ST. LOUIS — Are you tired of getting calls from telemarketers, political campaigns, and others labeled “spam risk” from your phone. Well, there are several solutions that will cut down on or completely eliminate the unwanted calls.
The first thing you should do is add your number to the national “Do Not Call” registry. Unfortunately, this won’t fix all of your issues because most spammers don’t follow federal guidelines.
The solution that has worked well for me is to only allow calls from my contacts. All other calls go to my voicemail. I have a greeting on my voicemail that simply explains that callers should leave a message, especially if they are not on my contact list. Otherwise, I won’t get their call. I’ve received several nice voicemails from people looking for me and my dinners are no longer interrupted.
How to only get calls from your contacts
On an iPhone, opening Settings and scroll down to the Phone option. Turn the switch on for Silence Unknown Callers. The setting is located near the bottom of the page.
For Android, block unknown numbers in the “Phone by Google” app. The app is available for download on the Play Store. Go to the settings section from from the menu. Select “Blocked Numbers” and then toggle the switch on for “Unknown.”
A Reddit user claims that there is another solution for unwanted calls. You simply answer them and remain silent. The poster says they have experience working in call center operations. Remaining silent after answering for about 5 seconds confuses the dialer software. They will flag the number as an error. Expect the number of calls you receive to reduce in about two weeks.
You can also try using an app like RoboKiller, Hiya, or Truecaller. They blocks spam calls and texts. Some of these apps require a monthly subscription but there are free versions available. See which one works for you here.
