How To Stop Unwanted, Sexual Text Messages

PITTSBURGH,None — Anna Troyan was thrilled when she got a cell phone for her 12th birthday, but her mother wasn't exactly tickled by what happened next.

"I discovered a sex text from an unknown source," said Kathleen Troyan, Anna’s mother.

Troyan was appalled because the graphic message, which began, “I’m lying on my bed,” was for 866-number that was soliciting phone sex.

"Who do I go to? Who regulates this that lets minors basically receive porn?" asked Troyan.

She called AT&T. A customer service representative suggested she put a parental block on the phone, but it didn't work.

"She handed me her phone and there was another one," said Troyan.

Kathleen put in another call to AT&T and this time they changed her daughter's number.

Anna is a typical sixth grader who just wants to text her friends. She described the messages as “weird.”

An AT&T spokeswoman said the company is doing what it can to protect customers, especially minors.

AT&T suggests the following steps:

1. If you received an unwanted text forwarded it to SPAM. AT&T will use that information to track and block spammers.

2. Don't just delete. Reply STOP to the message.

3. Make sure your phone is listed on the government’s Do Not Call Registry.

4. For $4.99 a month AT&T offers a service called SmartLimits that blocks certain numbers and restricts access to inappropriate content.

If you are having a problem like this, contact customer service and they will work with you, because AT&T doesn't want kids getting these messages either.

WPXI