Tired of Unwanted Calls? Discover These Simple Solutions!

LONDON (AP) — Unsolicited phone calls have become rampant. Be it automated sales pitches attempting to market products or fraudulent messages aimed at deceiving recipients, these unwanted contacts might compel one to avoid using their telephone altogether. What steps can be taken then to curb this issue?

Unwanted phone calls have been labeled as an epidemic by consumer organizations, with the Federal Communications Commission stating they represent their leading consumer grievance. These calls are bothersome for numerous individuals who have shared their frustrations with The Associated Press.

A reader reached out via email stating, “I require assistance in halting these spam calls.” Despite taking precautions, she still receives as many as fourteen such calls daily.

Like its title suggests, robocalls refer to automated phone calls designed to play pre-recorded messages for numerous recipients. According to U.S. rules, robocalls intended solely to convey information or recover debts are permissible; however, the Federal Trade Commission states that using a recorded voice to promote sales over the phone without your prior express written consent is against the law. The FTC cautions that many such robocalls may likely be fraudulent schemes as well.

If unwanted calls are overwhelming you, here are several methods to combat them.

Phone settings

Users of smartphones can activate certain pre-installed features to tackle unfamiliar calls.

Apple recommends that iPhone users enable the Silence Unknown Callers feature. feature Navigate to "Settings," then scroll down until you find "Apps." Look for "Phone" within the app list, specifically under the "Calls" category. Once enabled, unknown callers who aren’t in your contact list won’t disturb you as their calls will bypass your phone directly into voicemail. These missed calls will still appear in your call history log.

Android has a similar setting that allows you to block calls from private or unidentified numbers, although you will still receive calls from numbers that aren't stored in your contact list.

Once this article initially came out, a reader shared a solution for the issue: leave your Android device powered on. Do Not Disturb However, set it up so that anybody on your Contact list can barge in.

Remember, you might miss crucial calls as well, often these come from unfamiliar phone numbers.

Should an unwelcome call manage to slip through, users of both Android and iPhones have the option to block the specific phone number by selecting it from their recent calls or call history list. Additionally, you can manually add these numbers to your device’s blocking list.

Do not call

Register with the national Do Not Call list. registry This is a compilation of telephone numbers that have chosen to block most telemarketing calls. The Federal Trade Commission manages this registry and states that it solely includes phone numbers without retaining any additional personal identifying details, and it does not distinguish between landlines and cellphones.

The FTC indicates that certain exceptions apply, such as political calls, communications from nonprofit organizations, and charitable entities, along with genuine survey groups not engaged in sales activities. Additionally, companies can contact you for up to 18 months following your interaction—or attempt at an interaction—with them.

However, it cautions that even though adding your number to the registry will reduce unsolicited sales calls, it won't prevent scammers from making unlawful contact.

Other nations also maintain similar registries. In Canada, they have their own Do Not Call list. list while the UK has the Telephone Preference Service .

Carrier filters

Verify if your mobile provider offers a call-blocking service. Verizon , T-Mobile and AT&T Three major U.S. networks each offer their own call filtering systems for customers to block robocalls and flag spam. These usually come with both a free standard option and a more advanced feature set available through a paid subscription.

Try an app

If you find that your carrier’s filtering options aren’t sufficient, consider using standalone applications to block undesired calls.

A variety of smartphone applications claim to prevent spam calls, including options such as Nomorobo, YouMail, Hiya, RoboKiller, and TrueCaller among others. Several of these services require payment through either monthly or yearly subscriptions, although certain ones provide limited features at no cost initially. Additionally, some of these call-blocking tools may be integrated into landlines equipped with VOIP systems rather than traditional copper wiring.

The Associated Press has not tested any of these applications and is not offering particular endorsements. We suggest that you peruse user reviews and perhaps even test them out personally.

Apple states that these applications function by cross-rechecking an incoming caller’s number against a database of recognized numbers, categorizing them as either spam or telemarketing, for instance. The app may also opt to block such calls automatically. Apple clarifies, "Third-party developers never receive the actualincoming calls."

Report calls

Did you know that you have the option to lodge a complaint with the FCC regarding particular spam calls? You can accomplish this effortlessly through their website. online form It may not provide instant gratification, but according to the National Consumer Law Center, complaint data is the most effective resource federal agencies have for assessing the scale of the robocall issue.

Just say no

Even though businesses you have conducted transactions with may place automated calls to you, the National Consumer Law Center indicates this likely stems from an agreement you provided consent for—potentially buried within small print. However, you retain the right to withdraw your permission whenever desired.

Simply inform the company representative that you wish to "withdraw consent," and if this does not halt their communications, reach out to customer support and notify them that you do not agree to receiving calls and request that your number be included in the company’s “do-not-call” registry, according to the center.

Hang up

You might be tempted to try to engage with the call in an attempt to get your number off the call list or be put through to a real person. The FTC warns against doing this and recommends that you just hang up.

"The act of dialing numbers to connect with an operator or get removed from their list might likely result in receiving even more automated calls," according to the agency. advice page "And the phone number you see might not actually be genuine. It’s quite simple for someone to manipulate the caller ID," it cautions, emphasizing that this information shouldn't be taken at face value.

The cybersecurity firm Kaspersky recommends remaining silent when you suspect receiving a robocall. Many of us have experienced fraudulent calls beginning with phrases such as "Hello, can you hear me?" Often, people respond affirmatively out of habit.

Kaspersky warns that scammers "can save the recording of your approval and utilize it for deceptive purposes." Therefore, it’s best to refrain from saying yes when you can help it.

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