17 Spam Text Statistics for 2025 & Spam Text Messages Examples | SlickText
Updated March 6, 2025
Do you feel like you’ve been getting more spam texts than usual? Odds are, it’s because you are.
Spam texts are unsolicited messages sent by scammers in an attempt to gain personal or financial information. Sometimes, these scammers may use familiar area codes or pretend to be someone you know in order to gain your trust.
While carriers are constantly implementing new security measures, spam texting has exploded in popularity across the United States over the past few years. There’s even a new word to describe the phenomenon: smishing.
At SlickText, we have a zero-tolerance policy for spam texters and smishing attempts, and we go to extensive lengths to keep bad actors from using our SMS marketing services. Keeping up-to-date on the latest spam texting statistics, data, and best safety practices can help you protect your personal information and identify any fake broadcast text message.
The Rise of Spam Texting in 2025
It’s not just you — most Americans have seen a dramatic uptick in spam texting. While there’s no one reason for this increase, the COVID-19 pandemic and adapting to a more remote lifestyle have been significant factors.
- In February 2025, Americans received 19.2 billion spam texts.
- In the first half of 2023, 78 billion spam texts were received by Americans.
- Comparing the first six months of 2022 and 2023, spam calls declined by 21%, while spam texts increased by 18%
- There’s no shame in getting caught up in a spam attempt. As of 2024, 21% of Americans reported losing money to text message scams, and many people never realize that they’re a target of a scam texting attack.
- It’s impossible to get a break from spam texts. In fact, in 2021, January and February were the only months with fewer than 6 billion spam messages sent.
- Spam calls decreased by 50% from April to June of 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way society operated.
- Spam text frequency surpassed spam call frequency for the first time in 2020, with the gap continuing to widen in today (87,850,585,036 spam texts sent vs. 72,236,875,541 spam calls placed).
Definition of Spam Text Messages
Spam text messages, also known as “smishing” (SMS phishing), are unsolicited text messages sent to mobile devices with the intention of deceiving or manipulating the recipient. These messages often aim to extract personal or financial information or install malware on the recipient’s device. Typically, spam text messages appear to come from trusted organizations, businesses, or even family members, but they are actually sent by scammers using automated systems or spoofed phone numbers. The goal is to trick you into revealing sensitive information or clicking on malicious links.
Types of Spam Text Messages
There are several types of spam text messages, each with its own deceptive tactics:
- Phishing Messages: These texts attempt to trick you into revealing sensitive information, such as login credentials or financial details. They often mimic legitimate organizations to gain your trust.
- Malware Messages: These contain links or attachments that, when clicked or opened, install malware on your device. This malware can compromise your personal data and device security.
- Scam Messages: These texts deceive you into sending money or providing personal information in exchange for a fake prize or service. They often create a sense of urgency to prompt quick action.
- Spam Advertising Messages: These promote a product or service, often with suspicious or misleading offers. They can be particularly annoying and persistent.
States With the Most Spam Texts
Depending on where you live, you might see more spam texts than average. Here are the top five targeted states as of December 2023.
Estimated monthly spam texts for the the top five states in 2023:
- California: 2,508,555,874
- Texas: 1,834,538,700
- Florida: 1,179,739,042
- New York:1,040,280,796
- Pennsylvania: 719,015,850
Phone Spam & Spam Texting Statistics & Trends
Here are the scams and fake messages you should be on the lookout for, as well as the most targeted demographics.
The top five most popular text scams in 2023 dealt with:
- Banking Impersonation: 10%
- Free Gifts or Rewards: 9%
- Fake Package Delivery Problems: 9%
- Phony Job Offers: 8%
- Fake Amazon Security Alerts: 7%
Popular scam texting trends:
- 59.4% of spam recipients in 2021 were male, while 38.3% were female.
- The most targeted age range for phone spam is 35-44 for men and 18-34 for women. The least targeted age range for both genders was 65 and up.
- More recently, smishers have utilized phishing text messages, including fake two-factor authentication messages to steal personal information.
- Hackers also tend to use local area codes like 10DLCs or spoof numbers you might recognize in order to gain trust.
The Financial Cost of Spam Texts in 2025
Not only can you lose vital personal information in a spam attack, but it can also be detrimental to your personal finances.
- Perhaps surprisingly, younger people have reported losing money to overall fraud more than older generations. In 2021, people ages 20-29 lost money 41% of the time they were exposed to fraud, while those over 80 only lost money 17% of the time. When older people lose money, however, the median amount is $1,500, which is three times the amount lost by young people.
- The median amount of money lost from a phone scam in 2023 was $1,480. In 2020, that number was only $351.
- In 2023, 2.6 million fraud reports were processed, totaling $10 billion in financial losses.
Identifying and Reporting Spam Text Messages
To protect yourself from spam text messages, it’s essential to recognize the red flags:
- Unsolicited Messages from Unknown Senders: Be cautious of texts from numbers you don’t recognize.
- Suspicious Links or Attachments: Avoid clicking on any links or downloading attachments from unknown sources.
- Requests for Personal or Financial Information: Legitimate organizations will never ask for sensitive information via text.
