Forget Unsolicited Calls, Here Come the Robotexts
Tue 31st Dec 2019 | Posted by Glancy Law, on Blog
Just as the Federal Trade Commission and phone carriers are having some success in the war on robocalls, spammers are finding a different way to annoy people through their cell phones.
The FTC received more than 93,000 consumer complaints about unsolicited text messages last year, according to the Wall Street Journal. That is nearly a 30 percent jump from the previous year, a sign that spam artists are shifting their attention to the text game.
These messages are not just annoying for those of use on the receiving end, they can also pose a number of risks. Robotexts often offer free gifts, discounts, cheap mortgages and other enticements in exchange for personal information that fraudsters can use to steal your identity. Or they may include links to malware that steals the information directly from your phone. That is not to mention that unwanted texts can also lead to unexpected charges on your phone bill.
It is generally illegal to send unsolicited commercial texts to people without their prior permission. There are a number of steps that you can take to curb robotexts, starting by ignoring and deleting the texts. It is important to resist the urge to respond to spam texts by saying “STOP.” Doing so may only embolden robotexters by confirming that there is a real person with a working number on the other end.
Customers of AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint or Bell can report spam texts to their carriers by copying the message and sending it to 7726 (SPAM). Phone owners can also add their numbers to the national “do not call” registry.
How Our Consumer Protection Attorneys Can Help
Glancy Prongay & Murray is a nationwide consumer protection law firm whose attorneys have been helping people fight back against robocalls and unsolicited text messages for more than two decades. Whether you are being harassed by a debt collector, spammed with unwanted advertisements or targeted for identity theft, we can help.
Federal law provides for fines of $500 to $1,500 per call or text for companies that do not get the recipient’s prior consent. Our lawyers can help you identify the source of the robotexts, file a claim with the FTC and pursue litigation in court, if needed.
Speak With Our Consumer Protection Attorneys Today
If you or a loved one is being inundated with robocalls or unsolicited texts – or has been victimized by a privacy breach or consumer fraud scam – we can help.
At Glancy Prongay & Murray, our consumer protection attorneys have been representing people in securities, consumer and other fraud cases for more than 25 years. We have a strong track record of success in these cases. Call us at (310) 201-9150 or contact us online to speak with an attorney today.