Texts After 'STOP': When Companies Ignore Your Opt-Out

You receive an unwanted text. You reply STOP, just like the message instructs. You get a confirmation that you have been unsubscribed. And then, days or weeks later, the texts start again. Sound familiar?

This is one of the most common TCPA violations, and it is one of the clearest. Once you revoke consent, a company is legally required to stop contacting you. If they do not, every additional message is a separate violation worth $500 to $1,500.

Your Right to Revoke Consent

Under the TCPA, you have the right to revoke consent at any time, for any reason, using any reasonable method. That includes:

• Replying STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, or similar keywords
• Calling the company and asking to be removed from their list
• Sending an email requesting they stop contacting you
• Telling a representative verbally that you no longer want to be contacted

There is no magic word required. Any clear expression that you want the communications to stop is sufficient.

Why Companies Keep Texting After STOP

There are several reasons this happens, and none of them are good excuses:

• The company uses multiple phone numbers or short codes and the opt-out was only processed for one of them
• The company sold or shared your number with a related entity that considers itself a separate sender
• The opt-out system had a technical failure or processing delay
• The company simply does not have adequate TCPA compliance procedures in place
• The company deliberately ignores opt-out requests because the cost of violations is less than the revenue from continued messaging

Regardless of the reason, the result is the same: a TCPA violation for each message sent after your opt-out.

What to Do When It Happens

• Do not delete the conversation. Screenshot the entire thread showing your STOP reply and the subsequent messages.
• Note the dates. The timeline showing your opt-out followed by continued messages is the strongest evidence.
• Reply STOP one more time if you want, and screenshot that too. But you are not required to opt out repeatedly.
• Do not engage with the content of the messages. Do not click links or reply with anything other than STOP.
• Submit your screenshots and details to Hammerhead Legal for a free case review.

Why These Cases Are Strong

Post-opt-out violations are among the strongest TCPA cases because the evidence is clear and the intent is difficult to dispute. You told them to stop. They did not stop. A court can see that clearly from the message thread. These are also the cases most likely to qualify for treble damages of $1,500 per violation, because continuing to contact someone who has explicitly revoked consent is a strong indicator of willful behavior.