Investigating who is texting you - documenting text message TCPA violations
- Peter Schneider
- Jan 21
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 6
This article complements my article on documenting what telemarketers are calling you, and is intended to have some suggestions on how to find out what telemarketers are texting you. I suggest you read that article as well before you do anything as there is overlap between them.
In many ways, getting to the bottom of who is texting you is easier then knowing who is calling you because with text messages, time is on your side. If you can't talk your way into identifying them on the phone and their phone number is spoofed, you failed, although they will probably call you many times so you can try again.
That said, it isn't always easier with text messages and let's just work our way through some examples, starting with this one from SMS short code 57703.
SMS stands for Short Message Service, and these SMS or short code phone numbers are used by folks who send commercial quantities of text messages. The first place I check is a SMS shortcode lookup service like TextingWorld, but like with SMS short code 57703, often there is no information about the short code texting you, or it is out of date, or it is a rented SMS code, so it's a start, not a conclusion.
The next stop is to google the phone number 800 368 5437. I am looking for any and all websites that use this phone number, complaints of calls originating from this phone number that is related to the subject of the spam I am receiving, and just any and all connections to this number I can find. However in this case the google search appeared to be a dead end.
Next you can try spydialer.com. It often pulls up the subscriber name for phone numbers, and even it that doesn't pull up a name, often you can use spydialer to place a call to the target number, and listen to who answers.
Or if there is an answer. This can give a good idea of who is on the other end of the phone line, helping you to decide your next steps.
From experience, I sense that the only way to smoke out this Telemarketer or Seller is to register at privacy.com to get one time use credit cards, call the number from an investigation phone, and make a purchase. You can set the privacy.com one time use card to $1, blocking them from actually charging your card. Or you can set it to allow one purchase with a max $$$ amount can go through one time. While using all the skills I mentioned in my first post on speaking with phone agents and recording calls. Use the one time credit card on privacy.com, I can tell you from experience that often the card you give will be over charged, repeatedly charged, or just outright taken for a joy ride.
If the package you receive has sender information like a website or phone number, rinse and repeat all the techniques to screen shot the website for identifying information, call the number from an investigation phone to try and get useful information. Generally do what you can do to smoke out their true name, or at least a charge (real or declined) on your privacy.com credit card that you can subpoena later.
Whatever I do, I try to obey the following do's and don'ts:
I don't call the from my real phone number and buy anything from them or ask product questions such that they could claim they had a reason to call my real number back
If I am going to buy something from them or spend more than a few seconds on the phone with them, I call from my investigation phone
If they ask me my phone number, I give them my investigation phone number and I tell them that is my only phone number
I record everything I legally can.
I screen shot the texts they send me
I screen record clicking on any links they send, including exploring their website for phone numbers or addresses
I use a one time use credit card from privacy.com. sometimes I set the spending limit to $1 so that I can get their name, but don't actually get charged. Sometimes I actually buy the product and see what shows up in the mail
I try to get them to email me so I learn who they really are via their domain name.
I rise and repeat for a good 10-20 texts, trying to figure out who they are. Once I know who they are, I may call or email or use a web contact form to ask them to stop calling. If I do any of this, I completely document the request so they can't deny it later.
I save everything to the cloud so I am not a hard drive failure away from losing all my work.
All this said, sometimes it is just that easy. See recent case Schofield v Albertsons Safeway LLC, where the TCPA plaintiff (allegedly) received unwanted solicitation texts. See her complaint starting on page 17 for examples of her screenshots of the texts.
Would you like a free case review? Do you have a question or a telemarketing, debt collection, or bankruptcy case that would make a great blog article? We might even review your pro-se complaint or motion in a blog post. Email peter@nwdebtresolution.com and/or nathen@nwdebtresolution.com and we may answer it for everyone!
Are telemarketers harassing you in Washington, Oregon, or Montana? My Washington State TCPA plaintiff law practice can help, just give us a call at 206-800-6000 or email peter@nwdebtresolution.com.
The thoughts, opinions and musings of this blog are those of Peter Schneider, a consumer advocate and Washington State plaintiff's TCPA attorney at Northwest Debt Resolution, LLC. They are just that, his thoughts, opinions and musings and should be treated as such. They are not legal advice. If you are looking to file a lawsuit for TCPA violations and unwanted calls please contact me for a consultation.
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