I already replied STOP to a spam text. What now?

Don't reply again. The ICO says replying confirms your number is active and may lead to more messages, so expect a few more and forward each one to 7726. On an iPhone you can't use Report Spam on a text you've replied to, but you can still forward it to 7726 and block the number.

I replied to a 'Hi Mum' text. What should I do?

Stop the conversation and call your son or daughter on the number you already have saved for them. The NCSC's advice is to contact the person or organisation directly, never through the details in the message. Never send money until you have spoken to them.

Does replying STOP stop premium-rate charges?

Not with the reply button. Ofcom says to text STOP ALL to the number the provider gives you, which may differ from the number the text came from. Blocking the number doesn't stop the charges.

Can you get hacked by replying to a text?

The NCSC's guidance on scam texts points to links, apps and the details you type, not replies. The ICO's concern with replying is different: it confirms your number is live and can bring more messages.

Should you reply STOP to a spam text? And can opening a text hack your phone?

Checked by TextCheckUK · Last checked 2 October 2026 · How we check

Only reply STOP to a marketing text from a company you know: the ICO says to follow the opt-out instructions in the message. If you don't recognise the sender, don't reply at all. The ICO says replying confirms your number is active and may bring more messages, and on an iPhone you can't report a text as spam once you've replied. Premium-rate charges are different: Ofcom says to text STOP ALL to the number the provider gives you.

Open the scam text checker

Quick answer: should you reply STOP?

Reply STOP? It depends who sent the text
The text is from	Reply STOP?	What to do
A company you know: you bought from it or signed up	Yes, if the text tells you to	Follow the opt-out instructions in the message. The ICO says this usually means replying STOP.
A company you don't recognise	No	Don't reply or tap links. Forward it to 7726, block the number, and report persistent senders to the ICO.
A premium-rate service charging your phone bill	Not with the reply button	Text STOP ALL to the number the provider gave you, which Ofcom says may not be the number the text came from.
A scam: a parcel fee, a bank alert, 'Hi Mum'	No	Don't reply. Forward it to 7726, then delete it.

From the ICO (Open Government Licence), read on 2 October 2026, and Ofcom (Ofcom copyright), checked that day against the Internet Archive copy of 14 November 2025, as Ofcom's site blocks automated access.

Why replying to an unknown sender backfires

The ICO's advice in its June 2026 fine notice is direct: if you get a marketing text from an unfamiliar company, don't reply or click any links, because responding confirms your number is active and may lead to more messages. Its general page on spam texts says the same more gently: be careful about replying if you don't recognise who sent the message.

Replying also costs you a tool. Apple's iPhone guide says you can't report a message after you've replied to it, and that its text filter stops applying to a sender you've replied to three times or more.

Why replying to this text backfiresA marketing text from a sender you don't know, written by us. It invites a reply either way: YES to claim, STOP to opt out.

Written by us; not a real message. [amount] and [link] stand in for details we leave out.

1. A reply proves you are there
The ICO says that answering a marketing text from a company you don't know confirms your number is active and may bring more messages.
“Responding confirms your number is active and may lead to more messages.” (ICO, advice in the June 2026 fine notice, read 2 October 2026)
2. STOP to a sender you don't recognise
The ICO's advice to reply STOP is for opt-outs from companies you know. For anyone else it says to be careful about replying at all.
“Be careful about replying to any messages if you don’t recognise who has sent them to you.” (ICO, marketing texts you want to stop, read 2 October 2026)
3. A link
Getting you to tap a link is often the whole point of a scam text, according to the NCSC.
“The purpose of a scam text message is often to get you to click a link.” (NCSC, report a scam text, read 2 October 2026)

When STOP is the right answer

For marketing from a company you have dealt with, such as a shop you bought from, STOP is the normal way out: the ICO says to follow any opt-out instructions in the message, which usually means replying STOP. UK law only allows marketing texts with your consent or an existing customer relationship; see why loan texts keep coming for how that works.

Premium-rate subscriptions: text STOP ALL

Charges for premium-rate services, such as a paid text subscription, are added to your phone bill. Ofcom's advice is to use STOP ALL, not the reply button: “Instead of using the ‘reply’ function on the SMS, text ‘STOP ALL’ to the number which they give you.” Ofcom adds that this number may not be the one the text came from.

Ofcom says the mobile short codes these services use are usually five or six digits long and start with a 5, 6, 7 or 8. If you don't know who is charging you or how to contact them, your mobile network can tell you. Blocking the number won't help: Ofcom says the charges carry on. More on short codes, and the full route to a refund in premium-rate texts on your phone bill.

Can opening a text hack your phone?

