For years, spam risk phone calls have been an annoyance. I get four to six robocalls every day, and a quick poll of friends confirms that I’m not alone. Every new day comes to a new onslaught of information.

Robocallers have boosted their game by concealing their spam with real-looking phone numbers from the area. Their gibberish can be humorous at times, such as when you get a threatening voicemail about your impending arrest for unpaid back taxes, but it’s an unwelcome distraction the great majority of the time. It’s all too easy for these con artists to take advantage of the internet’s strength and make a slew of calls. Even if only a few people fall for a con, the scammers have made enough money to cover their minor expenses.

Why am I getting so many Spam Calls

The culprit, according to Paul, the product manager for the Google Phone App, is voice-over-IP (VoIP). These are phone calls done via the internet rather than over a traditional phone line, and they’re now cheaper and easier to use than ever before. “Spammers use VoIP technology to make phone calls over the Internet while impersonating a different phone number,” Paul explains. “There was a time when they had a fixed number that you could block.” Spammers may now spoof any phone number thanks to VoIP,” Paul adds. This was made possible when corporations that wanted to call customers from call centers designed it so that a single standard 1-800 number for a business appeared on caller IDs. As a result, what began as a common-sense remedy turned into a simple loophole for spammers.

This is known as spoofing, and nothing in phone systems—the backbone of telephones—can stop spam calls from impersonating numbers. “Your own phone number can literally spam you,” Paul explains. “However, the most popular type of spam is neighborhood spam, which uses your area code and the first three digits of your phone number to improve the chances of you answering.”

Some robocalls are simple to identify. It’s evident that you should merely hang up when a robotic voice warns you that your car’s warranty is out of date or that a credit card you don’t have has been compromised.

What if you got a call from a real person at a hospital telling you there was an emergency? Kim recently experienced something similar. Although she didn’t fall for it, it would have been all too simple for emotion to triumph over reasoning.

You need to know how to stop scam calls, unpleasant calls as scammers become more sophisticated.

You can take a few actions on your own to block spammers— and some with the support of your carrier — to reduce or eliminate them. If you’re sick and tired of robocalls and want to enjoy your phone in peace, here are seven ways you can tell these scammers to take a hike.

1. Reject anonymous calls automatically on your landline

Many robocalls appear on your caller ID as “blocked,” “unknown,” or “private,” but most businesses and people appear as identifiable phone numbers. It’s likely that you’ll be able to turn off all anonymous calls without missing anything significant. If you have a landline, you might be able to use Anonymous Call Rejection. To use it, call *77 and listen for three beeps. Any call that masks its number will be denied if you hang up.

2. Join the National Do Not Call Registry list

The National Do Not Call Registry was founded by the Federal Trade Commission, and in an ideal world, signing up would prevent telemarketers from phoning you. Putting your name on the list technically makes it illegal for telemarketers to call you.

Scammers, on the other hand, do not strictly adhere to the guidelines and are unconcerned about this list. However, registering your phone number as an extra layer of security against unwanted calls from within the United States is still a good idea.

It’s easy to join the National Do Not Call Registry. Enter the landline or mobile number you want on the do not call list at donotcall.gov. Fax numbers are governed by separate rules, so don’t spend your time.

You can also add any phone to the list by dialing 1-888-382-1222. That’s all there is to it; your phone number will remain on the list until you ask for it to be removed or you give it up.

The Do Not Call list removes you off for-profit business call lists once you sign up, however, this effect takes time. The FTC said it can take up to 31 days because telemarketers only update their lists on a regular basis.

Calls from political organizations, charities, and survey takers are still allowed. Businesses from which you’ve purchased anything or made a payment during the last 18 months have the right to call you. When they call, however, tell them flatly that you want to be removed from their list, and they must comply, even if they try to persuade you otherwise.

3. Use carrier tools to block unwanted calls

All four main carriers have tools to help you detect, filter, and prevent robocalls from phoning or texting your phone. Some carriers charge an additional monthly price to enable these services, while network-level blocking is free across the board.

AT&T

AT&T Call Protect is a free iOS and Android software available to AT&T customers. It contains built-in fraud detection and anti-spam warnings. Unwanted calls can be manually blocked.

Other options that are completely free include:

• Scam calls and robocalls are scanned and blocked.
• Potential telemarketers or spam callers are forewarned in advance.
• Non-contacts can be directed to voicemail immediately.
• Blocklists that can be customized.
• Reporting any robocalls that get past the filters.

AT&T users can also pay $3.99 per month for Call Protect Plus, which includes all of the aforementioned services as well as:

Spam is alert that tells you how likely an incoming call is.

• More information on “unknown” calls.
• Lookup a phone number in reverse.
• Call filtering settings that can be customized.

Verizon

Verizon claims that its Call Filter app has detected 300 million spam and scam phone numbers that it can ban. This database is used in all of the anti-robocall procedures that follow.

There are several free options available, including:

• If feasible, identify unknown numbers by name.
• Scan and prevent suspicious incoming scam calls.
• Reporting any robocalls that get past your filters.
• Lookup a phone number in reverse.

Call Filter Plus, which contains the following features for $2.99 per month per line or $7.99 per month for three or more lines, is available for $2.99 per month per line or $7.99 per month for three or more lines.

• Spam lookup, which offers you access to Verizon’s database of over 100 million known spam calls.
• Unknown numbers are blocked once and then memorized for future use.
• Rank callers according to their likelihood of receiving a robocall.

T-Mobile & Sprint

Because T-Mobile and Sprint have merged, users now have access to two enormous databases of known scam callers.

