How do you get rid of spam on Google Messages? These unwanted messages on their owners' smartphones, all the more so since the arrival of the RCS in the application. Fortunately, there are a few ways to do a great cleanup. We explain everything in this article.
Once the ugly duckling of messaging apps, Google Messages has recently caught up with the big names in the genre. Thanks to the addition of many features, such as end-to-end encryption, the latter can rub shoulders without blushing with WhatsApp or Messenger. This is all the more true since the integration of the RCS protocol which makes it a complete and practical solution.
Unfortunately, all is not rosy for Google messaging. Some areas are still in dire need of improvement. So, despite its efforts to tackle unwanted messages, the app is still inundated with spam and other suspicious text messages. While the latter offers effective protection against phishing attacks, the same cannot be said for fraudulent messages from dark sources.
Get rid of spam by disabling RCS
However, Google is not necessarily to blame for this sad state of affairs. Indeed, with the arrival of RCS, companies have had the opportunity to present themselves as such thanks to the verified profile, which gives them in particular the possibility of broadcasting advertising messages to the channel. Also, the first solution, radical, but effective, is quite simply to deactivate these services within the application. Here's how to do it:
- See you in the Parameters from Google Messages
- Click on Chat features
- Deactivate Activate chat features
This will block messages from companies using RCS to deliver their campaigns. On your side, you will still be able to use the app to send SMS in the usual way. However, you will no longer benefit from the options based on the protocol. To date, this is unfortunately the price to pay to protect yourself effectively against spam. Especially since this solution works on all smartphones, Google Messages gradually becoming the default messaging system on Android overlays.
Get rid of spam by blocking the number
Another solution is to simply prevent the number from sending you messages. Some companies have the good taste to give the possibility to unsubscribe from their mailing list. To do this, simply click on the link provided in the message (being careful not to be fooled by a fraudulent link that could install malware on your smartphone). In the absence of this option, you can also block the number. Here's the procedure to follow :
- Click on the top right menu
- Click on Information
- Select Block and report as spam
- Check the box Report as spam
- Click on OK
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This method is effective than the first since you will have to repeat it for each spam received from a suspicious number. The same goes for unsubscribing from the mailing list, which the sender can choose to respect or not. However, it has the advantage of allowing you to continue to benefit from the RCS functions.
Get rid of spam by changing your email application
Finally, the last method is just as radical as the first, but certainly as effective. While Google Messages is flooded with spam, other messaging apps aren't. Some even prove to be particularly effective in protecting the user against unwanted messages.
This is particularly the case of SMS Organizer, published by Microsoft, which incorporates an automatic filter against spam and advertising campaigns. The application then classifies them in a separate folder, like a mailbox, leaving the user the choice to delete them or not. On the other hand, here again, you will have to do without RCS functionalities.
And you, what are your methods to protect yourself against spam? Tell us in the comments!
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