What can go wrong with a scam text, step by step
What you did	What the official guidance says	What to do
Opened and read it	The NCSC guidance we checked describes the danger as the link, the app it pushes and the details you type, not reading the message.	Don't reply or tap anything. Forward it to 7726 and delete it.
Tapped the link	NCSC: the website behind it is used to download viruses or steal passwords and personal information.	Close it and follow the steps for what you did next.
Installed an app it offered	NCSC: the 'app' is malware that can steal banking details and passwords.	Don't log in to anything; factory reset the phone.
Typed a password or card details	NCSC: change reused passwords and contact your bank.	Change passwords; call your bank on 159 or the number on your card.
Replied	ICO: a reply confirms your number is active. Apple: you can't report it afterwards.	Don't reply again. Forward it to 7726 and block the number.

From the NCSC and the ICO (Open Government Licence) and Apple's iPhone User Guide (summarised), read on 2 October 2026.

If you tapped a link or typed something, see what to do after clicking a scam link. Either way, keep your phone up to date: the NCSC advises installing the latest software and patches.

What to do instead of replying

Forward the text to 7726, free on most networks.
Block the number, or use your phone's spam report, which on Google Messages also blocks the sender: how to block spam texts on iPhone and Android.
Delete it. To check whether a company really contacted you, use the details on its official website, never the ones in the text, as the NCSC advises.

Sources

ICO, marketing texts you want to stop: ICO, 'I keep receiving marketing text messages (spam), but I want them to stop': "You should follow any opt-out instructions within the message. This usually involves replying to the message with the word ‘STOP’. Be careful about replying to any messages if you don’t recognise who has sent them to you. ... Unfortunately, the numbers sending these messages often change, so your network provider can’t guarantee to stop all spam messages." Information Commission's Office, 'I keep receiving marketing text messages (spam), but I want them to stop', page read 2 October 2026, licensed under the Open Government Licence. — https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/texts/, read on 2026-10-02
ICO, advice in the June 2026 fine notice: ICO, 'Manchester firm fined £300,000 for bombarding people in debt with over 5.5 million unlawful texts' (23 June 2026): "This led to more than 60,000 complaints being made to us and Mobile UK’s 7726 spam reporting service. ... If you receive a marketing text from an unfamiliar company, do not reply or click any links. Responding confirms your number is active and may lead to more messages. ... ICO uses complaints to this service to investigate companies breaking the law and take action." Information Commission's Office, 'Manchester firm fined £300,000 for bombarding people in debt with over 5.5 million unlawful texts', 23 June 2026, licensed under the Open Government Licence. — https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2026/06/manchester-firm-fined-300-000-for-bombarding-people-in-debt-with-over-55-million-unlawful-texts/, read on 2026-10-02
Apple, report spam and block senders (iOS 27): Apple, iPhone User Guide (iOS 27), 'Report spam and block senders in Messages on iPhone': "You can’t report a message after you’ve replied to it." Short quote; the rest is summarised in our own words. — https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph3f94d910d/ios, read on 2026-10-02
Apple, screen and filter texts (iOS 27): Apple, iPhone User Guide (iOS 27), 'Screen and filter text messages on iPhone': "Their messages are filtered into another folder, and you don’t get notified about them unless you want to be." Short quote; the rest is summarised in our own words. — https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph203ab0be4/ios, read on 2026-10-02
Ofcom, stopping premium-rate charges: Ofcom, 'Stopping premium rate charges' (published 31 January 2025, last updated 23 June 2025; checked on 2 October 2026 against the Internet Archive copy of 14 November 2025, as the live site blocks automated access): "If you don’t know who charged you or how to contact the PRS provider, then you can ask your mobile network, they are able to help you. ... mobile text short codes, which are usually five or six digits long and start with a 5, 6, 7 or 8. ... Yes, you can text the PRS provider to stop the charges. Instead of using the “reply” function on the SMS, text 'STOP ALL' to the number which they give you." Ofcom copyright. — https://www.ofcom.org.uk/make-a-complaint/complain-about-premium-rate-services/stopping-premium-rate-charges, read on 2026-10-02
Ofcom, blocking and premium-rate charges: Ofcom, 'Top tips to stay in control of your phone charges' (published 31 January 2025, last updated 23 June 2025; checked on 2 October 2026 against the Internet Archive copy of 14 November 2025, as the live site blocks automated access): "You can text the company to stop the charges; you can text 'STOP ALL' to the number which they have given you in the text message. Please note, this may not be the same number as the number the message came from. If you’re getting several texts from the same number, you may assume it’s spam. If you block the number, you will still be charged if the texts are for a premium rate service. Blocking the texts do not stop the charges but may mean that you won’t get any information about them." Ofcom copyright. — https://www.ofcom.org.uk/make-a-complaint/complain-about-premium-rate-services/top-tips-to-stay-in-control-of-your-phone-charges, read on 2026-10-02
NCSC, missed parcel texts and malware: NCSC, 'Scam 'missed parcel' SMS messages: advice on avoiding malware' (published 23 April 2021, reviewed 15 December 2023): "The scam SMS messages contain links to what appear to be ‘official’ delivery/parcel-tracking apps, which you’re encouraged to install. But the ‘app’ is in fact a type of malware. If installed, this malware can steal your banking details, passwords, and other sensitive information. ... if you think you may have been tricked into installing malware from a scam message, then it’s important that you don’t log into any accounts, as the malware may steal these details. Instead, as soon as you can, you should perform a factory reset on your device. Note: It’s important that you don’t back up your data before you perform a factory reset, as the backup will also contain the malware. For the same reason, when you’re given the option to restore backups, you should only do so if you’re confident that the backup was created before you installed the malware. If you can’t be sure, you should perform a factory reset and not restore any backups. ... If you have logged into any accounts or apps since installing the malware, you must change the password for that account ... set up two-step verification (2SV) on accounts, where possible. ... a safer way of tracking its status is to use the official website of the delivery companies. ... Ensure your device is kept up to date by installing the latest software and patches." Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. — https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/scam-missed-parcel-sms-messages, read on 2026-10-02
NCSC, report a scam text: NCSC, 'Report a scam text' (published 26 November 2021, reviewed 5 September 2022): "By reporting, you can: reduce the amount of scam texts you receive; make yourself a harder target for scammers; protect others from cyber crime online. 40.9K scams removed across 93.3k URLs as of July 2026 as part of the 7726 service. ... You can also take a screenshot or screen recording of the text message and send it to us at report@phishing.gov.uk ... If 7726 doesn't work, you can find out how to report a text message by contacting your phone provider. ... The purpose of a scam text message is often to get you to click a link. This will take you to a website which criminals use to download viruses to your computer, or steal passwords or other personal information." Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. — https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/report-scam-text-message, read on 2026-10-02
NCSC, how to spot a scam: NCSC, 'How to spot a scam email, text message or call' (published 26 November 2021, reviewed 5 September 2022): "Urgency Are you told you have a limited time to respond (such as 'within 24 hours' or 'immediately')? Criminals often threaten you with fines or other negative consequences. ... If you have any doubts about a message, contact the organisation directly. Don’t use the numbers or address in the message – use the details from their official website." Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. — https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/spot-scams, read on 2026-10-02
NCSC, forwarding to 7726: NCSC, Report a scam text: "Most phone providers are part of a scheme that allows customers to report suspicious text messages for free by forwarding it to 7726. If you forward a text to 7726, your provider can investigate the origin of the text and arrange to block or ban the sender, if it's found to be malicious." — https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/report-scam-text-message, read on 2026-09-29

