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How to Stop SPAM Texts on iOS

Users of TotalAV for iPhone can benefit from a SPAM text detector. This detector checks incoming messages for website addresses (i.e www.website.com).

If a message contains a website address, it gets checked by TotalAV WebShield, which checks whether a website is dangerous. If a website is dangerous, the message gets blocked.

This happens before you get a text notification, meaning no more unwanted messages and keeping your device safe from potential scams.

How does it Work?

Any SMS messages your iPhone receives are first checked for website addresses. If a website address is found, it’s sent to TotalAV HQ for anonymous checking. This means we do not receive the contents of your text messages, nor can we link the website address back to you specifically.

When TotalAV receives the website address, it is checked against our WebShield database - which is a comprehensive list of known malicious websites. This includes websites which are hosting malware, operating phishing schemes or run scams. We add thousands of new website addresses to WebShield everyday.

If the website in the SMS is blocked by WebShield we send a signal back to your iPhone instructing the text message should be blocked. This all happens before your phone buzzes, notifying you that you’ve received a text message. Therefore, if the block occurs you won’t be notified at all - and you will be safe from the danger the blocked text message presents.

How do I Enable it?

Open TotalAV

Tap on the TotalAV App icon.

Find Stop SPAM Texts

Scroll to the end of the Protection cards and tap Stop SPAM Texts.

Setup

Tap the option labeled ‘Setup Now’. Instructions will display.

Settings

Tap the ‘Go to Settings’ button below the instructions.

Unknown & Spam

Should Settings not open: Scroll right to the bottom and tap ‘Apps’, locate and tap ‘Messages’, then tap ‘Unknown & Spam’.

Filter Unknown Senders

Toggle on ‘Filter Unknown Senders’ then tap TotalAV.

Confirmation of Setup

A dialogue will ask for confirmation to enable TotalAV, tap ‘Enable’ to finish.

Successful Setup of Stop Spam Texts

Setup is complete, TotalAV will now filter out Spam messages automatically.

Within the Stop SPAM text settings screen in the TotalAV app, there is an option to set up custom filters. This enables you to expand blocking beyond website addresses.

You may repeatedly receive the same SPAM message, and it might not contain a website address. The custom filter settings enable you to configure blocking for:

  • If the sender is a specific phone number.
  • Any part of the message contains a specific word.
  • A specific word, phrase or sentence that the message starts or ends with.

    • As well as defining the above for blocking, you can also create custom filters to allow specific senders or keywords. So if you find TotalAV is blocking text messages that you are happy to receive, you can easily make a custom filter to ensure they don’t get blocked. If you believe a message was blocked in error, please report the website address to us.


  • Open your Messages app
  • Tap Filters in the top left corner
  • Tap Junk
  • Any messages that TotalAV has filtered will appear here


    • The filter has some restrictions that are worth noting:

  • If a contact sends you a message with a dangerous website, the message will still be delivered.
  • Apple’s iMessage service is unaffected by this filter, which only applies to SMS messages. You can block iMessage senders through Apple’s built-in blocking features.
  • Other 3rd party apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Signal are unaffected by this filtering.

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