How to stop spam texts in the UK

The average UK mobile receives somewhere between 5 and 50 spam texts a month — fake delivery notices, dodgy "your account has been suspended" messages, missed payment scams, prize draws, and an endless stream of unsolicited marketing. They're irritating at best and dangerous at worst.

This guide covers the practical things you can actually do — the ones that work — and the strategy that stops them from reaching you in the first place.

1. Report scam texts to 7726 (the easy one)

The number 7726 is the free UK reporting service for spam SMS. It's run by the mobile networks (the digits spell out "SPAM" on a keypad). It's free to use on EE, O2, Vodafone, Three and most MVNOs.

To report:

1. Forward the spam message to 7726.
2. You'll get an automated reply asking for the number that sent the original message.
3. Reply with that number. Done.

What happens next: the network investigates the source and can block it across their entire network. They share the data with the other UK networks, Ofcom, and law enforcement where appropriate. It won't stop the message you've already received, but it does help shut down the campaign.

2. Block individual numbers

Both iPhone and Android have built-in number blocking. It works for spam from a fixed sender — but most scam SMS uses constantly rotating numbers, so blocking one rarely stops the next.

iPhone: Open the message, tap the sender at the top, then "info" → "Block this Caller".

Android: Open the message, long-press it, and choose "Block number" or "Spam".

This is a useful short-term tool but not a real fix.

3. Register with the Telephone Preference Service (limited use)

The TPS is the UK's official "do not call" register, free at tpsonline.org.uk. It's legally binding for UK companies doing direct marketing.

The catch: it only stops legitimate UK marketers. Scam senders, foreign operators, and anyone breaking the law to begin with will ignore it. It's worth registering — it'll cut down legitimate marketing — but it won't touch the actual spam problem.

4. Stop giving out your real number

This is the one thing that actually solves the problem at source. Every spam text you receive started somewhere — usually with your number being entered into a website, a marketing list, a competition entry, a delivery form, a marketplace listing, or a data breach.

Once your number is on a list, it's there forever. Lists get sold, traded, leaked, and recycled. Even reputable companies sell or share their data with "marketing partners" hidden in privacy policy small print.

The best long-term strategy is simple: never give your real mobile number to anyone you don't already trust.

Where most spam text leaks come from

• Online forms: delivery tracking, parcel notifications, restaurant bookings, gym sign-ups, free trials
• Marketplace listings: Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, Vinted, eBay
• Competition entries and prize draws
• Loyalty cards and membership sign-ups
• Data breaches at companies you've signed up with (you can check your exposure on Have I Been Pwned)
• CV uploads, job board profiles, public business listings
• Estate agents, mortgage brokers, insurance comparison sites

5. Use a virtual number for everything you don't fully trust

The cleanest fix is to keep your real number for people you actually know — family, close friends, your bank — and use a separate, virtual UK number for everything else. Marketplace listings, sign-ups, deliveries, business contacts, online accounts, anywhere you're asked for a phone but you'd rather not hand over the real one.

If that virtual number ever does start filling up with spam, you can ditch it and get a new one — without having to update your real number with your bank, your employer, the DVLA, or anyone else who genuinely needs to reach you.

That's exactly what Privify does: a real UK 07 number, where every text gets forwarded straight to your email inbox. Spam is contained on the disposable number, not on the one tied to your identity.

6. Be careful what you click in spam texts

Whatever you do, don't click links in suspicious texts. Even tapping a link can confirm to the sender that the number is active, which gets you on more lists. Worse, the link may load a page that captures device information or pushes you to enter login details.

If a text claims to be from your bank, Royal Mail, HMRC, the NHS or a delivery firm — go to the official website or app yourself and check there. Never click through.

What about iMessage and RCS spam?

Spam over iMessage and Google's RCS Messages is a growing problem. These messages don't use SMS at all — they go over data — so the 7726 reporting service can't see them.

To report iMessage spam, use the "Report Junk" link that appears under unknown-sender messages on iOS, or block the sender's Apple ID. For Android RCS spam, use "Block & report spam" inside the Messages app.

The bottom line

You can't stop every spam text — the senders are sophisticated, the networks are vast, and the data is already out there. But you can dramatically reduce the volume by:

• Reporting to 7726 so networks can shut campaigns down
• Blocking individual senders in your phone
• Joining the TPS to stop legitimate UK marketing
• And — most effectively — not giving your real number out to anyone who doesn't strictly need it

That last one is the only fix that actually scales. Once your number stops appearing on forms, in databases, and on marketing lists, the volume tails off naturally.