Verizon Safeguards FAQs

Verizon Safeguards allow you to manage your wireless services by using various features like Content Filtering, Spam Controls and more.

Watch our What is Verizon FamilyBase video to learn more about Verizon Safeguards.

You can use either Internet Spam Controls or Block Calls & Messages in My Verizon available through Spam Controls.

If the message is originating from an email address or web domain, visit Internet Spam Controls in My Verizon and enter the email or domain to be blocked. Internet Spam Controls lets you designate and block up to 15 email addresses, vtext IDs and/or Internet domains from sending text or multimedia messages to you.

If the message is originating from a phone number, visit Block Calls & Messages in My Verizon and enter the phone number of the individual who you wish to block. Call & Message Blocking lets you designate and block up to 5 phone numbers from sending text, picture or video messages to you.

Note: You can't block numbers that are within your account, nor can you block non-10-digit numbers such as 911, 411 or #MIN (to check minutes used).

Visit Family Safeguards & Controls in My Verizon for more security options.

To enable Spam Controls and block certain phone numbers and Internet addresses from contacting you, follow these steps:

To block phone numbers:

1. Go to the Call & Message Blocking page in My Verizon.
2. Enter the numbers you wish to block and click Submit.

To block email addresses, Internet addresses and/or text names:

1. Go to the Internet Spam Blocking page in My Verizon.
2. Enter the addresses or text names you wish to block and click Apply.

To block phone numbers:

1. Go to the Call & Message Blocking page in My Verizon.
2. Enter the number you wish to block and click Submit.

You will no longer receive calls or messages from this phone number.

Call & Message Blocking enables you to designate and block up to five phone numbers from calling you. You cannot block numbers that are within your account nor can you block non-10 digit numbers such as 911, 411 or #MIN (to check minutes used).

Note: You will have to subscribe to Usage Controls in order to prevent your child from calling a blocked number.

Yes, blocking will expire 90 days from the date of your first block. You can reestablish blocking by adding blocking preferences after they expire.

You can only block up to five phone numbers at one time. Also, blocks will expire 90 days from the date you set your first blocked number. You can reestablish Call & Message Blocking, in My Verizon after the previous blocks expire.

Verizon Wireless supported the passage of federal legislation aimed at providing consumers with control over receipt of unsolicited electronic messages, or 'spam'. We employ tools in our network to detect incidences of 'spam' sent to our customers' wireless devices, and we also provide customers with tools to manage and even restrict receipt of such messages.

Verizon Wireless has also been aggressive battling spam in Court. Over the past two years, Verizon Wireless has filed lawsuits against several companies it has accused of sending text message spam to its customers.

Companies and individuals who send unsolicited text messages to wireless phones violate the Federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act by using "auto-dialing" equipment to send large bursts of text messages to sequential phone numbers within very short periods of time. These spammers also often use deceptive means to hide the identity of who is sending the spam and to avoid filters that Verizon Wireless and other mobile operators use to prevent spam from reaching their customers.

Text messaging is a great and increasingly popular way to communicate, but unwanted or unsolicited text message spam to our customers' handsets is unacceptable. Verizon Wireless has a long track record of protecting our customers' privacy, including through lawsuits, and will continue to do so. Verizon Wireless remains committed to defending the strong wall of customer privacy we’ve built over the years through its network practices and its industry leading pro-consumer policies.

For those messages which do get through, Verizon Wireless provides Internet Spam Blocking to enable customers to block spam from reaching their device.

Internet Spam Block

Go to the Internet Spam Blocking page in My Verizon to manage your spam protection.

Options include blocking all messages sent from the web, or designating certain addresses from which you don't want to receive text messages.

Verizon FamilyBase is a service that you can use to monitor the activity of each device on your account, set usage limits for each device and help your children understand how to use their devices responsibly and safely. The insights this service provides are especially helpful for parents and anyone who has multiple family members on the same account. You can also use it to avoid unexpected overage charges.

With Verizon FamilyBase, you can:

• Gain insights into your children's activities on their devices:
  • Calls
  • Texts
  • Apps*
  • Contacts*
    
    
• Receive notifications and alerts on activity and usage
  • Set up controls on each device
  • Set time restrictions for when a device can't be used
  • Block contacts that you don't want your child to call or text
  • Create Trusted Contacts that are safe for your child to call or text
  • Set limits on usage for data, messages, calls and purchases
  • Lock your child's phone on demand*

For $5/month for your entire account (up to 10 lines), you can use this tool to monitor and manage when, how and with whom your children communicate. Plus, all the information you need is presented in one simple family dashboard.

Verizon FamilyBase Companion app required.

Learn more at our FamilyBase FAQs.