By Ryan Bologna
At least once a day I will hear my phone ring, and when I look down it is some kind of unidentified number. It has gotten to the point where I won’t answer my phone unless it is a number I recognize. I know I’m not alone in that. Spam texts are becoming more common as well. If you’re getting tired of getting bombarded with robocalls and spam texts like everyone else, you can take matters into your own hands. Here are the best ways to reduce the amount of spam and text calls you receive.
Don’t Answer These Calls
It goes without saying, but if you answer these calls then you’re just going to encourage more calls. Giving any response at all will not help you in the long run. It lets spammers know that your number is real. If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from a specific company, just hang up and actually call the company back to verify it is legitimate. There are ways for scammers to appear as they are calling from a location that is relevant to you. Even if a number or area code looks familiar, err on the side of caution. That will help you decrease the number of calls you receive.
Use Settings To Your Advantage
No matter what phone you have, there is probably some type of setting that will silence calls for you. On iPhone, you can enable the “silence unknown calls” setting, which reroutes callers who are not in your contacts directly to voicemail. That isn’t going to work for everyone, as it can hinder their work responsibilities, but it can help certain people out.
For texts, you can forward those messages to 7726, which can help your carrier identify where spam texts are coming from and block them from messaging you again.
Download Reliable Third-Party Apps
Whether you are using an iPhone or Android, there are a ton out there. Apps like Hiya, Nomorobo and Firewall are some of the most popular out there. You can make the best decision for yourself by researching the best apps for each carrier and device.
Know The Law
Most probably don’t know that there is a federal law that is meant to prevent spam calls and texts. It is called the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. It prohibits unsolicited calls to cellphones from automatic dialing systems or prerecorded voices. The act also prohibits calls made to any residential phone before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m. Does this act actually help prevent spam calls though? If more people pushed back citing it, it would. There have been examples of people getting money back by suing companies who have carried out spam calls that violate the act. The more people who push back, the less that businesses will see it as good business to carry out these calls.
Photo Credit: ronstik
