Articles on TechRepublic - Wednesday, December 11, 2019 at 4:35 PM
How to stop spam calls right now
Spam calls drive us all crazy. Here are four ways to stop robocalls and other
unsolicited phone calls.
Image: fizkes, Getty Images/iStockphoto
More about Mobility
Spam calls have permeated our daily lives. Despite the increased public
awareness and the technical measures implemented by organizations to thwart
these unsolicited phone calls, they still manage to come through in droves. But
what can we do?
The following tips should help limit your exposure to malvertisers and
strengthen the infrastructure put into place to better combat robocalls in the
future by helping to identify and expose these scam calls. While these measures
aren't foolproof, I hope you find them helpful.
SEE: Top Android security tips (free PDF) (TechRepublic)
1. Add your phone number to the National Do Not Call Registry
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is the governing body in the US
that oversees all forms of communication implementations and abuses. In
conjunction with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the National Do Not Call
Registry was created as an opt-in service that lets users add their contact
numbers to the list so advertisers, robocalls, and spam calls are legally not
allowed to contact or harass them. The service works for landlines and mobile
numbers.
On the FCC site, you can also report unwanted sales calls, file a complaint
against violators, and read tips on how to stop unwanted robocalls and avoid
phone scams.
2. Check your cellular carrier's security provisions for robocalls
Cellular service carriers run the networks over which we communicate. With the
growing number of activations and devices introduced each year, it is in
everyone's best interests that these networks operate as efficiently as
possible. Yet, when network resources are used for unsolicited purposes, that
impacts everyone, including the carriers. The big four—AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile,
and Verizon—give users options within their accounts to block or restrict voice
calls.
Depending on your service plan, one or more options may be available to you,
ranging from the basic identification of suspected spam calls to granular
blocking of identified calls--and perhaps even free registration with
third-party services that solely work to identify, monitor, and block
robocalls. Check your carrier's support pages for additional information on
free or paid services.
SEE: It's time to put an end to robocalls for good. Get started now (CNET)
3. Change your mobile OS restrictions and settings
With the aforementioned services enabled, if you still find yourself receiving
unwanted calls, then perhaps looking to your mobile OS settings for additional
controls to help alleviate the onslaught. Settings will vary from one OS and
version to another, but features such as turning on Caller ID, enabling spam
filters, or automatic silencing or blocking of unknown numbers can help turn
the tide against persistent call campaigns.
4. Use apps that block robocalls
Leveraging apps designed to deal with and block robocalls is a great option for
smartphone users. Some of the more popular and highly rated apps for iOS and
Android are Nomorobo, Hiya, RoboKiller, and YouMail. Also, check with your cell
carrier to see if they offer apps to help filter unwanted calls.
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Also see
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/how-to-stop-spam-calls-right-now/#ftag=RSS56d97e7
David Goldfield
Assistive Technology Specialist
Feel free to visit my Web site
WWW.DavidGoldfield.info
