Americans got hit by nearly 58 billion robocalls in 2024, according to the YouMail Robocall Index. While that’s an estimated 4.2 percent decrease from 2023, it still means that the average consumer is getting bombarded with robocalls, sometimes daily. And they always seem to arrive at the most inconvenient time.
Here's how to identify and block these annoying calls from clogging up your phone and how to protect your phone number from future attacks.
How to identify a potential spam call
Because of the increased number of robocalls and scams, some phone carriers have implemented a filter that flags unverified numbers that may be robocalls or scams as “Potential Spam,” which is displayed on your phone screen when being called.
In most cases, it’s wise to not answer any calls from these or other unknown numbers. If you do accidentally answer, keep in mind these telltale signs that they're spam or, worse, even a scam:
- They're calling about an issue unrelated to you, like, for example, an extended car warranty for a vehicle you don't own.
- They're claiming to work for a government agency or public utility, which would typically notify you in writing, not a phone call
- They're pitching products or services with terms that sound too good to be true, such as cash prizes, free travel, or other freebies.
Should you answer telemarketer calls?
Avoid answering telemarketer calls. General robocall logic states that if you answer their call, your number is considered “good” even if you don’t take the hook. They will continue to call you because they know there is someone on the other side of the line (you), increasing your chances of becoming a victim of fraud.
The fewer calls you answer, the fewer calls you will receive.
If you do accidentally answer a telemarketer or spam call, hang up immediately. Never say “yes” to any of the questions, such as “Can you hear me?” or “Am I speaking to the head of the household?” If you do, the scammer may be recording you saying “yes” so that they can use your own voice against you to authorize charges on a bill, stolen credit card, or other fraudulent activity.
How to stop robocalls
Here's how to protect your phone number by detecting and blocking spam calls.
- If you have an iPhone with iOS 13 and later, you can turn on Silence Unknown Callers to avoid getting calls from telemarketers. It blocks phone numbers you’ve never been in contact with and don’t have saved in your contacts. Go to Settings > Phone, tap Silence Unknown Callers, and turn on the feature.
- Some apps help filter and detect spam calls. Check out robocall-blocker apps available for your carrier and phone.If you have an iPhone, once you download the app, you can go to Settings > Phone, tap Call Blocking & Identification, and under Allow These Apps to Block Calls And Provide Caller ID, turn the app on or off.
- Register your phone number with the Federal Trade Commission's National Do Not Call Registry, which can prevent legitimate telemarketers from calling you.
- Don’t answer. The more you answer, the more calls you’ll get. Let the call go to voicemail because most spammers won’t leave a message. Avoid answering calls from numbers you don’t know or “unknown callers.”
- Some phone carriers provide spam and robocall controls to block unwanted and anonymous calls. Most of these are free, so check with your carrier to learn what’s available. Examples include AT&T’s Call Protect and T-Mobile’s Scam ID and Scam Block.