“Hello! Please don’t hang up … were you aware that you could save big money on …? Fed up with robocalls? You have options!
Fed up with robocalls? You have options
It’s a robocall, another automated telemarketer. Nowadays, robocalls comprise 50% of all phone calls. In 2018 alone, robocallers spammed us with 26.3 billion calls. And it’s only getting worse: Robocalls will certainly become more constant in the future.
{As soon as|The minute} you hear that electronic voice, everything stops. Your pulse quickens; your blood pressure rises. None of that matters now. You picked up that call, and you regret it. You would like to shriek: Don’t call me again. I don’t care who you are. Simply go away! What you are saying would fall on deaf ears. There isn’t any one on the other end, and if you breathe a word, your voice could possibly be recorded for future use.
Prepared to end those robocalls once and for all. Luckily, you have a whole arsenal of smartphone tools you can use. You block numbers, turn on Do Not Disturb mode, make use of your carrier’s tools, or use third-party apps to eliminate this telephonic pestilence.
Here are pointers for minimizing or eradicating those unwanted calls:
Reject anonymous calls automatically
Many robocalls show up as “anonymous” on your caller ID, while most businesses and human beings come up as identifiable phone numbers. It’s likely that, you may terminate all anonymous calls without missing anything important.
Dependant upon your service, its possible you have use of Anonymous Call Rejection. Try this on your landline. Ensure that your caller ID is activated. Enter the magic number *77, and you should hear three beeps. Hang up, and any call that hides its number is going to be rejected.
This service varies by carrier, and a few carriers charge extra. Nevertheless it’s a beneficial tool for scammers or robocallers who slip through the Do Not Call Registry.
Note: In a few jurisdictions, dialing *77 on your mobile phone may connect you with law enforcement. Check out local or state law enforcement prior to trying *77.
Join the National Do Not Call Registry list
Millions rejoiced when the FTC created the National Do Not Call Registry – and in a perfect world, registering would stop telemarketers from calling you. Technically, it’s illegal for telemarketers to call you if you are on this list.
However the world isn’t perfect. Scammers don’t adhere to the rules, nor do they worry about this list. It’s still best if you register your number as an added layer of protection against unwanted calls. Simply go to the website donotcall.gov and enter the landline or cellphone number you want on the list.
It’s also possible to call 1-888-382-1222 from any phone you want on the list. That’s all you need, and your number stays on the list up until you ask for it to be removed.
Once you sign up, the Do Not Call list takes you off for-profit business call lists, nevertheless it isn’t immediate. Telemarketers update their listings only periodically, so the FTC says it can take up to 31 days.
Also, political organizations, charities and survey takers are still allowed to call you. Businesses you’ve bought something from or made a payment to in the last 1 . 5 years have a right to call. When they call, however, firmly let them know to take you off their list and they have to honor your request.
Use carrier tools to block unwanted calls
The four major carriers have tools to identify, filter and prevent suspected nuisance numbers from calling or texting your phone. Most require an extra monthly charge to activate the caller ID service, but network-level blocking is provided for free across all the carriers.
AT&T: AT&T subscribers can use a free iOS and Android app called AT&T Call Protect. It offers automatic fraud blocking and suspected spam warnings. You’ll be able to manually block unwanted calls.
Verizon: Verizon recently announced a free call-blocking service that debuts in March. Verizon previously offered a “Caller Filter” service for $2.99 monthly per line.
Verizon has identified 300 million spam and scam phone numbers that it will block through free spam alerting and call-blocking tools.
T-Mobile: T-Mobile provides two free strategies to combat robocallers and spam calls.
First is Scam ID, an automatic system that identifies spam numbers when your phone rings. T-Mobile automatically does this on in its network, and there’s no app to install or service to turn on.
The second free way is Scam Block. Unlike Scam ID, that identifies known spam numbers, Scam Block provides you with a choice to block those numbers. To turn this on, dial #662# on your T-Mobile handset. To turn it off, dial #632#.
Much like Verizon’s Caller Name ID, T-Mobile has its own paid “Name ID” service, which identifies and offers caller information like the name, location and type of organization. You are able to block them when necessary. This is included in T-Mobile ONE Plus plans. For other T-Mobile plans, it is $4 a month per line.
