- never signed up for anything like this,
- never donated to or signed up for emails from the DNC, et al.,
- political texts like this come all the time, and
- I hesitate to reply “stop” because I don’t want them to know this is a live number (is my instinct here outdated/inapplicable?)
So does replying “stop” apply to the number that texted you, or to the whole company?
Depends. Usually it applies to the campaign. Sometimes it applies to the company. Sometimes it just gets you flagged as a responsive human.
For things that look legit, for example seasonal political campaigns, and include in message something like “reply STOP to quit”, replying “STOP” does usually end it quickly. Recommended.
Should be one of the first things any anti-spam app/feature should be doing. Wish it was automated into OS spam defenses, then the “responsive human” worry would be eliminated.