Replied STOP But Still Getting Spam Texts?
By Steve Levine
Updated: February 11, 2026
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING
Dapeer Law, P.A.
Rachel Dapeer, Esq.
Licensed in Florida, New York, and New Jersey
Office Location: Hallandale Beach, FL
Rachel Dapeer, Esq.
Licensed in Florida, New York, and New Jersey
Office Location: Hallandale Beach, FL
You Said STOP. They Didn't Listen. That's Against the Law.
You typed STOP. Maybe you typed it twice. Maybe you tried Unsubscribe, Cancel, Quit, End — every keyword you could think of. And the texts kept coming anyway.Another coupon you didn't ask for. Another "limited time offer" buzzing your phone at 8 AM. Another promotional message from a company that clearly does not care that you told them to leave you alone.
And we're not talking about random scam texts from unknown numbers trying to steal your information. We're talking about real, legitimate businesses — retailers you've shopped at, services you've used, brands you recognize — that keep blasting you with marketing texts after you explicitly told them to stop.
Here's what most people don't realize: every single one of those texts after your STOP reply is a separate federal violation.
Under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), companies are legally required to honor your opt-out. When they don't, they owe you money — $500 per illegal text, and up to $1,500 per text if they ignored your opt-out on purpose.
That's not a typo. Per text. And if you've been getting these messages for weeks or months, those numbers add up fast.
⚠ Important: To move forward with a case review, you need screenshots showing at least two promotional texts from a legitimate, identifiable business that were sent after you replied STOP, Unsubscribe, Opt Out, or a similar opt-out keyword. No screenshots, no case — the evidence is everything.
Upload Your Screenshots — Free Case Review
Why Companies Keep Texting You After You Say STOP
This isn't a glitch. Most of the time, it's a business decision.Companies use automated text marketing platforms that blast thousands of messages at once. Some of these systems are poorly configured and fail to process opt-out requests properly. Others use multiple phone numbers or shortcodes, so your STOP only applies to one number while the same company keeps texting you from another.
And in some cases, the company simply doesn't care. They know that most people will just get annoyed and delete the message. They're banking on the fact that you won't do anything about it.
But the law says otherwise. The TCPA doesn't care whether the company "meant to" keep texting you. It doesn't matter if their system had a bug. It doesn't matter if they used a different number. Once you say STOP, they are legally obligated to stop. Period.
Do You Have a TCPA Spam Text Claim? Here's How to Tell
You likely have an actionable claim if all four of these are true:• The texts are from a real, legitimate business — a retailer, restaurant chain, service provider, subscription company, or any identifiable brand. This does NOT apply to random scam texts, phishing attempts, or unknown numbers sending fraud links. The company must be a real business you can name.
• You replied STOP (or Unsubscribe, Cancel, Opt Out, Quit, End, or any similar opt-out keyword) to that company's text messages
• You received at least TWO more promotional texts after your opt-out — messages trying to sell you something, promote a deal, or push you to book a service. One text after STOP is a gray area. Two or more is a pattern.
• You have screenshots proving it — your STOP message and the marketing texts that came after. No screenshots = no case. The evidence must be on your phone.
You don't need a lawyer on retainer. You don't need to have filed a complaint with the FCC first. You just need proof that you told a legitimate company to stop and they didn't.
❌ This investigation does NOT cover:
• Random scam texts from unknown numbers
• Phishing or fraud messages pretending to be banks, the IRS, or delivery services
• Political campaign texts
• Texts where you cannot identify the sender as a real business
✅ This investigation DOES cover:
• Texts from named, identifiable companies (retail, food, health, beauty, travel, fitness, subscription services, etc.)
• Marketing texts that continued after you replied STOP or opted out
• Situations where you have screenshot evidence of at least two post-opt-out texts
• Random scam texts from unknown numbers
• Phishing or fraud messages pretending to be banks, the IRS, or delivery services
• Political campaign texts
• Texts where you cannot identify the sender as a real business
✅ This investigation DOES cover:
• Texts from named, identifiable companies (retail, food, health, beauty, travel, fitness, subscription services, etc.)
• Marketing texts that continued after you replied STOP or opted out
• Situations where you have screenshot evidence of at least two post-opt-out texts
It Doesn't Matter If You Signed Up Originally
This trips people up more than anything. "But I gave them my number when I made an account" or "I checked a box when I placed an order."None of that matters once you opt out. Prior consent is canceled the moment you reply STOP. The company had permission to text you, and then you revoked that permission. Everything sent after that point is unauthorized.
Think of it this way: you can invite someone into your house, but once you tell them to leave, they have to leave. Staying after that is trespassing. The same logic applies here.
Which Texts Count? Marketing vs. Transactional Messages
Not every text from a company is a TCPA violation. The law draws a line between marketing texts (which must stop after opt-out) and transactional texts (which are generally permitted).These are marketing texts that count as violations after STOP:
• "Flash sale — 40% off everything today only!"
• "We miss you! Come back and save 25%"
• "Use code FREESHIP at checkout"
• "Book your free consultation now"
• "New arrivals just dropped — shop now"
• "Last chance to claim your exclusive offer"
These generally do NOT count:
• "Your order has shipped — tracking number: 1Z999..."
• "Reminder: your appointment is tomorrow at 3 PM"
• "Your verification code is 482913"
• "Your payment of $49.99 was processed"
The simple test: is the text trying to get you to buy something or take a commercial action? If yes, it's marketing. If a company sent you marketing texts after your STOP, each one is a potential $500–$1,500 violation.
