for people you know, your carrier, and the handful of services where SMS recovery genuinely helps you.