I live in the PNW. Every election cycle I get massive amounts of Arizona conservative text spam. How do I make it stop?
from AncientFutureNow@lemmy.world to privacy@lemmy.ml on 06 Jul 2024 20:18
https://lemmy.world/post/17293728

It all comes from Arizona. Ive never been to Arizona. My phone number isnt anywhere near Arizona. One year, I replied STOP to every text. Nothing stopped. Now I just cuss them out and block them, but it still persists. I wrote an email to the Arizona Republican’s main office and demanded my number be removed from thier canvassing. Crickets. More spam. 3 today alone. I am so tired of this shit. It doesnt help that I think conservatives are pieces of shit and I am a member of a marginalized community that they are targeting with hate and discriminative laws.

#privacy

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GolfNovemberUniform@lemmy.ml on 06 Jul 2024 20:32 next collapse

It doesnt help that I think conservatives are pieces of shit and I am a member of a marginalized community that they are targeting with hate and discriminative laws.

Stop infecting every single Lemmy community with freaking politics. There’s nothing good in it.

Speaking of your question, it looks like there’s a bad actor. Spamming isn’t something a serious political organization would do. I think you should change your phone number.

AncientFutureNow@lemmy.world on 06 Jul 2024 21:20 next collapse

Sir, you may want to go back to Twitter or Reddit.

GolfNovemberUniform@lemmy.ml on 06 Jul 2024 21:35 collapse

Lol why? There’s a lot of politics there

probableprotogen@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 07 Jul 2024 19:02 collapse

Have you fucking touched grass? Look at the state of the United States as of now.

GolfNovemberUniform@lemmy.ml on 07 Jul 2024 19:13 collapse

Trying to get me banned for breaking community rules huh? Sorry but I won’t break it by talking about politics here.

SaintWacko@midwest.social on 06 Jul 2024 21:37 next collapse

Spamming isn’t something a serious political organization would do.

They already said it’s from conservatives, no need to be redundant.

GolfNovemberUniform@lemmy.ml on 06 Jul 2024 21:39 collapse

It can be from their fans, competitors or anyone trying to discredit them. Anything is possible. But if it’s really from conservatives, it’s a very stupid strategy.

Drusas@kbin.run on 06 Jul 2024 23:49 next collapse

lol, change your phone number because of one group abusing it. "Just subject yourself to this massive hassle."

GolfNovemberUniform@lemmy.ml on 07 Jul 2024 09:46 collapse

You have any other ideas on how to stop the spam? Then just tell them. No need to stupidly fight

socphoenix@midwest.social on 07 Jul 2024 00:04 next collapse

Why open a post mentioning a political party if you’re going to be mad that it’s about politics?

GolfNovemberUniform@lemmy.ml on 07 Jul 2024 09:48 collapse

Because the user wants help on how to stop the spam. You toxic people won’t understand that. I argued about the inclusion of politics because it’s not allowed in this community and if everyone breaks the rule, it will stop working and the community will turn into a political junkyard.

Scubus@sh.itjust.works on 07 Jul 2024 05:37 next collapse

Bruh if conservatives just stop being a threat to democracy we will start talking about them, ez

seliaste@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 07 Jul 2024 11:33 next collapse

Shut up

probableprotogen@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 07 Jul 2024 19:01 collapse

This wasn’t needed nor called for.

GolfNovemberUniform@lemmy.ml on 07 Jul 2024 19:14 collapse

If answering the user’s question isn’t called for nowadays, I think we need to completely rebuild English so the words mean what they’re supposed to mean.

[deleted] on 06 Jul 2024 20:40 next collapse
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jabathekek@sopuli.xyz on 06 Jul 2024 22:18 collapse

fucking based lmao

aseriesoftubes@lemmy.world on 06 Jul 2024 20:52 next collapse

Report it to the FTC.

Edit: I named the wrong F agency. It looks like the FCC might be a better option: …fcc.gov/…/115002234203-Unwanted-Calls-Texts-Phon…

AncientFutureNow@lemmy.world on 06 Jul 2024 21:23 next collapse

Thanks. I’ll do this.

mox@lemmy.sdf.org on 06 Jul 2024 21:40 next collapse

This is a good idea, as it might eventually lead to policies or laws that would reduce the spam.

I wouldn’t get my hopes up for resolution any time soon, though. Keep in mind that some of the biggest influence campaigns targeting US politics are run by foreign parties, and bulk text messages are cheap and consequence-free. Sadly, stopping it might require changing your phone number.

helenslunch@feddit.nl on 06 Jul 2024 22:17 next collapse

If you get an unwanted text message, there are three ways to report it:

Copy the message and forward it to 7726 (SPAM). This helps your wireless provider spot and block similar messages in the future.

