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What’s the best way to irritate people sending me political spam text messages?
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Ep1cFac3pa1m lemmy.world Ep1cFac3pa1m@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-02
(edited) Quote

Every day I get at least 5, and I just hit the button to block them and report as spam. I don’t want to reply to the messages since that will probably only make it worse. Is there somewhere I can register the number that’ll spam them back or something?

Edit: legal suggestions only, please

38   Original
Sanctus anarchist.nexus Sanctus@anarchist.nexus
Joined: 2025-09-08
#2 · Quote Reply

I just do what you are doing

But I've always wanted to look into those SIM services that let you text through a desktop app or browser. Then you could set up some sort of script that takes numbers from a CSV or something, uses text you curate in a dictionary to automatically spam these people back.

5
venusaur lemmy.world venusaur@lemmy.world
Joined: 2024-03-28
#3 · Quote Reply

Definitely don’t reply. I don’t think the mark as spam does anything for SMS. You can report to FTC but they probably have a huge bank of numbers so doesn’t make a huge difference.

https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/stop-unwanted-robocalls-and-texts#political-robo

Maybe you can set up an automation on your phone to automatically block or delete messages with certain criteria (e.g. keywords, number status/unknown)

7
Pratai piefed.ca Pratai@piefed.ca
Joined: 2026-02-12
#4 · (edited) Quote Reply

You must be referring to ActBlue. I just send the links back to them at info@actblue.com. There needs to be a class action lawsuit against those assholes. We donated to Sanders back in 2016. They sold our info to EVERY democratic campaign in the entire country.

36
Rhynoplaz lemmy.world Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-07
#5 · Quote Reply

You must be referring to ActBlue. I just send the links back to them at info@actblue.com. There needs to be a class action lawsuit against those assholes. We donated to Sanders back in 2016. They sold our info to EVERY democratic campaign in the entire country.

We donated to Sanders back in 2016. They sold our info to EVERY democratic campaign in the entire country.

So THAT'S why I keep getting these things!

26
Scott sh.itjust.works scottmeme@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2023-06-15
#6 · Quote Reply

Add your number to the do not call list, if they don't respect it, there are huge fines

0
Pratai piefed.ca Pratai@piefed.ca
Joined: 2026-02-12
#7 · Quote Reply

We donated to Sanders back in 2016. They sold our info to EVERY democratic campaign in the entire country. So THAT'S why I keep getting these things!

Yep. They’re as predatory as it gets.

11
schipelblorp sh.itjust.works schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2026-05-16
#8 · (edited) Quote Reply

Add your number to the do not call list, if they don't respect it, there are huge fines

There's a political exception to the Do Not Call law for politicians, put into the law, believe it or not, by politcians. (US context)

18
AskewLord piefed.social AskewLord@piefed.social
Joined: 2026-01-16
#9 · Quote Reply

You must be referring to ActBlue. I just send the links back to them at info@actblue.com. There needs to be a class action lawsuit against those assholes. We donated to Sanders back in 2016. They sold our info to EVERY democratic campaign in the entire country.

didn't know this. explains a lot.

yeah i donated to sanders a decade ago too.

15
empireOfLove2 lemmy.dbzer0.com empireOfLove2@lemmy.dbzer0.com
Joined: 2023-12-22
#10 · Quote Reply

For some reason if I reply to them with an image they don't usually send any more. I don't know if it's because their message handlers can't process an MMS or if it intentionally gets added to an ignore list because of data costs.

I usually choose that particular Internet-famous image of a.... Well endowed black man. You probably know the one.

17
grue lemmy.world grue@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-13
#11 · Quote Reply

Edit: legal suggestions only, please

Look, do ya want it to be effective, or not?

21
Pratai piefed.ca Pratai@piefed.ca
Joined: 2026-02-12
#12 · Quote Reply

didn't know this. explains a lot. yeah i donated to sanders a decade ago too.

Yep. It all goes back to those assholes. I contacted them about it several times. They say it’s not them, but the indiviycsmpains that I need to contact. Only, those campaigns spam from ghosted numbers and automated emails.

So I lodged a complaint to the FCC and they told me to change my email and they won’t do anything to stop it.

So i told ActBlue that as a result of their predatory bulshit, I won’t be donating to the DNC ever again. An I will be suggesting others do the same.

