The FCC published a final rule on October 26 that changes what an opt-out request can mean. Starting November 25, a caller may treat a request made in response to an informational automated call or text as applying only to that category of message.
Say you reply "stop" to a payment reminder. The sender may stop those reminders while continuing to send fraud alerts, appointment reminders, authentication codes, or outage notices. The rule permits this narrower reading; it does not require every sender to use it.
Sales messages follow a broader rule. A request made in response to advertising or telemarketing revokes consent for future advertising and telemarketing robocalls or texts from that caller.
The route you use can matter, too. A caller may name an exclusive opt-out method if the message discloses it clearly. That method can be an automated voice or key-press option, a standardized reply word, or a designated website or phone number. Approved reply words include "stop," "quit," "end," "revoke," "opt out," "cancel," and "unsubscribe." If the caller names an exclusive route, it does not have to process requests sent another way. If it names no exclusive route, it must continue to accept requests made by reasonable means.
Callers have a reasonable period of up to ten business days to honor the request. That delay can make it hard to tell whether a later message was already queued, whether the opt-out is still being processed, or whether it covered a different category.
When you opt out, save the full message and your reply in one screenshot. Keep any confirmation, and note the date if you use a website or phone number. This record does not guarantee a particular outcome, but it preserves what the sender told you to do and what you asked to stop.
A separate FCC proposal asks whether senders should have to offer a one-step option for stopping every category. That option is still under consideration, with comments due November 25.
For now, use the route shown in the message and ask one plain question if texts continue: Which category did my request stop?