15 Brilliant Tricks to Stop Spam Calls for Good!
Spam calls have become a harassing nightmare for millions around the world, and the situation is getting out of hand daily. According to a report from the FCC, consumers in the U.S. received 4.9 billion robocalls per month in 2023, and the numbers continue to increase.
An average spam call received by Americans lasts about 4 minutes. About 90.17% of spam calls to Americans originate or appear to originate from within the country.
The proliferation of spam calls is due to easy, cheap access to communication technology and the globalization of telecommunications services. Scammers-impersonating banks, government officials, and tech companies-exploit the telephonic systems to find vulnerable individuals. Read on!
National Do Not Call List Registration
Adding your number to the National Do Not Call Registry is one of the most effective ways to stop spam calls. According to the Federal Trade Commission, more than 249 million numbers are on the list, reducing the possibility of unsolicited marketing calls.
Once registered, your number stays on that list, and this is a no-cost subscription. It might take up to 31 days for your phone number to be completely weaned off unsolicited calls.
Call-Blocking Apps and Services
Call-blocking apps can prevent spam calls from reaching your phone. Services like Hiya, TrueCaller, and RoboKiller are becoming indispensable for millions of users. These apps automatically identify and block suspicious numbers based on community-shared data and alert when a call is potentially spam.
For instance, TrueCaller has blocked millions of calls worldwide by cutting down spammers who spoof legitimate numbers. As people increasingly rely on these tools, spam calls in the U.S. have decreased in frequency.
Enable Your Phone’s Built-in Spam Protection
Most mobile phones have built-in features to identify or block spam calls. For example, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile provide network-based services to block scam calls. Using this type of service detects suspicious patterns and flags likely spam calls before they reach your phone.
T-Mobile stopped over 19.8 billion calls with its Scam Shield fraud detection technology in 2023. They are blocking many scams, proving these features’ growing effectiveness.
Don’t Engage with Spam Callers
One of the easiest ways to protect yourself against spam calls is to refrain from engaging them. Responding to and communicating with automated messages or real people may result in further spam. These scammers tend to bother those who answered the call, as they are believed to be easily tricked into falling for future scams.
Someone who has been scammed before is more likely to be targeted again. Not answering calls from unknown numbers or hang-ups will drastically reduce your chances of receiving repeated calls.
Report Fraudulent Calls
Reporting spam calls to relevant authorities can help reduce the number of scammers targeting others. The FTC asks consumers to report unwanted or fraudulent calls through its site so regulators can track down violators and act against them.
Companies like TrueCaller and Hiya collect and share information about fraudulent callers to update their databases. In so doing, you contribute to making the phone system safer for all. In 2021 alone, the FTC reported that phone scams cost Americans almost $30 billion, underlining the importance of collective reporting.
Call Screening Services
Call screening services allow you to review a call and decide whether to answer it. Google’s Call Screen, for example, will screen unknown callers and provide you with a transcript of their conversation so you can decide whether the call is worth answering.
TrueCaller reports that almost 68 million Americans have lost money from scam calls. This shows that filtering suspicious numbers is helpful.
These services provide an extra layer of protection. It prevents you from even taking the action of receiving undesirable calls. If you consider such services, you will significantly lower the possibility of responding to a scam call.
Don’t Give Away Personal Information over the Phone
One of the best methods to avoid being a phone scam victim is to be discreet about personal information. A scammer usually promises to represent one organization or another to obtain sensitive information.
According to the FCC, fraudsters can request your social security number, bank details, or passwords for identity verification. If you get a suspicious call, hang up and call the organization directly using a phone number you know is real. This can help you avoid all types of scams, especially those pretending to be government agencies.
Don’t Answer Calls from Numbers You Don’t Know
A simple yet effective approach is to refrain from answering calls from numbers you are unfamiliar with, especially if they are outside your area code or international. Research by TrueCaller found that 87% of Americans won’t answer calls from numbers they don’t recognize.
While this tactic doesn’t eliminate all spam calls, it certainly lowers the chances of falling for phone scams. Scammers often spoof a local number to make it look legitimate; even the familiar area code isn’t safe, either. If a call is important, the caller will probably leave a message.
Protect Your Privacy Online
Most spam callers build their lists from online data breaches or website scraping. Being mindful of where and how you share your phone number can lower your exposure to would-be scammers. Avoid giving your phone number to questionable websites, and keep your social media profiles private.
According to the National Crime Agency, there was a tremendous surge in scams after the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, which raised red flags for the misuse of personal information. Controlling your online footprint will limit how often your number is shared with scammers.
Contact Your Carrier for Help
These range from the major providers, AT&T, and services that filter and block calls. Many such services use algorithms that scan for potential spam calls as part of larger call patterns and block fraudulent numbers before reaching one’s phone.
For instance, in one year alone, T-Mobile’s Scam Shield service identified and blocked over 21 billion robocalls.
Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
This will filter out spam calls for VoIP service users and any business transacted online. VPNs block your telephone number, making you a hard target for telemarketing firms and scammers. This does not mean the calls will disappear, but it is added security.
Encrypting your online activities through a VPN prevents scammers from collecting and using sensitive information. These basic precautions will significantly lower the chances of someone targeting you.
Watch Out for Unsolicited Offers and Discounts
Many spam callers entice their victims with fictitious offers or discounts. If you receive an unsolicited offer, especially one that requires you to pay for something or disclose personal information, it’s a scam.
Fraudsters like to pose as large corporations and present an offer that is too good to refuse. If the offer sounds suspicious, you can check the company’s legitimacy.
Regularly Update Your Phone’s Software
Updating your phone’s software is important to protect yourself against security threats, including spam calls. Manufacturers release updates that enhance the phone’s security features to identify and block fraudulent calls.
Updating your device improves its ability to detect malicious activity. Such updates often include bug fixes and patches that resolve certain vulnerabilities that scammers can exploit. Protecting your device is a fundamental method of limiting the effect of spam calls.
Be Wary of Caller ID Spoofing
Caller ID spoofing is a method through which scammers make their calls seem to come from valid sources, like government agencies or banks. This is one sure way of ensuring that individuals respond to and act upon the call. For protection, be very wary of any call that requests personal information, mainly if this is unsolicited.
The FCC has worked with telecom companies to deal with this issue, but caution is always required. Caller ID spoofing is one of the major tools in the kit of robocalls and scams; therefore, awareness is key.
Inform Others About Spam Call Dangers
The more people know about spam calls and scams, the better they can protect themselves. Tips shared among friends and family, especially older adults, would reduce their vulnerability to being victims. Resources such as the FTC, along with other agencies, can provide great information and tips on how to identify these scam calls and how to prevent them.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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