That isn’t all you’ll get, though. T-Mobile launched Scam Shield, an anti-robocall effort that is now available to all T-Mobile and Sprint customers. The following are some of the advantages of Scam Shield:

• On the network level, all incoming calls are now automatically filtered to ensure that they are genuine.
• On phone calls that pass past the screening, Enhanced Caller ID will display a “Scam Likely” label.
• Subscribers will be given a “proxy phone number” to use instead of their own for online sign-ups and subscriptions.

T-Mobile subscribers can activate these capabilities by dialing #662# and pressing the call button on their phones. To get the proxy number, go to the iOS App Store or Google Play and download the Scam Shield app. Scam Shield, which is available to all users, gives you control over anti-scam features like Scam ID, Scam Block, and Caller ID.

4. Use the best apps to block robocalls

Call-blocking apps are another option to stop annoying calls on your smartphone. These apps can identify who is phoning you and block unwanted calls that appear on spam and robocall lists compiled by the public.

The best call blocking apps we’ve tried are listed below. Before you commit to a long-term subscription, we recommend trying out a few different free trials to determine which one works best for you.

Nomorobo

Nomorobo is an iOS and Android software that protects you from robocalls, telemarketers, and phone scammers in real-time.

It works like this: Nomorobo lets the phone ring once before attempting to identify the caller. The app will automatically stop the call if the number is on the app’s robocaller list.

For the first 14 days, Nomorobo is free to use, after which it costs $1.99 per month or $19.99 per year. You must give Nomorobo information in order to sign up. Choose your provider and the type of phone you have (wireless or landline).

Truecaller

The Truecaller app for iOS and Android allows you to figure out who is calling you. Copy the number and paste it into the app’s search field. Truecaller will look up the unknown number to see who it belongs to. It’s a wonderful resource to avoid answering an unwanted robocall because it has a community-based spam list with over 250 million members.

Truecaller also has the ability to prevent spam calls, which is a fantastic feature. When a bothersome telemarketer calls, you’ll see a big red warning indicating it’s a spam call. When this happens, simply swipe up to block the caller and add them to the spam list.

The Truecaller app is free to use, and you can upgrade to a premium, ad-free version with extra features for $2.99 per month.

HIYA – Caller ID and Block

The Hiya – Caller ID & Block app is ideal for recognizing and blocking calls and texts that you don’t want to receive. Hiya is a simple-to-use app that is accessible for free on both Apple and Android devices and has no adverts. If you had to pick one, this would be the greatest option.

It allows you to reject calls, blacklist undesired phone numbers and text messages, conduct reverse phone searches, and receive spam alerts. The software is powered by a database with hundreds of millions of phone numbers that other users have confirmed to be spam.

5. Some phones block robocalls automatically

Did you know that certain smartphones come pre-installed with spam and robocall protection? Smart Call is a built-in feature on Samsung’s flagship Galaxy and Note smartphones that automatically screens and identifies dubious phone numbers.

Spam call prevention is incorporated into Google’s Android handsets, including the Pixels, the previous Nexus, and the Android One. If a suspected spam call or robocall is received, users with Caller ID enabled will receive a warning.

Aside from ignoring the call, the user can either block or whitelist the number if the spam flagging is judged incorrect. At any point, any blocked number can be unblocked. There is an option to report the call to Google.

Silence Unknown Callers is a feature available on iPhones running iOS 13 that allows you to avoid receiving calls from persons you don’t know. Silence Unknown Callers may be turned on by going to Settings > Phone, scrolling down, and selecting Silence Unknown Callers.

The feature is enabled by default if you have iOS 14. Do you want to double-check that it’s working? To access Call Blocking & Identification, go to Settings, Phone, and then Call Blocking & Identification.

Unknown calls are routed to voicemail and appear in your call history. The call will go through normally if it is from a number you have texted or one that has been shared via email.

6. Block individual phone numbers

The option to block individual numbers is a function available on any iPhone or Android device. Although you won’t be able to stop every robocall and spammer number, you will be able to block the most common ones. Below is how to block spam calls on iPhone and Android.

iPhone

On an iPhone, go to the Recents tab in the Phone app, then tap the circular information icon on the right side of the number you wish to block. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the next page and press Block this Caller to add the number to your block list.

Android

Open the phone app on Android and tap the three-dot “more” icon, then Call History. Tap the number you wish to ban, then tap Block/report spam on the next page.

Unknown numbers can likewise be blocked in a similar way. Open the phone app and select Settings from the three-dot “more” menu. Select Blocked Numbers and then Unknown. Calls from unknown or private numbers will be blocked.

7. Set your phone on do not disturb

Turn on the built-in Do Not Disturb mode on your iPhone or Android phone to block all calls except your most trusted contacts or favorites. It’s a drastic measure, but it’ll ensure that all unwanted calls, including robocalls, telemarketing calls, and spam calls, are blocked.

Keep in mind that while this mode may cause you to miss some valid calls, unknown callers will always have the option of leaving a voice message. You can add any phone number to your contacts list in order to allow them to call you in the future.

iPhone

On an iPhone, navigate to Settings > Do Not Disturb to set your Do Not Disturb choices. You can enable Do Not Disturb mode, establish a Do Not Disturb schedule, and limit your allowed calls to either all of your saved contacts or only your Favorites list.

Toggle the Do Not Disturb switch in the Control Center of your iPhone (swipe down from the upper-right corner on iPhone X and later, swipe up from the bottom for earlier iPhones) to instantly activate Do Not Disturb. The icon resembles a moon.

Android

To personalize your Do Not Disturb settings on Android, head to Settings > Sound (or Sound & Notification in some phones) > then touch Do Not Disturb.

To turn on Do Not Disturb, slide down from the top of your screen to open the Quick Menu, then hit the Do Not Disturb icon to activate it. (This may differ depending on the Android phone’s brand and model).