There is almost nothing as irritating as receiving a call you presumed to be important, only to discover that it is an unsolicited spam call or robocall. Research showed that over 50 billion robocalls were placed in the United States in 2021, and these calls are becoming more pervasive every year.
Another mind-boggling fact is that spam calls led to the loss of over $19.7 billion in 2020. This shows how dangerous robocalls and spam calls are. This article lists easy ways to stop spam calls and robocalls so you won’t fall victim.
7 Ways to Stop Spam Calls and Robocalls
Here are 7 simple methods to prevent robocalls and spam calls on Android and iPhone to protect yourself from the dangers they pose:
1. Use Call-blocker Applications
Call-blocker apps are efficient in preventing spam calls and robocalls. They determine the identity of a caller and block them if the caller is unknown. They help block unwanted calls and even have additional features you can utilize and tailor to suit your needs.
There are several call-blocker apps, so it is best to research whether a particular one will suit your needs before opting for it. It would help if you noted that some apps require a subscription fee to access most of their important services. The most common call-blocker apps include:
Truecaller
Truecaller identifies strange callers and blocks them. It is a number-lookup app with over 2 billion numbers recorded, obtained from users’ contact lists worldwide. It supports several languages, and it also offers several additional features.
The app is available for Android and iPhones and is one of the best free spam call blocker apps for Android. However, it’s quite unfortunate that it is ad-supported, which may get pretty frustrating. The app also requires access to your phonebook and sends data to its server. If you find this uncomfortable, you may want to check out other options.
Hiya
Hiya was formerly called White Pages Caller ID and Call Blocker. It offers number lookup, caller ID, and call-blocking services. The app is available on Android and iOS phones and has a free and paid plan.
The paid plan costs $3.99 per month, and the benefits depend on whether you’re using an Android or iOS phone. The free version of the iPhone app offers call blocking and spam detection, while the paid version offers a number lookup service.
On the other hand, the free version of the Android app offers spam detection and caller ID, while the paid version offers reverse lookup and spam blocking.
RoboKiller
RoboKiller is another call blocker app. It detects the voice pattern of callers by using voice recognition and updates the block list immediately. It blocks robocalls and telemarketers even if they change their numbers.
An interesting feature of the app is the Answer Bot feature, which answers telemarketers and scam calls with pre-recorded messages to waste the caller’s time. The recording can then be shared with others for pleasure. Robokiller costs $4.99 monthly, and the annual plan is $39.99.
Nomorobo
Nomorobo is an affordable app that stops spam text messages and blocks robocalls. It works on VoIP landlines and mobile phones. It is free for VoIP landlines, but it costs $1.99 monthly for mobile users with a 14-day free trial.
Furthermore, if you are expecting a call from an unknown number, you can pause Nomorobo protection, allowing the call to come through.
Robo Revenge
Robo Revenge helps track robocalls and spam calls and enables you to file claims against scammers. The application was launched by DoNotPay, a legal services bot.
DoNotPay offers users a free virtual card, which they share with the scam caller. When the scammer charges the credit card, DoNotPay easily accesses the information and reveals the user’s identity.
YouMail
YouMail is a call-blocker app that stops robocalls and protects individuals and businesses from spam calls and text messages. It has both free and paid plans. The free plan blocks spam and scam calls and gives information on blocked calls. The premium plan costs $5.99 monthly and provides email support and live chat features.
Norton360
Norton360 offers more than just blocking and silencing features. The 360 in the name suggests an all-round and comprehensive digital and mobile privacy and protection. The app has an antivirus to catch all kinds of malware and boasts an extensive security suite.
Its call-blocking feature is available on iOS and Android and provides many features. These include prank call blocking, web protection and surveillance, and notifications when your WiFi is under attack.
2. Enable Phone Carrier Services
Most phone carriers offer additional features, including filtering services for unwanted calls. These filtering services can block or notify you about suspicious calls. However, some may require additional fees.
