# How to recover the penalty for unsolicited text?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-recover-the-penalty-for-unsolicited-text/735718>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 25, 2015, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-recover-the-penalty-for-unsolicited-text/735718 "2015-10-25T14:00:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2015, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-recover-the-penalty-for-unsolicited-text/735718/1 "2015-10-25T14:00:05Z")

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I got an unsolicited marketing text to my phone. How do I get [my $1500](http://www.digitalmarketer.com/fcc-sms-regulations-preparation/)? Do I have to sue for it and damages are awarded to me, or does the federal government levy a fine that they don’t share with me?

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**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2015, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-recover-the-penalty-for-unsolicited-text/735718/2 "2015-10-25T14:53:50Z")

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If you report it, and if anyone does anything about it, they might get fined up to $1,500 per unsolicited message. You won’t see a penny.