[FYI] - Protect yourself from scams

[realaud]

If you are being added to group messages from strangers, just block, report, and delete the messages. Do not interact with them in any way, not even to remove yourself from the group. Di not even open them to read, lest a read receipt be generated. If you remove yourself from the group, the scammers know they have hit a working number. These "group chats" are designed to try to obtain personal information from people. They will act like your long lost elementary school friend, estranged cousin or someone else where it's not easy to readily confirm their identity.

If you are using Google Messages, you can go to the settings and make sure spam protection is turned on. This will create a "spam and blocked" folder, where these messages will disappear to once you block them. You will not receive notifications for them. At the moment, I am unsure whether blocking the goup chat, blocks all the numbers in the chat, or just the originator. Remember that any numbers after the first number is likely someone who is also a potential victim. If you continue to get these group messages after blocking, it's likely that the scammer bot farm has used a different number. Just keep blocking and reporting, eventually the texts should lessen.

[Robin621k]

Great advice, I so rarely get spam texts or calls. I never engage texts or answer calls.

[realaud]

There are quite a few posts about this right now, but I haven't gotten any yet

[CEParsons]

Google Messages does a great job filtering out spam for me. If I check my spam folder, there's quite a bit that has been sent my way but I haven't seen or been notified of.

[realaud]

I love GM's spam filter. Give me the spam filter and I couldn't care less about themes.

[Robin621k]

The more you answer spam calls the more you are going to get. If the caller is not in my contacts, I do not answer. My voicemail message states, if you are not in my contacts and you require me to return your call leave a message.

[MrGhoul]

Same here!

[Aces23]

😮

[Robin621k]

I cannot believe people answer these calls!

[PRETTYEYESPRINCE]

HOW DO I BLOCK THE SPAM CALLS FROM RINGING MY PHONE EVERY 5 SECONDS? IVE TURNED ON BLOCK UNKNOWN CALLERS BUT MY PHONE STILL RINGS WITH SPAM CALLS HOW DO I STOP THE SPAM FROM RINGING MY PHONE??