How to block a text number???

[mjeff87]

For the love of God, if I get one more text about filling out the @*$&^#@! 2020 Census I'm gonna loose my mind.  The wife filled the damn thing out online about 3 weeks ago, but I keep getting "reminder" texts every couple of days, and just now got a new text to click a link to watch some kind of video about how much the Census helps little kittens and busloads of nuns.  Not clicking the link.  Plus, we got a really threatening letter via snail mail on Saturday (had a bunch of legal stuff on the outside of the envelope written in BIG BOLD BLACK TEXT about how the LAW requires a response).  What happens if we fill out the snail mail form and send it back in.......do my wife and I get counted twice?  I work for the government, and I can absolutely see something like that happening.  Next step is to actually send a census counter person to my house, which I guarantee will not end nicely.  Ask the folks from Verizon FIOS about how much I like pushy unsolicited people trying to walk up onto my porch.

 

But seriously, how can I block a number from texting my phone?  I can block specific numbers from calling, but I can't figure out any way to block a text sender.  Samsung S9 or something like that, if it matters.

 

 

[WahooSteeler]

Jeff, I have an S7 so hopefully still similar to how it works on your S9. When I get spam texts, open the text, upper right hand corner should be 3 dots for "menu", then down near the bottom it has "Block Number" and will then also give you the option to "delete this conversation". Hope it works....

[yxmj]

Wahoo is correct all Android have that feature 

[WahooSteeler]

6 minutes ago, yxmj said:

Wahoo is correct all Android have that feature 

 

May depend on which text message app he uses though? I just remembered that I think I use one that is not the standard Samsung text app, although IIRC the one I use was also pre-installed because I definitely don't recall downloading it. 

[yxmj]

True

My app was pre-loaded....just called messaging has a green square "Talking Balloon" as an icon

I also use "Whats App".....and it has the same feature accessed the same way.

[derf]

It depends on what garbage your provider put in the phone in a lot of cases.  Many of them tend to make basic services "pay to play" so that they get extra money for enabling a feature that costs them nothing.

 

My question is how they got your number in the first place.  I've never one gotten my number on one of those lists.  When they ask for one and won't let me proceed without it, I give them the old information number (303-555-1212).

[mjeff87]

I dunno....I got this phone after my S5 died a horrible death.  Bought it straight from Verizon,  so it's all OEM crap running I guess.  Next time I get a text I'll check the little dots and see what my options are.

 

I did reply back to this lates text with some very colorful instructions on how they can use some various body parts to their own private advantage, but I doubt it's a monitored/live account.  Made me feel better though, for at least a minute

[derf]

Replying is actually a bad idea.  It lets them know that your phone number is an active one with a live person on the other end.

 

I do remember back before the do not call list came out, I figured out how to cut off annoying sales calls.  They were all mostly robo-dialed, even back then.  There was a series of 3 tones if you dialed a bad number.  I was able to record those tones and put them at the start of my answering machine message.  The robo-dialers would hear those tones and kick your number out of the list.  It didn't take too long for the robo-calls to dry right up.