Sprint: Sprint customers can sign up for its “Premium Caller ID” service to protect themselves from robocalls and caller ID spoofers.
This service is $2.99 per month, and it comes with a threat level indicator to give customers an idea of how suspicious a call is. It does this by flagging calls with real-time data trends gathered across the U.S. This service doesn’t automatically block known spam calls. Depending on the threat level, you can select to answer the call, block the number or report it to stop future calls.
Use best apps to block robocalls
An alternate way to stop nuisance calls on your smartphone is via call-blocking apps. These apps can identify who is calling you and block unwanted calls that show up on a crowd-sourced spam and robocaller list. Here are the top call blocking apps:
Nomorobo: Nomorobo is an iOS and Android app that provides real-time protection from an expanding list of robocallers, telemarketers and phone scammers.
Nomorobo lets the phone ring once, then attempts to identify the caller. If the number is on the app’s robocaller list, the app will automatically block the call for you.
Nomorobo is free to use for 30 days, and then it costs $1.99 per month or $19.99 for an entire year. To sign up, you will have to provide Nomorobo with information. List the type of phone you have – wireless or landline – and select your carrier. Note: Not all major cell carriers support Nomorobo.
Truecaller: The Truecaller app for iOS and Android allows you to determine who’s behind that unknown number. Copy and paste the number into the app’s search bar. Truecaller will search the unknown number to discover who it is. Using a community-based spam list from over 250 million users, it’s a great resource to stop answering an unwanted robocall.
An excellent feature of Truecaller is its capacity to block spam calls. Any time a pesky telemarketer calls, you will see a massive warning in red, letting you know that it’s a spam call. Just swipe up when this occurs to automatically block that caller and add them to the spam list.
The Truecaller app is free for both download and use. However, there is also a professional version that can be purchased as an in-app purchase for $1.99 per month.
Hiya – Caller ID & Block: The Hiya – Caller ID & Block app is ideal for identifying calls that you would like to accept and blocking calls and texts you’d like to avoid. The Hiya app is available for free on both Apple and Android gadgets with no ads, and it is user friendly.
It enables you to block calls, blacklist unwanted phone numbers and text messages, reverse phone search incoming call information and receive spam alerts. The app is powered by a database of hundreds of millions of numbers confirmed to be spam by other users.
Call Control – Call Blocker: The Call Control – Call Blocker app automatically blocks spam calls and calls from other numbers you don’t want to hear from. You are able to block entire area codes (like 888) if you’re getting a good deal of calls you don’t want from a particular location. The Call Control app is free and available for both Apple and Android gadgets.
Concerned about missing out on important calls? Call Control gives you your very own Whitelist and Contacts Protection to make sure people you know get through. The app’s users actively report their spammers so its catalog is always up to date. Call Control will automatically block active spammers, and the reverse lookup permits you to track them to their source.
You can add numbers to the Community Blacklist and select to block specific numbers that won’t leave you alone.
Some phones block robocalls automatically
Were you aware that some smartphones already have built-in spam and robocall protection set up? Samsung’s flagship Galaxy and Note have a native feature called Smart Call that screens and flags suspicious numbers. Google’s Android smartphones like the Pixels and the old Nexus and Android One have built-in spam call protection. With this feature, users with Caller ID enabled will get a warning if a suspected spam call or robocall is received.
Except for ignoring the call, the user has the choice to either block the number or whitelist it if the spam flagging is deemed an error. A selection to report the call to Google is available.
Common sense prevails
This can be the simplest solution, and quite a few people try this low-tech approach. If you get a call from an unknown number or one that doesn’t display on caller ID, don’t answer. If it’s a significant call, the person will leave a message and you can get back to them. Millions of people are unencumbered by robocalls, and they don’t give these pests a second thought.
But be advised: If you answer the phone and the caller (often a recording) asks you to hit a button to stop receiving calls, just hang up. Scammers often use these tactics to identify and target live respondents.
Have a questions or concern? Nick, Cindy & Nicholas Davis with RE/MAX Premier Group are here to assist you with all your Real Estate Needs. We are always available at 813-300-7116 to answer your questions or you can simply click here and we will be in touch with you shortly.
Ways Our Family Can Help Your Family