The following are filter services offered by some carriers:
Verizon’s Call Filter
Verizon’s Call Filter helps screen incoming callers and notifies you of numbers that could be fraud, robocalls, or spam. It is free for Verizon customers using compatible devices, and the free version offers filtering and spam detection and allows blocking of up to five numbers for 90 days.
The paid plans include the Call Filter Plus and the Call Filter Plus (multi-line), which are priced at $2.99 and $7.99 monthly, respectively. These paid plans provide spam lookup, caller ID, and a personal block list.
AT & T’s Call Protect
Call Protect blocks scams, spam, and robocalls. It offers a high degree of protection from telemarketers and also warns you if a caller is unknown so you can decide whether to avoid it. It offers both free and paid plans.
The free plan blocks scam calls and provides a personal block list. On the other hand, the paid plan costs $3.9 monthly per line and provides reverse number lookup and caller ID.
T-Mobile’s Scam Shield
Scam Shield is available to T-Mobile postpaid customers on Android and iOS. With it, you can report telemarketer and scam calls, block scam calls, view outbound caller ID, and many more.
A Premium version also offers reverse number lookup, stores blocked lists on the network, and transfers them to your new device. Users who want to use the spam block without downloading the Scam Shield app can dial #662#.
Sprint’s Call Screener
Call Screener provides identity information before, during, and after a call. With over 25 billion calls analyzed per month, Call Screener’s spam protection is highly accurate. The app has an advanced blocking filter that allows blocking spam calls by risk level.
3. Use Built-in Blocking Features on Your Phone
You can use the manual blocking feature on your iPhone or Android phone to block unwanted callers. The following shows how to stop block calls on Android and iPhone:
For Android
Due to their open-source nature, Android devices are often the primary targets for different device hacks and other security compromises. However, different Android makers often add safety and security features to their devices to prevent events like robocalls or spam calls.
Android phones allow you to block all unknown callers in the settings menu, although the process isn’t necessarily the same for all Android devices. You can most commonly access this by clicking on the “Phone app,” then tap the three dots at the top right-hand corner and click “Settings.” You can easily find and activate the option to block unknown numbers from there.
For iPhones
Apple always aims for comprehensive and total safety and privacy when producing their devices. However, you still need to take extra caution for compromises that can come from you. To stop spam calls on your iPhone, open “Settings,” click on “Phone,” and tap “Silence Unknown Callers.” Enabling this feature will cause calls from unknown numbers to land in voicemail.
Spam callers and robocallers have a habit of switching phone numbers. When you silence unknown callers, it doesn’t matter which number they switch to since your device will block all of them. Calls that you block this way will still appear in your call log, or “Recents,” as Apple calls it on the iPhone.
4. Register Your Phone Number on the National Do Not Call Registry
If you live in the United States, you can add your phone number to the National Do Not Call Registry to filter out telemarketers. The US Federal Government directly monitors this database, making it highly functional and effective.
By joining the list, you’re officially requesting the government to prevent your numbers from being accessible by telemarketers who call you directly over the telephone or the internet to market a product to you.
You can do this by calling 1-888-382-1222 with the phone number or by visiting www.donotcall.gov. While this will drastically reduce telemarketing calls, it is not very effective for scam calls.
That’s because spam callers almost don’t get your details from the government but rather by stalking you or through digital footprints that you leave online. Even after joining the DND list, you can still occasionally receive telemarketing calls. That’s because the law doesn’t apply to all callers and also varies by state and location.
5. Don’t Give Out Your Number Unnecessarily
Be mindful of where you reveal your phone number. This is one of the most common ways to obtain information about someone for nefarious purposes. This is especially true because most people are not digital or privacy-oriented.
Scammers and spammers can get your number if you list it on your social media account or submit it when signing up for certain services. Another way your number can be exposed is in a data breach. If your phone number is available on a website or application that you still actively use, you should be able to make it not public by exploring the app settings.
If you no longer wish to use the app or website, contact the admin and request that they remove your information. You can use the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to remove as much of your information as possible.
However, the website may still legally allow certain information to be withheld. You can also use a fake phone number while signing up for services that request your phone number.
