A method for processing an incoming message in a handportable cellular telephone comprises looking up an identification of a sender of the message in a user-defined white list or black list before making the message available to the user of the telephone. The method thus allows for setting up a user-administrated spam filter for, e.g., SMS messages, e-mails, ringing tone or network setting messages. Access to the user-defined list may be password-protected, so as to prevent a user, such as a child, from amending the list, such amending being exclusively restricted to a person, such as a parent, administrating the phone. If the sender is not found in a user-defined white list, or if the sender is found in a user-defined black list, the message is discarded.