I'm using an iPhone 16 with iOS 26.3, and lately, I've been inundated with spam texts coming through iMessage. The annoying part is that these messages are from email addresses rather than phone numbers. Turning off iMessage does stop the spam, but that's not a practical solution. I've gone through and deselected everything related to iMessage, only keeping my phone number active. I've also enabled both the unknown sender and spam filters, and I've restarted my phone. Currently, the only way to deal with these messages is to block them, but the senders keep using different email accounts to contact me. Is there a way to put an end to this?
5 Answers
Just a quick note: Some people without regular phones rely solely on iMessage, like those using iPods. So if you turn it off, they won’t be able to reach you. But hey, if you don't have friends on iMessage, it's totally your call!
Just keep in mind that for some folks, iMessage might be the only means of contacting you. Might be a consideration before you decide to switch it off entirely.
I had the same issue with spam coming to my iCloud email, usually from hotmail.com domains. I started blocking them, and eventually, they stopped coming. Also, check if you can report them by tapping on the message and selecting 'Report Junk'—that sends a report to Apple to help tackle this problem.
I’ll definitely try that! I’ve just been blocking them up till now, but I didn’t know I could report them this way. Thanks for the heads-up!
Good luck with it! Hopefully, blocking and deleting them helps reduce the spam you're getting.
I hope so too! It’s super annoying.
I totally get how you feel; it's so frustrating to keep getting bombarded by junk. If it weren't for needing Apple Cash, I’d seriously consider just turning off iMessage altogether.
Right? If it wasn't for that, I’d probably just turn it off.
Good point! I didn’t know that. But you’re right—if it’s important, they’ll find a way to get in touch.