Nothing is more disturbing than answering your phone only to be greeted by an automated recording informing you that there is a warrant out for your arrest and that you owe the government thousands of dollars in back taxes.
This message is not actually from the government. It is just one of the many illegal robocalls aiming to steal your money or personal information like your social security number. Even worse, these despicable scammers target older Americans and those more susceptible to their con game. 
The good news is robocalls are on the decline, primarily helped by the FCC taking an important step in fighting robocalls by requiring phone providers to implement STIR/SHAKEN. What is that, you ask? It is an industry-standard caller ID authentication technology, which is a set of technical standards and protocols that allow for the authentication and verification of caller ID information for calls carried over Internet Protocol (IP) networks. While this proved largely effective, seeing many people receive calls labeled as “SPAM” or “SCAM LIKELY,” scammers still found a way to work around this.
Tips for protecting your privacy and avoid being scammed over the phone
Don’t recognize the number – Don’t pick up
Simple as this sounds, this is the easiest way of avoiding a potentially dangerous call. Most carriers now have a way of identifying robocalls by identifying them as “Spam Risk” or the like. Another way they try to get you is by using your local area code, sometimes even the first three digits of your or a family member’s phone number, to entice you to answer. Making it all the more important for you to take an extra careful look at the number on your screen.
Block numbers in your phone settings
Another way around this is by blocking unknown phone numbers in your phone settings
For iPhone users: To silence unknown callers:
- Tap Settings
- Tap Phone
- Tap Silence Unknown Callers
- Then toggle to turn it on – it will turn green
- If a 911 call is placed, this feature is disabled for 24 hours so that emergency calls to you can ring through
For Android users: To silence unknown callers:
- Tap Settings
- Tap Block numbers
- Turn on the Block Unknown Callers feature
*Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer
One thing that is important to remember should you use this feature is that it not only blocks potential SPAM callers, but it also blocks any unknown phone number you have never called or texted. So you might want to think twice about enabling this if you’re expecting a call from someone from whom you haven’t received a call or text
Manually block numbers from spam robocalls
Should an unknown number have called you and not left a voice message, it’s more than likely it was a robocall. While other robocalls go directly to voicemail with a threatening or enticing message, urging those truly vulnerable to act fast. Either way, you can manually block these numbers on an iPhone by:
- Tapping the unknown number
- Scroll down on your screen and tap “Block This Caller”
- Tap “Block Contact”
Use your wireless carrier’s free spam and robocall-blocking service
Several wireless carriers provide their own free robocall scanning and blocking services. Among them:
- AT&T Call Protect- available for iPhones and Androids, lets customers manually block unwanted calls and labels suspected robocalls as a “spam risk,” as well as making efforts to prevent unwanted calls from reaching you
- Sprint/T-Mobile Scam Shield– an app that labels all potentially dangerous calls as “Scam likely” and opens free controls for several anti-scam protections, including Scam ID, Scam Block, and Caller ID. Additionally, the app also provides you with a second phone number for use instead of your private one, ideal for online shopping and helping you avoid calls from scammers as well as telemarketers
- Verizon Call Filter app– helps protect you from unwanted calls and lets you decide who can reach you. Call Filter also detects spam and blocks high-risk spam calls by forwarding them to voicemail
Third-party spam-blocking apps
Several third-party apps can help protect you from scam artists. Among our most recommended include:
- RoboKiller is an app that claims to reduce 99% of unwanted calls or texts. The app is not free for iPhone and Android users. However, it comes with a 7-day free trial, which might be worth checking out before investing.
