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Ever received a call from an unknown number? Back in the day, answering these calls wasn’t an issue, but these days, it’s almost always going to be spam. Some might even be a scam which could cheat you out of your money. Then there are robocalls, the bane of everyone’s existence.
Now, if you hate robocalls with a passion and want to put an end to it, there are several steps you can take in order to try and reduce the amount of robocalls you receive. We wouldn’t say that you would no longer receive these days since it’s not that hard to spoof numbers or get a throwaway number, but it should hopefully cut down on the spam and make it less disruptive for your day.
Blocking the number that called you
The most straightforward way to deal with robocalls, spammers, and scammers is to just block their number. This can also work with regular people whom you never want to hear from again. The exact method to block numbers may vary from phone to phone but for the most part, it involves:
- Launching the Phone app
- Go to Recents
- Long press on the number you want to block
- Select “Block/report spam” and tap “Block” again
Note that this isn’t the most effective solution because like we said, it’s not that hard to get throwaway numbers or to spoof numbers, so this is essentially like a game of whack-a-mole that’s never-ending, but it could still be worth a try.
Blocking calls from unknown callers
This method will result in all calls from numbers that you haven’t saved being blocked by your phone. Given that there is a good chance you do not have the numbers of scammers or robocallers saved on your phone, this will be able to effectively block all calls from them
- Go to the Phone app
- Go to Settings
- Select Blocked numbers
- Toggle on “Unknown”
We should point out that this method is a double-edged sword. While it blocks all spammers and robocallers, it also means that it blocks calls from people that you might want to hear from. For example, someone might be legitimately trying to reach out to you but since you didn’t save their number, their calls would be blocked and you would miss it.
Using carrier services
In the past, carriers would offer robocall blocking services but it would come at a cost, but not too long ago, the FCC made it so that robocall blocking would be enabled by default. Carriers also seemed to be more than happy to make their tools and services available for free.
- AT&T – Call Protect – The app and service is free for basic use like blocking robocalls, but there is an option $3.99/month Plus option that will give users more features like caller ID, reverse number lookup, blocking voicemail calls by category, and more.
- T-Mobile and Sprint – Scam Shield and Scam Block – Free for basic use, but there is a $4/month alternative called Scam Shield Premium. This will let you send categories of unwanted robocalls directly to voicemail, create “always block” lists, and also get voicemail-to-text.
- Verizon – Call Filter – This is a free service for all of Verizon’s postpaid customers. It will alert users whenever a call they receive is spam, block robocalls based on personal levels of risk, and also report unsolicited numbers. Users can even setup five phone numbers that they want to personally block for up to 90 days at a time.
Join the National Do Not Call Registry
By joining the National Do Not Call Registry, what this does is that it takes you off the public list of phone numbers that telemarketers often use to make their unsolicited calls. While it might not necessarily protect you from receiving calls from charities, political groups, and others, it could go a long way in preventing unwanted calls.
- Go to the DoNotCall.gov website and click Register
- Enter your phone number without the hyphens and your email address
- You should receive an email in the next 72 hours
- Once you’ve received the email, just follow the instructions in it to complete the process
Use third-party robocall blocking apps
In case the steps we mentioned above don’t seem to be helping, you can always turn to third-party apps that might be able to get the job done. We’ve listed down a few well-known robocall blocking apps that might be worth checking out. Some are free, while others charge a monthly subscription.
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