Check If Your Texts Qualify — Free Review
What Screenshots Do You Need? (This Is Non-Negotiable)
No screenshots, no case. This is the single most important thing on this page. An attorney cannot evaluate your claim without visual proof. Here's exactly what to submit:You MUST have:
• A screenshot of your STOP reply (or Unsubscribe, Opt Out, Cancel, etc.) — clearly showing you told the company to stop
• Screenshots of at least TWO promotional or marketing texts from the same legitimate business received AFTER your opt-out
Two texts minimum. From a real, identifiable company. After you said stop. With screenshots. All four of those must be true.
Helpful but not required:
• Visible timestamps on the messages
• The sender's phone number or shortcode
• The name of the company (if you know it)
• Any confirmation message the company sent acknowledging your STOP (e.g., "You've been unsubscribed" — followed by more marketing texts anyway)
Pro tip: Scroll up in your text thread before taking screenshots. Many people have more post-opt-out marketing texts than they realize. Each one is a separate violation worth $500–$1,500. The more texts you can document, the stronger (and more valuable) your claim.
Remember: This is only for texts from legitimate businesses — companies like retailers, restaurants, salons, gyms, subscription services, insurance companies, car dealerships, and similar. If you don't know who sent the text or it looks like a scam, this investigation is not the right fit.
How Much Are Spam Texts Worth After Saying STOP?
The TCPA provides statutory damages — meaning you don't have to prove you lost money. The violation itself is the harm. Here's what the law allows:• $500 per unauthorized text message — this is the standard amount for each text sent after your opt-out
• $1,500 per text for willful violations — if the company knowingly or deliberately continued texting you after you opted out, the amount triples
To put that in perspective: if a company sent you 10 promotional texts after you replied STOP, that's $5,000 to $15,000 in potential statutory damages. Twenty texts? $10,000 to $30,000. And many people have far more messages than they think once they actually scroll through their text history.
Submit Your Screenshots — See What Your Texts Are Worth
What Is the TCPA and Why Does It Exist?
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) is a federal law originally passed in 1991 to protect consumers from unwanted telemarketing calls. It has since been expanded to cover text messages, which courts treat the same as phone calls under the statute.The core principle is simple: businesses cannot bombard you with marketing messages you didn't agree to, and once you withdraw consent, they must stop immediately. The TCPA gives individual consumers the right to sue violators directly, without needing a class action, and collect statutory damages for each illegal message.
This is one of the few areas of federal law where an everyday person can hold a large corporation accountable — and actually get paid for it.
Questions People Ask About Spam Texts After STOP
"Does this apply to scam texts and phishing messages?"
No. This investigation is specifically about legitimate, identifiable businesses that ignore your opt-out — companies like retailers, restaurants, subscription services, insurance providers, car dealerships, salons, and similar. Random scam texts from unknown numbers, phishing messages, or fraud attempts are a different issue entirely and are not covered here.
"How many texts do I need to have received after STOP?"
At minimum, two promotional texts after your opt-out. One text after STOP could arguably be a system delay. Two or more is a pattern that shows the company failed to honor your request. The more post-opt-out texts you have, the stronger your claim.
"I said STOP months ago — is it too late?"
The statute of limitations for TCPA claims is four years. If you have texts from any time in the past four years showing your opt-out and the marketing messages that followed, you may still have a valid claim.
"The texts come from a shortcode or a number I don't recognize — does that matter?"
It depends. If you can identify the business behind the texts (their name appears in the message, or you recognize the brand), it can still qualify. Many legitimate companies use shortcodes or third-party texting platforms. What matters is that the sender is a real business and the texts are promotional. An attorney can help trace the sender if needed.
"I've gotten texts from multiple companies after saying STOP. Can I file against all of them?"
Yes. Each legitimate company that violated your opt-out is liable separately. If three different businesses ignored your STOP, that's three separate potential claims. You'll need screenshots for each one.
"Does this cost me anything?"
The case review through this page is completely free. TCPA attorneys typically work on contingency, meaning they only get paid if you get paid.
"What if the company finally stopped texting me?"
That doesn't erase the violations that already happened. Every illegal text they sent before they finally stopped is still a separate $500–$1,500 violation. As long as you have screenshots, the claim stands.
"What if I deleted the texts?"
Unfortunately, without screenshots showing your opt-out and the subsequent marketing texts, there's no evidence to support a claim. If you're currently receiving unwanted texts from a legitimate business, take screenshots now before submitting.
Quick Checklist: Do You Have a TCPA Claim?
✅ The texts are from a real, legitimate business you can identify by name (not random scam numbers)
✅ You replied STOP, Unsubscribe, Opt Out, Cancel, or a similar opt-out keyword
✅ You received at least TWO promotional texts after opting out
✅ The texts were marketing messages (sales, deals, offers, promotions — not service alerts)
✅ You have screenshots of your opt-out AND the marketing texts that followed
If you checked all five, you likely have a claim worth reviewing. If you're missing screenshots or the texts are from unknown scam numbers, this investigation isn't the right fit.
Submit Your Screenshots Now — Free Case Review
Stop Ignoring Texts That Are Ignoring You
Most people just delete the texts and move on. They assume there's nothing they can do about it. But federal law disagrees.Every time a legitimate business sends you a promotional text after you said STOP, they're violating your rights under the TCPA — and they owe you money for it.
You already did your part. You said STOP. Now it's time to make them do theirs.
If you have screenshots of at least two marketing texts from a real company sent after your opt-out, upload them below for a free case evaluation. It takes less than two minutes, and there's no cost or obligation.
Upload Screenshots — Get Your Free Case Review
Sources
• FCC: Robocalls and Telemarketing• FTC: Telemarketing Sales Rule Guidance
• 47 U.S.C. § 227: Telephone Consumer Protection Act
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