- Call Control is an app currently only available to Android users; the app helps you filter out unwanted callers by manually adding them to a blacklist
- Nomorobo For those of you who still have a landline, thanks to a package deal with your internet providers, this app help prevent robocalls from reaching you both at home and on the go. Currently free for VolP landlines, the basic mobile package currently starts at $1.99 a month
A voice provider blocked from the entire U.S. phone network
In a somewhat unprecedented move, the FCC effectively blocked Global UC from the entire US phone network. Global UC provides low-cost, international calling services to over 200 businesses internationally. However, in an order released on November 22, FCC reported that Global UC has failed to comply with several regulations to control robocalls in the US. As a result, by failing to implement caller ID verification technology or giving the FCC explanations on its current attempts to fight robocalls. Global UC has, intentionally or not, allowed robocall scammers to make calls through their system and has profited from them.
In addition, the order went on to say that while Global UC certified that they had implemented the above-mentioned STIR/SHAKEN technology, the document they provided only featured a description of STIR/SHAKEN, and included no actual information about how they intended to use it, or any robocall mitigation plan.
As a result, Global UC is no longer part of the Robocalls Mitigation database, and other carriers are now forbidden to accept traffic from them.
A notable first for the FCC
After several notable threats to phone service providers for failure to comply, this is the first time the government has formally blocked a voice provider, marking a hopeful sign of bringing spam robocalls to an end. With the order preventing providers from accepting phone traffic from Global UC, the move could be hugely detrimental to their business, as they rely on sending calls to other networks to turn a profit.
How to block spam texts on an iPhone
- Open the Messages app on your iPhone and then the message from the number you want to block
- Tap the number or contact name at the top of the conversation
- Tap Info
- Scroll down and tap Block this Caller
How to block spam texts on an Android
- Open the messaging app on your Android device
- Find the spam message you want to block
- Tap and hold the message until a menu appears
- Look for an option like Block or Spam and select it
- Confirm you want to block future messages from that sender
Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer
How to block texts using your carrier
Most carriers also offer options to block spam calls and texts such as Verizon’s Block Calls & Messages, AT&T’s Secure Family, and T-Mobile’s Message blocking. The exact steps to use these features will vary depending on your carrier.
How to keep spammers from getting your phone number
Regrettably, there is a high probability that your phone number is readily available on many lists sold by data brokers to hundreds of people search websites. However, if you remove it from the web it can reduce the likelihood of spammers and telemarketers obtaining your number and contacting you.
A data removal service like OneRep can help you remove personal information including cell phone number as well as your sensitive personal information such as your name, age, home address, email addresses, your family members, other people associated with you, your income range, credit score range, political preferences, criminal records, and much more.
OneRep has a very clean interface and will scan 195+ websites for your information and remove it …and keep it removed. Go ahead and try entering your information just to get a sense of the information that is out there about you.
Special for CyberGuy Readers: OneRep offers a 5-day free trial and then charges $7.49/month for one person on their monthly plan or $13.99/month for your family (up to 6 people) on their annual plan. I recommend the family plan because it works out to only $2.30 per person per month for year-round coverage. It’s an excellent service, and I highly recommend at least doing the free trial to see what it’s all about.
Check out my top picks for removal services here.
Have you had success combatting robocallers? Comment below.
Related:
- 4 Easy Ways to Block Robocalls Fast
- New Ways to Stop Robocalls & Texts
- How to stop spam text messages on your phone
- Dangerous texts targeting your phone
- Unwanted Message? Here’s How to Stop Annoying Texts
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39 comments
On Android, you can add unique ring tones to anybody, or any telephone number that’s included in your Contacts list. So I add distinctive ring tones to Family. Friends, Business I know, Medical Professionals, etc. You can be creative and the distinctive sounds let you know which category of contact is calling, even before you look at your mobile screen.
Android also allows you to add Distinctive ring tones to all general calls not included in your contact list… Guess what my ringtone is for: general, unknown, and spam callers?
It’s ‘No Ringtone’ so the phone never rings if the caller fits into the above, unknown categories. The phone will still answer the call, but it will automatically go to message, and silently alert me that there is a phone message waiting to be heard. Guess what? 90% of the robo callers, hang up after my carrier asks to leave a message.
Problem solved!