“How to Stop Text Message Spam” – by First Am Tech.com

By this point, we are all used to junk coming at us.  It’s pretty unbelievable the amount of junk mail that still arrives at homes across America.  Our email accounts aren’t much better.  But now, our mobile phones?  What has the world come to?

Spam via text messaging used to be pretty uncommon which is primarily because the cost of texts used to be somewhat expensive.  However, over the past few years, text messaging has become incredibly cheap with many plans now including unlimited texts.  Thus, spam through text messaging is skyrocketing.

Between 2009 and 2011, the number of text messages in the United States identified as spam increased from 2.2 billion (yes, I said BILLION) to over 4.5 billion.  That number is simply staggering.

So, how do you stop these annoying texts from hitting your phone?  Unfortunately, spamming is a huge problem and there are no concrete solutions to this annoying problem.  Here are a few helpful tips from the Consumer Protection web site which will help diminish the amount of incoming spam texts:

Don’t provide your mobile number to suspicious or non-mainstream websites.  Often, these sites sell their data which ends up in the hands of spammers.  As a rule of thumb, try not to provide your mobile number whenever possible.

If you do receive a spam text, you can try forwarding that text to 7726 (which spells ‘SPAM’). When you do this, you should receive a reply from your carrier requesting you forward on the phone number from which the spam originally came from.

Don’t respond to the text. Some people feel that responding to the text with ‘STOP’, ‘NO’, or ‘UNSUBSCRIBE’ works, but others have found that responding actually led to more spam texts because the spammer now knows that you’ve got a working number that can now be sold to others.

As you might have guessed, text spamming is considered to be illegal covered under the Can Spam Act and Telephone Consumer Protection Act which helped to create the national Do Not Call registry.

Cherry blossoms in bloom along the westbank of the Willamette River!

It definitely doesn’t rain ALL the time in Portland Oregon.  As a matter of fact, we often enjoy these unexpected explosions of early Springtime.  If we weren’t true Oregonians, we’d be packing away our sweater and galoshes and pulling out the flip-flops and shorts.  But, we know this is just a welcome “tease”.  As I was “tooling along on my townie”, I noted that I am constantly amazed at the beauty, the cleanliness and the diversity of Portland!  I enjoy seeing that “Spring had Sprung”, then bike over one of the ten outstanding bridges in downtown to the eastbank of the Willamette River and check out rowing lessons.  

Rowing lessons offered on the eastbank of the river!

A little further down the eastbank is the OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) with the ever-changing array of exhibits and the IMAX theatre. More info at OMSI .

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry

 Then back across the Hawthorne Bridge to head down to the South Waterfront and check out the new construction there.  Despite a challenged real estate market, they continue with the development.  The park is almost finished and will add an inviting element for the enclave.  The tram to OHSU still a relative new addition to the Portland skyline.  Tram info (including schedule): OHSU Tram

The tram on it's way up "Pill Hill" to OHSU

 Biking back to downtown with what seemed like the entire population of the Portland metro area all enjoying the sunshine and warmth, you would occasionally see what “keeps Portland weird”.  

Bagpiper on unicycle Strolling musician!

 And, finally a bite to eat at the Saturday Market.  Today market the “Grand Opening” of the 37th annual Portland Saturday Market!  See Saturday Market .

Tie-dye and flambuoyance at the Portland Saturday Market!

And, a possible Jimi Hendrix sighting???   

Jimi, is that you???

One of my favorite Jimi Hendrix tunes:  “All Along the Watchtower” 

Now that I can call, receive and send e-mail, get my texts and import my contacts and calendar (from Outlook), I’m a happy camper.  What else do I love?  I can actually download RMLS (the Portland Realtor’s Multiple Listing info) on the DROID and read it!  I can surf the web with much more proficiency, I have multiple apps (much like the IPhone), I have an individual icon for texts, e-mails, voice-mails, more.  I love that you have the choice of the touch-screen PLUS the qwerty keyboard (it makes the transition smoother between the Blackberry and the Droid).  I love the high resolution screen.  I love the 5GB camera.  I love the voice activation feature.  I love the GPS.  It’s so new, I’ll admit I don’t know all the advantages.  As I know more, I’ll share!  Anyway, it’s a Brave New World out there….love it or leave it!??