Your smartphone is ringing again. An unknown caller! Who could it be? A long-lost friend perhaps? Your kid making an emergency call on a payphone? The pope?
Sadly, you already know the answer—and it’s maddening.
Telemarketing calls, robocalls, and spam calls are more pervasive than ever, with 50 billion robocalls placed in the United States in 2021. And getting constant unwanted calls isn’t just annoying—many of these spam calls are potentially dangerous, as an estimated 19.7 billion USD was lost to phone scams in 2020.
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While anti-robocall legislation is in place to help combat the spam call surge, there are still ways to stay safe from phone scams. Here are seven things you can do to protect your privacy and block spam calls.
1. Check if your carrier offers a call filter
Your phone service provider may have products available to filter out unwanted calls. In the U.S., carriers with such offerings include T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T, though some of these services may require a fee. Here’s a breakdown of the various filter services offered by carriers:
AT&T’s Call Protect
AT&T has Call Protect, a free service that blocks robo, spam, and scam calls. While it might not fully protect you from telemarketers, the app does warn you if a call is unknown and provides a “nuisance warning” so you know to avoid it.
There’s also a premium version of the app called Call Protect Plus that offers caller ID, reverse number lookups, and the ability to send calls straight to voicemail. This add-on service is available for 3.99 USD/month.
Verizon’s Call Filter
Call Filter is free for Verizon customers with a compatible device. Upgrades like Call Filter Plus and Call Filter Plus (multi-line) are available for 2.99 USD/month and 7.99 USD/month respectively.
Call Filter screens incoming callers and alerts you of any number that might be spam, robocall, or fraud. The free service allows you to block up to five phone numbers for 90 days.
T-Mobile’s Scam Shield
Scam Shield offers anti-scam protection services like call blocking, caller ID, and lets customers change their phone numbers up to one time per year. The service also offers a proxy number that customers can use if they don’t want to share their private phone numbers.
2. Use a call-blocker app
Call-blocking apps are an efficient way to curtail (or even deter) spam calls. Besides fulfilling their basic promise of blocking unfamiliar calls, each app comes with its own add-ons and features tailored to what you need, whether it’s filtering spam texts too or adding an automated answering message (designed to frustrate scammers). Most of these apps charge a subscription fee. Make sure you do some research before signing up for these apps to ensure they’re serving your needs and can be trusted to use your data wisely. Here are some popular choices:
RoboKiller
RoboKiller automatically blocks telemarketers and prevents robocalls from ringing, even if these callers spoof their numbers. The app uses voice recognition to detect voice patterns and update their block list almost in real-time. There’s also the Answer Bot feature that takes “revenge” on telemarketers by picking up phone calls and wasting their time. The results can be quite hilarious. RoboKiller is available at 3.99 USD/month.
Truecaller
Truecaller is an app that shows users information about callers not in their address book and blocks unwanted calls. The app allows users to search for any name or number so they can block people or organizations easily. Truecaller is available for 10.99 USD/month, with a seven-day free trial.
YouMail
YouMail is a voicemail app that provides spam filter protection for individuals and businesses. Individuals can get on a free plan that stops scam and spam calls and provides information on blocked calls. A premium plan adds live chat and email support features at 5.99 USD/month.
Nomorobo
Nomorobo is a no-frills robocall protection service that offers free and unlimited voice-over internet protocols for landlines. Mobile users will have to pay 1.99 USD/month to subscribe to the service through an app. There’s also a 14-day free trial.
DoNotPay
DoNotPay is a legal services chatbot that lets users file disputes against businesses and individuals. Most recently, the platform launched Robo Revenge, an app that lets users track robocalls and make it easier for them to file claims against scammers. DoNotPay provides users a free virtual credit card that they can share with scammers. Scammers will then attempt to charge the credit card, which in turn helps DoNotPay access the scammer’s information and reveal who they are.
Users will receive information about the scammers that they can then use to file claims.
3. Check the built-in features of your phone
You can change the settings on your Apple or Android phone to block calls from unknown callers.
For iPhones, you’ll need to be running iOS 13 and later. To turn on the Silence Unknown Callers feature, go to Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers, and toggle it on. Unknown numbers will then be silenced and sent straight to your voicemail, but they’ll appear in your recent calls list.