- Urgency or Fear Tactics: Messages that create a sense of urgency or fear are often scams.
- Poor Grammar or Spelling: Many spam texts contain noticeable errors.
If you receive a spam text message, do not respond or click on any links. Instead, report the message to your carrier or messaging app and block the sender’s phone number. This helps prevent further spam and protects others from falling victim.
The Risks of Spam Text Messages
Engaging with spam text messages can lead to several serious risks:
- Identity Theft: Phishing messages can steal sensitive information, such as login credentials or financial details, leading to identity theft.
- Financial Loss: Scam messages may trick you into sending money or providing financial information, resulting in financial loss.
- Malware Infection: Clicking on links in malware messages can install harmful software on your device, compromising your data and security.
- Emotional Distress: Spam text messages can cause significant emotional distress, especially if they are threatening or harassing in nature.
What to Do If You Fall Victim to a Spam Text
If you fall victim to a spam text message, take the following steps to mitigate the damage:
- Report the Incident: Notify your carrier or messaging app about the spam text.
- Block the Sender: Block the sender’s phone number to prevent further messages.
- Change Your Passwords: Update your passwords and login credentials to secure your accounts.
- Monitor Your Accounts: Keep an eye on your financial accounts and credit reports for any suspicious activity.
- Install Anti-Malware Software: Consider installing anti-malware software on your device to protect against future threats.
- Educate Yourself: Learn how to identify and avoid spam text messages to prevent future incidents.
By following these steps, you can protect yourself from the harmful effects of spam text messages and reduce the risk of falling victim again.
Spam Text Message Examples
Spam texts have costly consequences if you engage with them, but how do you identify a fake message? Many spam texts mimic the wording and offers you’d receive in a promotional text, while others copy mass texts for services and deliveries.
Here are some common examples of what a text message scam might look like. Knowing what to look for can help you stop getting spam texts in the future.
- Prize/Money Awards: “Congratulations! You’ve won a $500 gift card to Target. Click here to claim your reward.”
- Package Delivery Notifications: “Hello [Name], your shipment from UPS will arrive today. Click here to track your package.”
- Banking Verification Texts: “Your Wells Fargo account has been locked for suspicious activity. Please log in here and verify your account.”
- Gift Card Scams: “Hey, this is [Name]. I’m in a meeting, but I need you to order 5 Amazon gift cards ASAP. I’ll reimburse you once you send them to this email address.”
- Billing Statements: “[Name], your Verizon billing statement is ready. Please review your charges and send full payment by [date] to avoid late fees.”
How Do You Stop Getting Spam Texts?
At their best, spam texts are simply annoying, but at their worst, they can be a gateway to fraud, identity theft, and cyber crimes — all of which can cost you precious time and money.
So how do you black spam messages and stop getting spam texts? While there’s no 100% foolproof solution, there are a few things you can do to ensure you only receive the SMS messages you signed up for.
-
Block the sender
Once you block spam messages from a number, you won’t receive any calls or texts from them again. On an iPhone, click on the contact that the text came from. When you open the contact card, the Info tab will give you the option to block the number. On an Android, press the three buttons in the top corner of the screen, then select “block and report spam.”
There’s no limit to the amount of numbers you can block, so you can do this anytime you get unwanted text messages.
-
Notify your carrier
If a carrier knows that a number is sending spam, they’ll investigate and block them from sending any more messages. All you have to do is forward the spam text you received to 7726 — this works for most major cell phone providers, including AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.
-
Reply stop
While replying STOP to some spam texts may not work, there’s a chance the spam is from a service you signed up for at one point in time. If that’s the case, then legitimate short codes give you the option to opt-out by simply replying STOP.
-
Use a spam-blocking app or setting
These days, most phones come with spam-blocking capabilities built in. If you’re on an iPhone, you can go to your settings, select “Messages,” then scroll down until you find the option to filter unknown senders and toggle it on. On Android, open your messages, and click the three dots in the corner. Then, select “Details” and navigate to “App Settings,” then “Spam Protection.” Finally, toggle “Enable Spam Protection” on. Some carriers offer their own spam protection services for free or at a slight charge, like Verizon’s Call Filter and T-Mobile’s Scam Shield.
If you can’t access this setting on your phone or you want another layer of protection, you can download a third-party app. Free and paid options include:
- SpamHound (Free)
- SMS Spam Stopper ($2.99)
- RoboKiller ($3.99/month or $29.99/year)
- NoMoRobo ($1.99/month or $19.99/year)
- Truecaller (Free and paid options)
-
Report the sender to the FTC and FCC
In 2019, a bipartisan bill called the TRACED Act expanded the FCC and Justice Department’s ability to combat scam texting and robocallers. In 2021, the FCC even created a task force called the “Robocall Response Team.”
As part of their increased efforts to crack down on scam texting and calling, the FTC and FCC allow people to submit complaints which are then investigated by law enforcement.
-
Add your number to the Do Not Call list
Another tool utilized by the FTC is the National Do Not Call list. You can register your number for free, and if you keep receiving spam calls after 31 days, you can file an official report.
