How To Block Spam Calls On your Phones.
Everyone Hates spam calls, right? They are really a pain in the arse and it seems like the problem keeps getting worse every day.
Three most common types of spams calls:
First are the Telemarketing calls from real companies trying to push their products and services to you.
We then have the robocalls (which are automated phone calls with pre-recorded sales messages and they are also most times used for political campaigns, and more).
Lastly, there are scam calls from some persons that pretend to be FBI, CIA, or bank employees and try to get you to reveal your financial or other sensitive data.
It’s alarming how the rate of unsolicited calls has been on the increase in recent times. Despite efforts on the regulators’ part in trying to reduce this wrong act. But then, there are a few actions you can take on your own so you won’t be victimized.
iPhones and Android phones come with built-in features that can be used to restrict some numbers from reaching our lines. Also, several third-party apps such as Hiya Caller ID and Block, RoboKiller, Truecaller, Nomorobo, and YouMail Voicemail & Spam Block all have a feature that can help to block unsolicited calls.
Find below some best methods to use to protect yourself from robocalls and spam calls
iPhone
To block spam calls on your iPhone:
- Open the Phone app
- Tap recent
- Look for the phone number you want to block
- Tap the Info icon next to the number you want to block.
- Tap Block this Caller > Block Contact.
That contact is now blocked.
You can also silence unknown callers on iPhones running on iOS 13 and higher
To enable this:
Go to Settings > Phone.
Turn on the switch to Silence Unknown Callers.
Click here for further information on how to detect and block spam calls on iPhones.
ANDROID
Steps for blocking spam calls on Android may vary based on the device and the version of O.S running on the phone.
However, to generally achieve blocking spam calls on an android phone:
- Open the Phone app and select recent calls.
- Tap the number you want to block and look for the ‘block and/or report as spam’ option.
- You will then have to confirm if you truly want to block the number you selected.
ALLOW CALLS FROM YOUR CONTACTS ONLY
Some high-level Android devices allow you to further block all unknown callers (calls from numbers that are not stored/saved on the device). To achieve this:
Open the Phone app and enter the settings menu of the phone app.
Find the option for blocking numbers and toggle on the feature.
This means you’ve automatically blocked calls from all unknown contacts.
You can also manually add phone numbers that are saved on your device but you still want blocked.
Click here for further information on how to detect and block spam calls using third-party apps
THIRD-PARTY APPS
Truecaller
Truecaller can automatically block unwanted calls based on known spammers, and you can as well manually add numbers that you want to be blocked.
On this app, you can also look up specific names and phone numbers to get information on them. Make phone calls directly from the app.
The app has its basic use option and the premium option for $2.99 a month or $26.99 a year, you can remove all ads and enjoy other benefits.
RoboKiller
This app not only blocks spam calls but also attempts to mess with the spammers. The app’s Answer Bots can automatically answer spam calls with prerecorded nonsense designed to frustrate them and waste their time.
You can also create your own bot responses. The app includes a database of known spammers, though you can also add specific numbers that you want to be blocked.
The premium option for the Android edition is $2.99 a month or $24.99 per year, while the iOS edition costs $3.99 per month or $29.99 per year after a one-week free trial.
DO NOT CALL LIST
You can register your landline and mobile phone numbers at donotcall.gov which is run by the FTC. From there, you can report unwanted calls, verify if your phone number is registered with the Do Not Call Registry, and add your number if not.
