I routinely get 5-6 calls each day on my cell phone that are marketing calls for health insurance, credit cards, lowering my utility bills, etc. Often they are local numbers, so I answer. I block the numbers afterwards, but I just get more with different numbers. Also, if the caller offers an option for “don’t call” I do so. Any suggestions for something more I can do?
I am aggressive about putting phone numbers into my phone book so I know who is calling. I have somewhat given up on answering from unknown numbers even if they are local unless I an expecting a call. There are 2 cell phone prefixes in the town where I work. Most people seem to get the most calls from their own prefix and not the other one. It’s very aggravating.
Never press any buttons that say “press this if you do not want us to call.” You are just confirming that there is a human who can pick up that line. Your phone # becomes more valuable to those who sell phone # lists.
I pretty much let everything go into my voice mail if I do not recognize the caller. A legitimate caller will leave a voice mail.
My office has even stopped answering the phone unless we recognize the caller ID. Clients leave a message and get an immediate call back. The “local” numbers aren’t local; they’re spoofed to make it more likely that you’ll answer.
T-Mobile is pretty good at labeling these calls as “Spam Likely.”.
I downloaded a free app called YouMail that helps screen the calls. Legitimate callers will leave a voice mail.
This.
It was very irritating earlier this week when I knew I would be getting a reminder call from a new doctor’s office, and I didn’t know the phone number. I had to answer (and then hang up on) at least a dozen useless calls before the reminder call came.
Incidentally, the problem is not limited to iPhones. I have an older dumb phone, and I get plenty of spam calls.
Like others, I no longer answer calls if I don’t know the number.
My new landline phone has a Block call” button it. So I don’t mind answering cuz then can block.
I have RoboKiller, Nomorobo, and Verizon’s Call filter on my iPhone. I get very few if any junk calls. If one slips through I block it. It’s worse on the land line. Bu I use nomorobo and Verizon’s app to block what we can. It has reduced them significantly.
I don’t answer anything that doesn’t have a name pop up that I know. This scammers don’t leave a message. Anyone I know would. No message and they get blocked.
Around here we are getting spam calls from our own number! Also is iPhone any worse than Android? Your question references iPhone, but my H complains constantly about his Android spam and pop ups.
They seem to come in waves. Yesterday I received 4, my wife got 3 or 4, and the land line got 3.
We haven’t had any in several days prior.
I have AT&T and I have their Call Protect app on my iPhone. Seems to block most of the calls or if it comes through it will flash possible spam. Like most, I get very few calls and I have my contacts loaded so if it is not someone I know or am expecting then I just don’t answer. I still have a landline (not sure why) but that we get several calls a night even though we are on the do not call lists. Once my younger D graduates next year from HS I think I’ll dump the land line.
I block each call that doesn’t leave a voicemail message. What I worry about is what if that number becomes a legit number one day and I have it blocked? They are mostly coming from my own area code now and not some remote place in Nebraska.
I never answer a call that’s not in my contacts. If the caller is legitimate (doctor, service technician, etc.) they will leave a message, so there’s no reason to answer an unnamed call.
I’ve enabled the Do Not Disturb option on my iPhone, and have set it to all contacts. That way I don’t even hear the nuisance calls. At the end of the day I go through them and block each one. I get about 3-5 a day.
I’ve gotten two that the ID came up as
Sri Lanka. Now they’re not even trying.
@dcolosi Thank you for the information. I just downloaded the AT&T Call Protect app. It’s exactly what I was asking about–an app that would block spam calls that works with my cell phone and carrier. Will report back on the results.
I stopped answering calls from numbers I don’t recognize. If they don’t leave a voice mail, which is almost always, I block the number.
My son and I have Google phones. The latest versions of Android automatically identify most spam calls and also let you screen calls with a touch of a button, review the transcript, and then permanently block the number if desired.
My wife and daughter, who both have iPhones, are jealous.
I block numbers that are from far away, but the ones that are spoofed as local, I don’t block in case it does become a legitimate number someday. They generally don’t call more than once or twice anyway.
For me it’s nice that my cell number is local for where we live (out in the country) and to the north, but most of our contacts (work/school/church) are in another town south and I don’t know many people with the same prefix as mine. So if it’s a number with my same prefix, I ignore it, and if it’s one of the common ones in the town where I work, I answer it.