On your Android phone, there should be a function to block all unknown callers within the Settings menu. While the process varies depending on your device, you can usually access it by opening the Phone app > tap the three dots ⋮ > Settings, then find the option to block numbers and activate the feature.
You can also block individual numbers that seem to keep spamming you. Here’s how:
iPhones
Tap the Phone app, tap Recents, then tap on the Info icon on the number you’d like to block. Once done, select Block this Caller.
Android
Open Phone app, tap the recent history tab, and tap on the number you want to block. Then, tap Block/Report spam.
4. Add your number to the National Do Not Call Registry
If you’re in the U.S., a free and easy way to filter out telemarketers is by adding your number to the National Do Not Call Registry. This can be done via www.donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222 from the phone number you want to register.
You should receive fewer telemarketing calls within 31 days of registering; however, this method does not filter out scammers or unscrupulous companies who ignore the registry.
5. Never let the robots know you’re a real human
Scammers use robocalls as a way to confirm that the person on the other end is a human being they can continue to target. Through this, they’re able to mark numbers that are valid and spoof their own numbers to continue calling you.
Be wary of responding to calls with your name or saying the word “yes” as these robocalls may be recording you.
6. Don’t give out your number unnecessarily
There are several ways that your phone number could be exposed online, such as listing your phone number on your social media accounts, submitting your number when signing up for things (always read terms and conditions), or having it leaked in a data breach.
Doing a quick search of yourself and your phone number is a good way to figure out how much of your private information is easily accessible online. If it’s listed on a website, you could try sending the site admin a request to remove it. Some social media sign-ups may require your phone number, but you can potentially sidestep this by using a fake number. Some options for acquiring a fake number include Google Voice, using a temporary number app or website, or getting a burner phone number.
7. Report spam calls to the Federal Trade Commission (U.S. only)
Besides adding your number to the Do Not Call Registry, people based on the U.S. can also report scam calls to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Not based in the U.S.? Check if your local law enforcement agencies have hotlines or sites that allow you to report scam or spam calls.
How to block unwanted calls on a landline
Apps like Nomorobo provide call-blocking services for landlines. Your landline’s carrier might also be able to help you block certain numbers.
If all else fails, consider purchasing a hardware call blocker. Most of these devices come pre-programmed with thousands of known spam numbers and could be used to add new numbers as they appear. The only downside is that these devices might not actually be as up-to-date as a software-based service.
What are spam calls and where do they come from?
Spam calls are unsolicited calls with the goal of making a sale for products or services.
Here are some of the different types of spam calls:
Telemarketing
Telemarketing calls are one of the ways businesses attempt to sell products or services to potential customers. Telemarketers are usually given a target to make prospect calls each day.
Legal robocalls
Businesses and agencies employ robocalls to remind consumers of upcoming appointments, bookings, and the like. In Singapore, several booking platforms use robocalls to confirm bookings for restaurants. In this case, these calls are legal because you’ve provided your number and have acknowledged that these platforms might call you when you’re making the booking.
Illegal robocalls
In general, illegal robocalls are calls that are unsolicited. In this case, your number could have been obtained through illegal means, whether from a shady operator or through a data breach.
Scam calls
Scam calls are fraudulent calls with the intention of stealing information or money.
While both scam and spam calls are annoying, their difference lies mainly in the intention of the caller. Scam callers may occasionally demand payment or information and are generally illegal.
Why am I getting so many spam calls on my cell phone?
The main reason people are getting more spam calls is the sales spammers make through these calls are worth their while. Meanwhile, there’s hardly any downside for scammers and spammers: Their identities are easily concealed over a call, and there is a general lack of legislation that would prevent these activities.
How do you deal with spam calls? Let us know in the comments.
FAQ: About spam calls
How do you know a call is spam?
It can be difficult to determine if a call is spam. However, experts have suggested that calls with country codes in them could be spam calls.
What happens if you answer a spam call?
If you answer a scam call, your number could be marked as “good” by scammers, and they might attempt to call you again.
Will spam calls eventually stop?
It’s difficult to stop spam calls. However, you can sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry to prevent further spam calls from affecting you.