6. Don’t Reveal to Robots that You are a Human
Most scammers use robocalls to confirm that a particular number on their hand is owned and used by a human being. When they confirm that a number is active and has a named owner, they double down on targeting the person.
They can use robocalls to mark such numbers and continue to change their numbers to call and harass you. Avoid mentioning your name or saying “yes” during calls from unknown persons.
7. Report Spam Calls to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
If you live in the United States, besides registering your phone number on the Do Not Call Registry, you can report scam calls to the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/.
How to Block Unwanted Calls on a Landline
Some landline carriers can help block certain numbers. You can also use the Nomorobo application to block spam calls on your landline. Another option is to purchase a hardware cell blocker. Hardware cell blockers are pre-programmed with a large number of known spam numbers, and you can use them to add new spam numbers.
What are Spam Calls, and Where Do They Come from?
Spam calls are unwanted calls and are broadly divided into the following:
Scam Calls
The main purpose of most scam calls is either to steal your money or private information. Although certain scam calls are for making adverts, most are for phishing, spreading malware, and fraud.
Scammers usually lie to the people they want to victimize and can ask for sensitive information like credit card details or important passwords. They also often use reverse psychology and other forms of social engineering to get their victims to spill certain information about themselves.
For example, a scammer can tell you that your social security number has been compromised. He then goes ahead and tells you to spell out the number to verify and help you protect it.
Legal Robocalls
These are calls from services that you have acknowledged and deliberately given your number, making them legal. Most businesses use robocalls to relay information about upcoming events and new services to their customers. They do this using a pre-recorded message that plays when you answer the call.
Illegal Robocalls
Illegal robocalls are unwanted calls from businesses or companies you haven’t permitted to get calls from. Most of the time, your numbers are obtained illegally or through a data breach. Answering the call and hearing a recorded message, not a live person, makes it a robocall.
Telemarketing
Businesses use telemarketing calls to advertise their products and services to potential customers. Telemarketing is done by automated telephone calls (robocalls) or telemarketers and is usually part of a business’s marketing campaign. Its intrusive nature has caused several outcries due to reports of fraud and scams.
Why Am I Getting So Many Spam Calls on My Cell Phone
Spam calls bring in a large amount of sales for most businesses. Spamming activities are also high due to less stringent legislation and because their identity is hidden over a call.
This also occurs when you’ve become the target of a group of scammers. It’s possible that your number was leaked on social media or in any other data breach. Also, you may have given out some of your private or personal and private information somewhere that has caused attention to you. Keep blocking numbers as many as possible, and don’t hesitate to report to the FTC.
Where Do Scammers and Spammers Get My Phone Number from?
Apart from the information on your social media accounts, the most common method by which scammers obtain your phone number is buying them from data brokers.
Data brokers collect people’s information, intending to sell it for profit. Their sources include marketing companies, social media, government records, etc. Malicious identities can obtain data from the data brokers without the knowledge of the persons concerned, exposing individuals to financial and credit card fraud risks.
How are Scammers Calling Me from a Local Number?
If you’re receiving spam calls from a local number, there are a number of ways that could be happening, including:
Caller ID Spoofing
Scammers know that it is more likely for you to pick up their call if they call using a local number, so they use a local number to mask their real phone number. They do this using certain low-cost software, which offers them options to pick a number to display on their Caller ID.
Neighborhood Spoofing
You will most likely pick up a call from a number that looks pretty similar to yours. For instance, if your number is (222) 121-3443, the scammer may call you with a number like (222) 121-3434.
5 Tips to Help Prevent Robocalls
Take note of the following tips to prevent robocalls and avoid getting scammed:
- Never press a button or call back the number after answering an unsolicited call. Doing this tells the scammer that you are a real person and will probably get more calls.
- If the caller warns you against telling anyone about the call or makes you take rushed action, hang up the call.
- Be careful of calls that promise unwarranted rewards, request sensitive information, or threaten legal action.
- Remove your full name from your outbound voicemail message.
- Provide your phone number when signing up on certain platforms to reduce the chance of your information being exposed to malicious persons.
FAQs
