Many smartphone owners have accepted that they will simply have to deal with spam calls from time to time. However, if you follow a few simple safety procedures, you might not have to deal with them at all.
Getting spam calls has always been one of the more irritating parts about owning a smartphone, and now, it’s gotten worse for many users, as scammers and hackers have found all sorts of new ways to not only call you, but try to trick you into giving them valuable information. We’ve spoken with tech experts about two safety tips you should follow to stop getting spam calls. Read more about them below.
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1. Silence Unknown Callers
This extremely useful setting is available on both iPhones and Androids, and, according to tech experts, can make a big difference in the amount of spam calls you get.
Turning on this setting allows your device to send calls from numbers that are not in your contacts straight to voicemail. Your phone will not ring, but the call will still show up in your recent calls list. This helps cut down on spam and unwanted interruptions.
"Silence unknown callers and enable your network's spam blocking, and they block most automated scams before your phone ever rings," says Steven Athwal, tech expert and owner of The Big Phone Store. "Silencing unknown callers is easy and effective because spammers need you to answer to keep your phone in their databases, and if you never connect, your phone number will not be marked as active. Eventually, you'll get fewer spam calls."
2. Remove Your Information From Data Brokers
These days, there are numerous ways that scammers or marketers can get your phone number, but one of the most common ways is through data brokers.
Data brokers are companies that collect and sell personal information, like your phone number, to other businesses. When this data is shared or sold, telemarketers and scammers can use it to call you, which leads to more spam calls. This is why your number may end up in spam databases even if you never gave it out directly. Kristen Lewis, a tech security expert with the online safety app Aura, notes you should try to remove your information from these brokers to avoid spam calls.
"A major source of spam calls is data brokers, which are companies that buy and sell phone numbers and other information such as your name, address, e-mail address, gender, age, income, cars, and real estate ownership (to name a few)," she explains. "A simple first step is to Google yourself and see what comes up. Doing a quick personal data check helps you spot where your info is showing up. You can ask some sites to remove it, but data brokers often relist it later."