Is it better to decline or ignore spam calls?
Ignoring and declining spam calls should ideally lead to fewer calls.
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Comments
All about America. How about more global information!
what is a spam call and why shouldn”t i tallk to them if i don”t know them
The city government has created a robocall
that is as annoying as any commercial or spammer
robocall bot.
The only way to stop receiving a short message
every 3 min. is to turn of my laptop. I am not sure
what sets it off but it can restart on its own.
While we are on the topic ….
There is a similar annoying emergency announcement
that blocks access to your cable TV signal for 2 min.
The main problem is that it is usually an irrelevant
non-emergency announcement that interrupts the
television program you are watching.
It is usually a test or information on a lost dog
or missing person or a suspicious car at a location
100 miles away.
I get so many calls from these low life people that I’m afraid to answer my phone. I’m so upset with our government and phone companies for allowing this to happen. Are the scammers smarter than the ones that supply our phone service. This should be a criminal offense and handled as such. I’m eledery and fear my every move with the modern phone system. Why do we pay to be taken advantage of. HELP! Please
Start blocking every number and email address that contacts you. I’ve been doing it for years. My email address only gets 10-15 emails a day and one or two calls. (my husband who doesn’t block gets 500-600 emails per day and 40-60 calls. Yes, it’s a pain in the ass but you will get immediate results. Do not answer any number that you don’t know. If it is a legitimate business or actually someone for you, they will leave a message. As your phone message, let the people who are calling you know that until a message is left, you will consider the number or email address as spam and will not respond or answer. Robo calls will not be able to leave a message. On your cell phone, block the number first and when you delete, report as spam. I wish you luck and I’m sorry this has caused you disquiet. Feel free to message me if you need help.
I do hate all of those calls. I fell sorry for the lady that gets over 100 call a day. I get a lot of call a day. I look at my phone and then lay it down. They have lots of different numbers how can they do that. And yes they phone company they don’t help. And we pay for our phone and can’t get help it’s a shame. For older people. And cannot change my phone number. Inportant people has our phone number.
I have a land line and would get a few calls a week. Now suddenly I get 30 calls a day, starting at 6 oclock until midnight. I even got a death threat from a cartel sounding scammer. My phone rings off the hook and sudden link won’t help, man i am goin nut’s here…
SuddenLink is a ——— ——— ———- and won’t do anything to help you and there is no way to escalate a complaint. People hate the company so you know what they did, they changed their name to Optimum
I’ve tried for years to avoid unwanted calls.This year I got fed up after receiving 72 calls in 12 hours, and a daily average of 12-20 calls a day. Most start with the recording “hello, I’m Mary from senior health benefits”. She also has started with a new, but similar company she call senior citizen Healthcare. But the person on the other end always claims to be with medicare/medicad.Its infuriating!!!!!!! Especially since I’ve been ont the DNC list for two years now! Since that day, I’ve been answering those calls and wait till I get someone human. They I talk like a little girl and rudely tell them stop calling, my grandma died, I’m using this phone now and hang up. Calls have decreased to a few a week but my phone blocks the rest.
And no, I don’t feel guilty for lying, considering they are scam artists I feel what I’m doing is justified. And it’s a lil funny when they react to the news.
the only way to get rid of the problem all together is to get rid of phones its never going to stop ever
The phone companies can stop this a lot if not all together by not issuing the phone numbers to begin with! Its not rocket science when these spam callers have consecutive numbers ( example ( 803-665-1234, 803-665-1235, 803-665-1236, etc. The phone companies are making money selling the phone numbers and then selling the means to blocking the same phone numbers. It is disgusting. They are no better than any rapist in prison or on the streets. They should be prosecuted by lethal injection or the electric chair. For the many people duped out of their hard earned money and forced to live in the streets and starve to death because they have a heart or are doing the right thing in their eyes while the person on the other end is taking them for all they have and not caring what happens to them because of it. To me that counts as MURDER to me. So yeah the death penalty is in order here. If no one sees any consequences for their actions, why should they not keep on scamming innocent people? Execute them they will stop. Garuntee it!
I agree 1000%!! I get over 100 scam text per day AND over 75 scam calls per day. I can’t stand much more of this crap. I’m about ready to lose my mind and go postal on someone!!!