9
BeelzebubEiNukuKoskaan piefed.social BeelzebubEiNukuKoskaan@piefed.social
Joined: 2026-09-04
#13 · Quote Reply

Yep. It all goes back to those assholes. I contacted them about it several times. They say it’s not them, but the indiviycsmpains that I need to contact. Only, those campaigns spam from ghosted numbers and automated emails. So I lodged a complaint to the FCC and they told me to change my email and they won’t do anything to stop it. So i told ActBlue that as a result of their predatory bulshit, ...

Shouldn't you tell DNC that you wont be donating again because of ActBlue? I would think that has a higher chance of getting things happening. ActBlue probably doesn't care who you donate to, as long as they are hired to spam. But if DNC is told that people are actively dropping donations because of ActBlue, they'll probably tell them to stop or stop using them. At least one would assume so, but the world is mad and people insane so probably just best to move into the woods and read star signs.

10
Raiderkev lemmy.world Raiderkev@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-01
#14 · Quote Reply

For some reason if I reply to them with an image they don't usually send any more. I don't know if it's because their message handlers can't process an MMS or if it intentionally gets added to an ignore list because of data costs. I usually choose that particular Internet-famous image of a.... Well endowed black man. You probably know the one.

Nice, I think I'll send a goatse to the next one I get

8
DarkCloud lemmy.world DarkCloud@lemmy.world
Joined: 2024-05-19
#15 · Quote Reply

I think you should separate out your goals, is it to irritate (revenge motivated), or just to be left alone by them?

Because if it's to irritate, maybe you just shouldn't bother. A world with more and more irritated people probably isn't where you want to live, and probably isn't going to be a kinder world.

3
DarkCloud lemmy.world DarkCloud@lemmy.world
Joined: 2024-05-19
#16 · (edited) Quote Reply

For some reason if I reply to them with an image they don't usually send any more. I don't know if it's because their message handlers can't process an MMS or if it intentionally gets added to an ignore list because of data costs. I usually choose that particular Internet-famous image of a.... Well endowed black man. You probably know the one.

If it's a failed MMS message that produces the results you could probably do that with any old image, rather than one that could specifically be construde as sexual harassment.

Also "penis as weapon" and "black men as exotic sexual body-objects" might not be tropes/meme-thinking you want to perpetuate in the world.

Plenty of other images that suggest penises don't have to be aggressive implements, and small dicked regular black dudes who are just regular people are a thing too.

Maybe penises surrounded by flowers, or penises dressed in silly miniture costumes.

8
Mouselemming sh.itjust.works Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2023-07-12
#17 · Quote Reply

For some reason if I reply to them with an image they don't usually send any more. I don't know if it's because their message handlers can't process an MMS or if it intentionally gets added to an ignore list because of data costs. I usually choose that particular Internet-famous image of a.... Well endowed black man. You probably know the one.

I think I saw a headline the other day,

TRUMP CAN'T HANDLE BBC

2
Pratai piefed.ca Pratai@piefed.ca
Joined: 2026-02-12
#18 · Quote Reply

Shouldn't you tell DNC that you wont be donating again because of ActBlue? I would think that has a higher chance of getting things happening. ActBlue probably doesn't care who you donate to, as long as they are hired to spam. But if DNC is told that people are actively dropping donations because of ActBlue, they'll probably tell them to stop or stop using them. At least one would assume so, bu...

The DNC won’t care.

-1
KC_Royalz lemmy.world KC_Royalz@lemmy.world
Joined: 2026-04-02
#19 · (edited) Quote Reply

I donated a measley $10 to Dan Osbornes campaign. I'm getting endless texts for Kansas, Georgia you name it democrats

3
Chaunticleer lemmy.dbzer0.com Chaunticleer@lemmy.dbzer0.com
Joined: 2026-04-29
#20 · (edited) Quote Reply

They pretty much hone in on people who reply. That shows an operating phone number and the get paid per interaction so they don't care if it's effective.

That said, I did get a couple months peace one time by sending gore from r/medizzy

They also don't use an infinite number of spoofed numbers, they try to limit the area code to one they believe is close to you. If you block and block and block eventually after a month they'll start to thin out.

15
Chaunticleer lemmy.dbzer0.com Chaunticleer@lemmy.dbzer0.com
Joined: 2026-04-29
#21 · (edited) Quote Reply

If it's a failed MMS message that produces the results you could probably do that with any old image, rather than one that could specifically be construde as sexual harassment. Also "penis as weapon" and "black men as exotic sexual body-objects" might not be tropes/meme-thinking you want to perpetuate in the world. Plenty of other images that suggest penises don't have to be aggressive implemen...