Quotes from GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk, mygov.scot, the NCSC, the ICO and NHS England are used under the Open Government Licence v3.0; material from Ofcom is Ofcom copyright. Other pages are summarised in our own words or quoted briefly, with a link. How we check.

Frequently asked questions

I already replied STOP to a spam text. What now?: Don't reply again. The ICO says replying confirms your number is active and may lead to more messages, so expect a few more and forward each one to 7726. On an iPhone you can't use Report Spam on a text you've replied to, but you can still forward it to 7726 and block the number.
I replied to a 'Hi Mum' text. What should I do?: Stop the conversation and call your son or daughter on the number you already have saved for them. The NCSC's advice is to contact the person or organisation directly, never through the details in the message. Never send money until you have spoken to them.
Does replying STOP stop premium-rate charges?: Not with the reply button. Ofcom says to text STOP ALL to the number the provider gives you, which may differ from the number the text came from. Blocking the number doesn't stop the charges.
Can you get hacked by replying to a text?: The NCSC's guidance on scam texts points to links, apps and the details you type, not replies. The ICO's concern with replying is different: it confirms your number is live and can bring more messages.

Scam texts from an email address, iMessage or RCS: why they get through and how to report them
A blue-bubble scam text from an email address is an iMessage, outside the networks' filters and 7726. How SMS, RCS, iMessage and WhatsApp differ.
How to forward a scam text to 7726 (iPhone and Android)
Step by step for iPhone and Android, from the NCSC: what 7726 does with your report, what it costs, and what to do if 7726 does not work.
What is Report Fraud? The service that replaced Action Fraud
Since 4 December 2025 fraud and cyber crime in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is reported to Report Fraud, not Action Fraud. Where, how, and Scotland.
I clicked a link in a scam text: what to do now (UK)
Clicked a link in a scam text? What to do depends on what happened next: page closed, password typed, card details given, app installed or money lost.

Last updated 2026-10-02. Independent information service. Number data from Ofcom shows the original range holder; numbers can be ported or spoofed. Not affiliated with any organisation named on this page, including Ofcom, the FCA, the ICO, the NHS, DWP, HMRC, TV Licensing, Apple, Google or any police service.