Do these 5 things to prevent robocalls and minimize phone spam

It seems like this is the year of the robocall. While I haven’t experienced it much myself, many friends, coworkers, and people online are getting more annoying scam calls than ever before.

These days, anyone with an auto-dialer can send millions of calls about fake vacation deals and other scams to people who don’t want to hear them.

While we wait for new systems like STIR and SHAKEN to help block these calls, take a few minutes to make sure you’re doing everything you can to stop robocalls. It might feel like an endless fight, but staying on top of it can help protect your sanity. Here are some tips to get started:

Use apps to block spam calls

There are many apps you can use to block unwanted calls. These apps work by spotting spammy numbers that have already bothered other people and blocking them before they can reach you. They’re not perfect, but they’re a good first step to reduce annoying calls.

One app I recommend is Hiya (available for Android and iOS). Its free version does a great job of cutting down robocalls. To get the most out of it, update its database regularly, especially after you get a few spam calls.

Also, make sure the app is set to automatically block bad numbers and “neighbor scams” (spoofed numbers that look like yours) instead of just giving you warnings.

I also recommend WideProtect for iOS and Mr. Number for Android. These apps let you block numbers based on their prefixes. If you’re getting lots of calls from an unfamiliar area code, you can block all numbers from that area.

You can also try paid apps like Robokiller, which might work well for you. However, I suggest trying free options first. It’s frustrating to pay a monthly fee just to avoid annoying calls.

Use your carrier’s spam-blocking features

If your phone carrier offers free tools or apps to identify and block spam calls, it’s worth trying them. They might not be perfect, but they’re better than nothing.

  • Verizon ($2.99/mo)
  • AT&T (Free)
  • T-Mobile (Free-$4/mo)
  • Sprint ($2.99/mo)

Try the “Do Not Call” registry, but don’t get your hopes up

You can sign up for the Federal Trade Commission’s “Do Not Call” registry, but don’t expect it to stop all spam calls. Scammers often send calls to random numbers without worrying about getting caught, and even when they do, the benefits seem to outweigh the risks for them. Still, the registry exists, and it doesn’t hurt to sign up—it might give you some peace of mind, even if it’s not perfect.

While you’re on the site, you can also file complaints about spam calls. It might not lead to immediate action, but it could help you feel a little better. If you’re getting spam texts, you can forward them to #7726.

Whitelist your phone contacts

If you use an iPhone, you can take a strong step to block unwanted calls by using the Do Not Disturb feature as a whitelist. Here’s how:

  1. Open the Settings app and tap on Do Not Disturb.
  2. Turn it on and leave the schedule off (since you’ll keep it on all the time).
  3. Go to Allow Calls From and select All Contacts.

Now, only calls from people in your Contacts app will ring. However, this also means you won’t get notifications for messages, emails, or apps, which could be inconvenient.

You can do the same thing on Android by going to Settings > Sound > Do Not Disturb. Android gives you more control over which notifications you want to see. For example, you can keep getting alerts for messages, events, and reminders, but block calls from anyone not in your contacts.

While you’re setting this up, don’t forget to turn on Android’s built-in Caller ID & Spam feature to help block unwanted calls.

Consider switching to Google Voice

Google offers free phone numbers through Google Voice. While getting one won’t completely stop spam calls, it can help reduce them.

Use your Google Voice number as your primary number instead of your real one. This can make it easier to manage unwanted calls, especially if you use Google Voice’s call screening and forwarding features.

If you see your Google Voice number calling you, but the caller doesn’t announce who they are, it’s probably a spam call. In that case, you can safely send it to voicemail.