I have a penis and hate the stigma. But I totally condone anyone wreaponizing my body against homophobic shitheads in homophobic cultures. Those people scam and emotionally manipulate the elderly for all they're worth

4
neidu4 piefed.social neidu4@piefed.social
Joined: 2026-09-10
#22 · Quote Reply

Lenny can be automated

2
DarkCloud lemmy.world DarkCloud@lemmy.world
Joined: 2024-05-19
#23 · Quote Reply

I have a penis and hate the stigma. But I totally condone anyone wreaponizing my body against homophobic shitheads in homophobic cultures. Those people scam and emotionally manipulate the elderly for all they're worth

I didn't really get a vibe of that being the political spam messages from the post/comments. Maybe I missed something.

2
Chaunticleer lemmy.dbzer0.com Chaunticleer@lemmy.dbzer0.com
Joined: 2026-04-29
#24 · (edited) Quote Reply

I didn't really get a vibe of that being the political spam messages from the post/comments. Maybe I missed something.

Oh, you don't know. Those aren't Americans, it's call centers being operated in Philippines, India, and Latin America. It's cheaper to hire them offshore and they don't have to conversationalists, they just have to send messages on a script.

If you ever get added to one of their directories that does calling, they'll have a soundboard of recorded woman introduce herself and shill for whatever candidate. You can ask them to speak to a human and they have a recorded response about being a human with "voice assisted tools".

It's a whole industry. When they're not hired by Americans for canvassing they're doing call scams on your grandparents with the same kind of tools. I hate them very deeply so they get my tasteful selection of gay porn and gore.

3
Onomatopoeia lemmy.cafe Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe
Joined: 2025-01-02
#25 · Quote Reply

Spamblocker

https://github.com/aj3423/SpamBlocker

2
Onomatopoeia lemmy.cafe Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe
Joined: 2025-01-02
#26 · Quote Reply

Add your number to the do not call list, if they don't respect it, there are huge fines

Hahahahahaha

0
DarkCloud lemmy.world DarkCloud@lemmy.world
Joined: 2024-05-19
#27 · (edited) Quote Reply

Oh, you don't know. Those aren't Americans, it's call centers being operated in Philippines, India, and Latin America. It's cheaper to hire them offshore and they don't have to conversationalists, they just have to send messages on a script. If you ever get added to one of their directories that does calling, they'll have a soundboard of recorded woman introduce herself and shill for whatever c...

I'm aware of foreign call centers, but how does all that translate to you knowing the spam calls are from homophobic people?

Also, I don't think we we're talking about the commenters send your image specifically were we? I think they were using past tense and speaking about black men in general.

Also none of it mentioned the man was gay. I don't think you can just assume all foreign call center workers are homophobic shitheads.

This has been a very confusing interaction. I don't think we're on the same page at all.

3
moondoggie lemmy.world moondoggie@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-06
#28 · Quote Reply

“I’ll give you $5 to release the Epstein Files.”

2
quediuspayu lemmy.dbzer0.com quediuspayu@lemmy.dbzer0.com
Joined: 2025-02-06
#29 · Quote Reply

Spamblocker https://github.com/aj3423/SpamBlocker

I love that app.

1
Widdershins lemmy.world Widdershins@lemmy.world
Joined: 2025-04-04
#30 · Quote Reply

Nice, I think I'll send a goatse to the next one I get

Eat up data. Send the whole set of 40 images currently available at the url gap.zip.

3
Chaunticleer lemmy.dbzer0.com Chaunticleer@lemmy.dbzer0.com
Joined: 2026-04-29
#31 · Quote Reply

I'm aware of foreign call centers, but how does all that translate to you knowing the spam calls are from homophobic people? Also, I don't think we we're talking about the commenters send your image specifically were we? I think they were using past tense and speaking about black men in general. Also none of it mentioned the man was gay. I don't think you can just assume all foreign call center...

Ah. My mistake. Not so much the Philippines, but India and Mexico have cultural stigmas that you can exploit if you ever have a day where you wish to be particularly upsetting to a phone scammer. It's obviously not all, but enough that it's worth rolling the dice.

We're probably not, sorry for that

1
YiddishMcSquidish lemmy.today YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.today
Joined: 2025-03-10
#32 · Quote Reply

If it's a failed MMS message that produces the results you could probably do that with any old image, rather than one that could specifically be construde as sexual harassment. Also "penis as weapon" and "black men as exotic sexual body-objects" might not be tropes/meme-thinking you want to perpetuate in the world. Plenty of other images that suggest penises don't have to be aggressive implemen...

https://share.google/FlD4TjhSc5jkCsvy1

Obviously nsfw

1
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