Automated robocalls could be a real nuisance, especially when your phone starts ringing in the middle of an important meeting or at 2 o’clock in the morning while you’re fast asleep. Americans received nearly 46 billion robocalls in 2020. And it’s not just telemarketers who are fuelling this menace. As much as 46% of these calls involve scams. And according to a 2020 Truecaller report, financial loss due to call scams amounted to $19.7 billion.
Needless to say, the barrage of robocalls won’t just leave you feeling harassed and annoyed. It could even put your safety at risk. Phishing calls are an easy way to target the innocent and commit financial fraud and identity theft. So, it’s hardly a surprise that some people now chose to ignore calls from unfamiliar numbers. But this is not always a practical solution. You could be missing an urgent call that may later leave you with regret. But what options do you have? Although putting an end to robocalls might just be wishful thinking, you can certainly dodge them with a few easy steps.
1. List your number in the National Do Not Call Registry.
The Federal Trade Commission maintains a national registry to help consumers minimize unwanted calls. This can particularly keep you off the call lists of telemarketers. So, if you’re wondering how to get on the do not call list, it can be done in a few easy steps on the registry website. The FTA allows free registration for up to three phone numbers that include both mobile and landline numbers.
2. Block unwanted calls.
Now, when you’re continuously getting harassed by the same number, you can easily handle it with a call block. Select the number from your call log, and click on the blacklisting or call blocking option. Depending on the phone model, you will also find more options under Settings to ward off unwanted callers. For example, there are likely privacy features to block calls from unknown numbers, hidden numbers, and even those originating from a particular country or region.
3. Turn on Do Not Disturb.
This is another simple trick to avoid robocalls, even when they come disguised under local numbers. And often, you’ll get to select which calls can come through. But remember, this will only serve as a temporary measure since it’ll prevent even legitimate callers from reaching you through unfamiliar numbers.
4. Contact your phone service provider.
With growing concerns around robocalls, many phone service providers offer special features to tackle unsolicited calls that may potentially put you at risk. These are available for both mobile phones and landlines. And you can access them for free or with a one-off or monthly subscription. For example, Verizon provides an alert service to notify you of possible spam calls. This gives you the option to accept or reject the incoming call or even to block them. Customers can also report spam numbers, so the phone carrier could verify and add them to their database.
5. Install a call blocking app.
There are moments when activating caller ID or blocking off unknown numbers is just not enough to escape the never-ending harassment of robocalls. In moments like these, you need the help of a call blocking app. There are plenty of options available now for Android and iPhone devices. These include independent apps like Whoscall and Truecaller and those provided by phone carriers such as Verizon and AT&T. While some are free, others may require a small payment to enjoy added features.
And these apps can offer various advantages. Truecaller, for instance, can automatically identify and block spam calls based on a massive user-generated database. These community-based call lists are continuously updated based on real-life user experiences and feedback. This puts them in a position to identify spam calls with greater accuracy. And in case you get caught in a robocall scam, their call recording and call history features will also come in handy.
What should you do if you answer a robocall?
Now, despite your best efforts, it’s not practically possible to completely evade those annoying robocalls. After all, automated bots could be far more persistent than humans. And technology is making it easier to disguise calling numbers to an impressive level. So, chances are, you will likely pick up one or two of those unsolicited calls once in a while.
And when you do, it’s important to protect yourself. Here are some extra tips to handle such situations effectively.
Do not engage
This is rule number one. When you realize you’ve answered a robocall, you need to remain vigilant. The best solution would be to hang up. Having said that, you may first want to verify the call’s authenticity. So, you can listen in for a few seconds before deciding to put the phone down.
But remember, a fraudster could use various tricks to lure you into trouble. So, avoid speaking or responding to any automated questions. And ensure that you don’t follow automated instructions and press any numbers to select menus. Most importantly, avoid giving out information when prompted to verify your credentials.
Verify authenticity before responding or taking any action
Robocall scams will often prompt some form of action, like getting you to call back or transfer funds. And they’ll usually pose as a reputed organization such as the Social Security Administration or the Internal Revenue Service. So, before responding, call back the respective organization and verify the authenticity of the call. And if you suspect a scam, alert them by lodging a formal complaint.
Keep in mind that scammers don’t follow rules. And technology has become a weapon to find increasingly sophisticated ways to infiltrate your privacy and safety. No doubt, the regulators need to adopt a more stringent approach to tackle them. But until then, you may have to remain vigilant and take every measure possible to safeguard yourself.
