You might have the latest and greatest smartphone to hit the market, and you may have found out how to improve the sound quality on calls no matter where you are. But, even this doesn’t protect you from the incessant spam calls day after day after day (after day, ad infinitum).
At first, these calls don’t seem like a big deal; they’re a minor inconvenience at worst, but when they happen constantly, it’s enough to frustrate even the most mild-mannered citizen. You shouldn’t have to accept this, though, here are four ways to finally rid yourself of spam calls.
Report It
If a spam call is interrupting your day more often than not, it’s likely that it is doing the same to other people as well. Reporting the number to a relevant organization, such as your cell phone provider or even spam watchdogs will help crack down on the source and enable them to warn others when they receive a call for the first time. However, this may not entirely stop the spam calls, but it can get the wheels in motion for finding a solution and preventing further nuisance.
Block It
Sometimes spam calls from a variety of different numbers, whereas others will come from the same number time and time again. If you recognize a number that has tried to contact you before, you can take steps to block it through your phone, whether you use an Android or iPhone. This can be useful for cutting down on spam calls, and your phone may even highlight when the number tries to reach you again without actually letting them get through. The same goes for spam text messages, saving you from fake messages about your taxes or attempted post deliveries.
Locate The Source
Maybe you’re on the warpath and want to get to the bottom of the spam call. Perhaps they decided to mess with the wrong person. If so, you can learn how to locate the source of the number. Specific services can track down the owner, and this gives you evidence which you can provide to local authorities. If you believe the phone number is being misused, you may be able to pass this information onto someone who can do something about it and eradicate the spam.
Remove Consent
Your number may have ended up on public listings, or third parties could have obtained your information following a data breach or shady data sharing with other businesses. This listing could be the reason you keep getting phone calls from services you’ve never used. There are ways for you to remove your consent from these listings, but it can be tricky (and tiresome) to go through all of your subscriptions to update third-party preferences.
Hanging Up
It’s not as satisfying to angrily tap the hang-up button on your smartphone as it is to slam the receiver or flip your phone shut, and the robot on the other end won’t even know you’re upset. But, ridding yourself of spam calls means you only need to answer people you know and this will make your day much better.
