Spam calls have become a major annoyance, interrupting our daily lives with unwanted promotions, scams, and robocalls. Fortunately, there are several effective ways to block spam calls and regain control of your phone. This guide will walk you through the best methods to stop these calls once and for all.
1. Use Built-in Call Blocking Features on Your Phone
For Android Users:
- Open the Phone app.
- Go to Recent Calls and find the spam number.
- Tap and hold the number, then select Block/Report Spam.
- Confirm the action to prevent further calls from this number.
For iPhone Users:
- Open the Phone app and go to the Recents tab.
- Tap the i icon next to the unwanted number.
- Scroll down and select Block this Caller.
- Confirm to block the number.
2. Register Your Number on the Do Not Call List
Most countries offer a Do Not Call Registry to reduce spam calls. Here’s how to register:
- Visit the official Do Not Call website of your country.
- Enter your phone number and follow the registration steps.
- After a few days, telemarketers should stop calling you.
3. Use Carrier-Provided Call Blocking Services
Mobile carriers often provide free or premium call-blocking services. Contact your carrier to see what options they offer:
- AT&T Call Protect (for AT&T users)
- Verizon Call Filter (for Verizon users)
- T-Mobile Scam Shield (for T-Mobile users)
- Other regional carriers may have similar services
4. Install a Third-Party Spam Call Blocking App
If built-in features are not enough, third-party apps can provide extra protection. Popular apps include:
- Truecaller
- Hiya
- Nomorobo
- RoboKiller
These apps use databases to identify and block known spam numbers automatically.
5. Enable Silence Unknown Callers (iPhone Only)
For iPhone users, Apple provides a feature to silence unknown numbers:
- Go to Settings > Phone.
- Tap Silence Unknown Callers.
- Toggle the switch to enable this feature.
- Calls from unknown numbers will go straight to voicemail.
6. Manually Block Specific Numbers
If you frequently receive spam calls from the same number:
- Open the Phone app.
- Tap Recents and find the number.
- Select Block Number to prevent future calls.
7. Report Spam Calls
Reporting spam calls helps improve spam detection for others. You can report spam numbers to:
- Your phone carrier
- A call-blocking app
- The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) or relevant authority in your country