An app I’ve been using for years is ShouldIAnswer. Uses crowdsourced info so the frequently-changed numbers are easily caught. Answers and Hangs up to waste the spammers money, no subscription but there’s an optional donate that gets rid of ads.
Don’t know if it’s on the Apple Appstore.
In the UK (US also?) you can (and should) forwards spam texts to 7762 (SPAM). All the carriers support it and it helps build datasets of spam numbers.
Started getting scam phone calls shortly after I got my first smart phone. As a result, I don’t import my contacts to any new phones. I start over. PIA, but it helped for a while. Someone in my list of contacts is a corrupt dirtbag. I registered on Do Not Call. I have spam filtered by phone settings, and I don’t answer calls I do not recognize. Still, I get more calls that are spam, telemarketers, and robo than anything else.
You’d think ATT would offer a spam filtering app to its customers for free to cut down on the aggravation they have created. But, NO, you have to pay them a premium price monthly for it. They’re in cahoots with the scammers, as far as I’m concerned. Probably even sell the numbers on lists to telemarketers and robocallers. I’m really disillusioned with the internet. Largest collection of dirtbags in one place that I’ve ever met in my life.
I agree totally – as any decent working citizen should. We pay HUGE fees for all forms of communications, but nothing greater than those forked out for cell phones.
Verizon has a spam reporting number (that I have saved as a speed dial) where you copy in the spam/scam text info – and text it to them. The reporting of such to be thwarted “supposedly” aids the carrier as well as the customer, by cutting down on the wasted bandwidth utilized by the unsolicited trash calls.
Most trash texts I get now seem to be sourced from an email address, rather than being limited to a phone number. The trash ad texts I get include the usual ED remedies and weight loss supplements. But I also get texts from the hard core financial scammers, looking for me to confirm some bogus account number in peril – or “text them immediately” to save the non-existing account. I report every single one.
I think that all such privacy violation “prevention measures” should be fully prosecuted by the carrier and FREE to the customers.
We do not need (or even want) another add-on “app” on our phones – or another so-called “service” for anyone to charge us for.
Every single app loaded on a cell phone is using your information, to one extent or another – ALL OF THEM!
Did you think it merely “coincidental” that about the time you filled out a form online it happens that your trash calls and texts increased in number or frequency almost immediately? It is no different loading any new app.
And the same thing goes for “ad free” premiums that boast they allow use of their app but remove some or all ads…..They STILL spy on your info!
All aspects of our PI are exploited. But face it – if people really cared about protecting their privacy – there could be no FaceBook, Twitter, or “social media” in existence. Those companies only survive as parasites that feed on selling the privacy, activities, and personal preferences of their customers. And they are ALL owned by billionaires.
If I don´t know the number, I don´t take the phone. Then I check Yellow Pages, to figure out who has called me. I only call back, If it is an important number. Sellers and foreign numbers I always block. I have added my number to the National Do Not Call Registry. Some Scumbags still call. I can´t stand those people.
I’ve had my home phone and cell phones on the “DO NOT CALL REGISTERY”
Did it work? It didn’t for me. I wonder how that is supposed to work.
I answer the call and give them completely phony information or I miss with them pretending to be a woman or flirting with them it pisses them off and my friends and I get a good laugh out of it.
I get a lot of spam text. Sometimes it shows up as a full number and sometimes a short number. It highlights a link but I never go to. I always block and delete but it shows up again after awhile with a different number.
When a call comes in and the number is not on my contact list I let it go to voicemail. If they do not leave a message I gladly block the number. I also keep a list of the scam/unknown no message numbers by area code/nnx. The number of calls went from 1-3 per day to very few monthly.
I do the same thing. Works pretty well.
After FIVE YEARS of getting the same crap over and over (and the same people), I keep a small siren next to the phone (and noise canceling earphones for me) and use it to encourage them to move along. Some of these morons actually take the hint rather quickly
iPhone: Phone app/Recents/Block this Caller
And you will need to do that every time they use a different number. Not much of a fix.
Nowadays they have a way to block all unknown numbers and even forward the scammers to a non existing number. Too bad Samsungs don’t have this