Report it on the messaging app you use. Look for the option to report junk or spam.

Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov

So they pass the buck to other people who don’t care and don’t even have the power to do anything about it. Then they give you a link to report fraud, which is an entirely different crime.

aseriesoftubes@lemmy.world on 07 Jul 2024 02:15 collapse

You’re right. See my edit.

pearsaltchocolatebar@discuss.online on 07 Jul 2024 18:05 collapse

Political campaigns are exempted from most of those regulations. For example, the DNC list doesn’t protect against them.

besmtt@lemmy.world on 07 Jul 2024 01:00 next collapse

Port your number to Google voice. Their spam blocking is great. That and/or get a Pixel. TBH I’m not exactly sure which one is blocking spam calls but I haven’t gotten one in years. I only use Google voice for texting though, so that would have to be blocking spam texts.

Crashumbc@lemmy.world on 07 Jul 2024 01:28 next collapse

I get emails for Wisconsin and Michigan politicians…

I live on the East Coast

ReveredOxygen@sh.itjust.works on 07 Jul 2024 01:59 next collapse

Google messages has good spam filtering, but that requires you to use Google messages. Depends if you prefer Google or spam

bruhbeans@lemmy.ml on 07 Jul 2024 02:21 next collapse

Are you responding literally “stop” or are you editorializing like “please stop for the love of Satan”? The former is supposed to be seen by the system and you’re supposed yo be automatically unsubscribed. The latter goes to a person and that person may try to engage you. At least, when I’ve done text-banking, that’s how it worked. A less reputable system may try to engage you regardless. If you get sent to a person it’s also up to the person to decide if and how they talk to you. If I saw something that made it clear the person didn’t want to talk, I would tell the system to unsub them, others might try to be persistent.

howlingecko@sh.itjust.works on 09 Jul 2024 21:53 collapse

That’s how it SHOULD work. But I’ve replied with just stop or unsubscribe depending on their chosen system’s keyword. I just received a nearly identical message from a different number. Maybe Nancy Pelosi and Hakeem Jeffries were just determined at that time, but it definitely wasn’t handled the way it should have been.

AncientFutureNow@lemmy.world on 07 Jul 2024 02:28 next collapse

all of the above.

atrielienz@lemmy.world on 07 Jul 2024 07:12 next collapse

Make complaints to your congressman’s office. Those texts are illegal and should be reported.

jjlinux@lemmy.ml on 07 Jul 2024 13:00 next collapse

I am getting the same crap from the Republicans. Don’t get me wrong, I could care less regardless of party, but it’s ridiculous.

In my case, since I moved to a VOIP service for voice and text, I just keep adding these to the blacklist, and don’t hear from any of them again, but they do keep coming from other numbers.

delirious_owl@discuss.online on 07 Jul 2024 14:22 next collapse

Take the SIM card out of your phone

drislands@lemmy.world on 07 Jul 2024 15:24 collapse

This is not remotely helpful.

delirious_owl@discuss.online on 07 Jul 2024 16:33 collapse

Why? I did it a decade ago, and its been extremely helpful for both reducing spam and increasing security

drislands@lemmy.world on 07 Jul 2024 18:03 collapse

That is akin to amputating your leg because you’re tired of stubbing your toes.

dukethorion@lemmy.world on 07 Jul 2024 18:50 next collapse

Saves money on socks, too.

delirious_owl@discuss.online on 07 Jul 2024 19:58 collapse

Nah, its akin to replacing a leg whoose artery is cut and hemorrhaging with a cybonetic leg that also let’s you fly

ZombiFrancis@sh.itjust.works on 07 Jul 2024 15:36 next collapse

Unfortunately they respond to engagement.

PNW has a large snowbird population so AZ has been trying to get PNW Rs to switch their registration to AZ to help it be more reliably red.

skozzii@lemmy.ca on 07 Jul 2024 17:20 next collapse

Get involved in politics and vote them out. Once they are gone they won’t have the funds to harass you.

AncientFutureNow@lemmy.world on 07 Jul 2024 18:19 collapse

Oh, I suppose i should uproot my life and move to Arizona to take part in AZ politics?

Its like, you must of read my post, but your comprehension skills leave a lot to be desired.

LordGimp@lemm.ee on 07 Jul 2024 18:24 collapse

Clearly the only way to be sure is to destroy Arizona.