410 spam text messages

Hello @Ecannondale

We know how unpleasant and annoying it can be when receiving unwanted/spam calls, texts, and emails on your device. Let's check on this for you!

Do know that unwanted/spam texts and calls is a current trend that's affecting many wireless customers, on many devices, on multiple carriers. 

If the spam text messages are a constant in your daily activities, you can use the AT&T Call Protect App to help block the persistent spam messages.  

Feel free to access the highlighted article which will provide more information  details on what the call protect feature can offer. 

We hope this helps.

Dwight, AT&T Community Specialist 

@ATTHelp your canned response does nobody any good and reduces goodwill.  Do something about the issue, it's getting worse and pushing me towards a different carrier.

AT&T needs to provide blocking of ranges.  i.e.  1(410)1xxxxx  We know you can do it, and do it without a premium subscription.

Thank you.

@drbrandtjr Those 1-410 numbers indicate the texts are coming from emails through the email to text gateway. Those numbers are assigned by the gateway and can’t be blocked. If you want texts from emails blocked, you must call and request ATT block your number. That will block all texts from email including any legitimate ones.

I have called AT&T.  They're customer service is not very knowledgeable and weren't able to help.  I appreciate you writing back, and the email gateway is interesting to know.  thanks.

Just came from a similar thread titled, "410 short code scam and spam texts".  Now getting an avalanche of these, but all AT&T does is offer useless bromides like: "use Call Protect app" which does nothing about spam texts, or "report spam texts to 7726" which the spammers only laugh at before spamming me again from a different 410 number.

Before closing that other thread, a moderator says, "The [410] number series you're talking about are made up by the gateway process as the messages arrive.  You cannot block them unless you're going to block that gateway as a whole.  Blocking the gateway as a whole throws the baby out with the bath water."

Given the enormous growth in the abuse of 410 short codes by scammers, who exactly is this "baby" who needs to protect their identity in order to benefit AT&T customers?  Or, if this email-to-text gateway (email hiding scheme) doesn't benefit customers, then how does AT&T benefit?  Because the only ones I see benefitting from hiding their sender ids are bad actors and phishermen!

So here's my urgent request to AT&T: Give me the ability to block the freakin' gateway as a whole, and GIVE ME MY LIFE BACK!