HOUSTON – It’s like an attack from an unknown invader. Unwanted spam text messages being mass-mailed to our cellphones from people we don’t know. The messages are everything from free gifts, miracle medical cures, or even shocking x-rated messages. The messages are even showing up on kid’s gaming devices. KPRC 2 Investigates is looking into the problem and have the steps you can take to help make it stop.

“Basically, they want to give people what they’re looking for, whether that’s porn or you know a fast track to a (COVID-19) vaccine, they just want people to click. They’re not really differentiating who they send them to. Whether that’s your kids, whether it’s your grandma,” Bree Fowler, senior tech editor at Consumer Reports Magazine.

Cybercriminals are trying to entice you to click on a link that then allows them to install spyware on your phone, and then take what they want.

“Everything is at stake, whether it’s your personal logins to emails, your credit card information, your personal data, anytime you click on one of these links you’re potentially putting that at risk,” said Fowler.

Federico Cavatore is the owner of the popular Cavatore Italian Restaurant in the Heights. He’s also a father with two young boys who worries about his kids seeing these text messages and opening them.

“And yes, they know mommy and daddy’s passcode and they get into our phones when we are not looking and they can open up things and hit that link,” said Cavatore. “And you might not even know it’s happening until you realize your credit’s been compromised.”

How can you stop spam messages?

KPRC2 Investigates has five steps you can take right now to stop spam messages on your devices.

Step one - Never reply to a spam text message

“Whenever you get a spam text or something you suspect is a spam text, delete it,” said Fowler.

Opening a message could allow malware on your devices. You may not know anything happened until weeks later when your personal information has been stolen or compromised.

Step two - Never open any links or attachments inside that text

“Do not open messages or links that you don’t trust. They might probably steal your information or install malware,” Dr. Carlos Monroy, assistant professor of Computer Science at the University of St. Thomas.

Step three - Enable spam protection on your phone

Michael Garfield is known as “The High Tech Texan” on KPRC/950 am. He explains the simple way to make sure your phone is fighting against spam.

“Open your text app. On the top right generally, there are some settings. Go down to the settings. Scroll down till you see spam protection, scam protection, all you need to do is click it and enable it,” Garfield explains.

Step four - Report the messages

Forward all spam messages to your cell phone provider by forwarding them to 7726, which spells spam on your phone.

“That forwards it to your carrier, whatever carrier you are on and they can block it at that level,” Garfield explains.

You can also report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint

Step five - Install a third-party app to block spam messages

There are several apps that can help block unwanted spam from your phone. Nomorobo is one and costs $1.99 a month. Robokiller is another at $3.99 per month.

Whatever you decide to do Federico wants the federal government to crack down on these scam texters by developing a special unit to stop this “invasive activity”.

“Something’s got to be done, it’s getting out of hand,” said Federico.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, more than 93,000 Americans complained to the FTC about spam text messages last year.

Spam messages on gaming devices

Unwanted spam messages are also showing up on popular kid’s gaming devices. This is happening to even the most reputable apps. Spam messages may show up as random messages on the console.

If kids click on these messages or ads, they may give away information or opt into a charging service. Parents can do several things to help stop this from happening. Many of the preventative steps are similar to how you stop spam on your other devices.

• Install monitoring software
• Learn how to play the games so you will know how to spot a problem.

The Federal Trade Commission is helping parents fight unwanted spam in their homes. They encourage parents to talk to their kids about:

• Protecting their personal information. Social Security numbers, account numbers, and passwords are examples of information to keep private.
• Watching out for “free” stuff. Free games, ring tones, or other downloads can hide malware. Tell your kids not to download anything unless they trust the source and they’ve scanned it with security software.
• Using strong email passwords and protect them. The longer the password, the harder it is to crack. Personal information, your login name, common words, or adjacent keys on the keyboard are not safe passwords. Kids can protect their passwords by not sharing them with anyone, including their friends.

You should also explain what “phishing scam messages” are and how they work, so they know to avoid them. We’ve also put together a list below of helpful resources for parents related to internet safety.

• Cybersafety resource guides for kids and parents.
• What to know about buying games and internet safety
• What’s the best game console for kids in regards to internet safety?
• Has a stranger tried to contact your child online? What parents need to know.
• Tips to keep kids safe from internet strangers and messages while distance learning.
• What HISD is doing about cyber safety and students.