Spam e-mail, phone calls a bother for many in Arizona

Phone users frustrated as spam texts get out of control

FOX 10's Linda Williams spoke with a local expert on tech on why people are getting unsolicited texts, and what they can do to stop it.

PHOENIX - People's cell phones have been flooded with political, medical, and financial messages. In Arizona, there's also another type of spam messages.

Messages from people who want to buy homes.

Many are not happy with the onslaught of offers, at least some of which are legitimate. One expert says spammers can send out a billion messages a month.

"To perpetuate a huge campaign to spam tens of thousands, millions of cell phone numbers, it's a click of a button," said Ken Colburn with Data Doctors. "They can do it so until tech is in place, you're going to continue to see the rise."

Colburn says people are wondering who gave them their phone numbers or email, and the answer probably lies with them.

"If you purchase something from someone and give up your cell phone number, you inadvertently said it's OK to contact me through this number, and once they have that, it's potentially a third-party company, and they are going to market it to others," said Colburn.

Spam e-mails and texts can be stopped by getting another phone number, or create another e-mail. Colburn says there is also technology to block spam calls and texts, and better technology is on the way that will cut down nuisance texts even more.