As new technologies develop and advance, many aspects of our lives become easier. Unfortunately, this also means that it’s now easier for a robot to dial out thousands of calls in a day. Are you tired of those annoying robocalls yet? Ifs so, read on because we’ve learned a few ways to deal with them – even stop them! After all, it’s our job to keep you protected.
What are Robocalls?
To put it briefly, robocalls are the reason that most people won’t answer a phone call nowadays unless they’re expecting one! Robocalls are essentially automated systems that make unwanted calls throughout the day with various objectives in mind. Generally, they’re either some form of telemarketing or potentially a scam.
According to the New York Post, the most common robocalls in 2018 included Chinese consulate scams, SEO scams, and health insurance scams. Most of these sorts of calls present a scenario that intends to create urgency within the target. Then, the caller attempts to collect the person’s sensitive information. Ultimately, robocalls not only create an annoyance…they can be very costly if you fall for them!
Dealing with Robocalls
While we’re not stopping robo-dialers anytime soon, take comfort in knowing that you have a few options for dealing with them.
Decline the Call
As we alluded to earlier, you can join the ranks of those who refuse to answer their phone calls unless they’re expecting a call or if you have the caller’s contact stored. Rest assured that if the phone call is important, the caller will be leaving you a voicemail.
Use the Do Not Call Registry
The FTC manages a national ‘Do Not Call Registry’, and it’s a great idea to register with them. This method costs nothing and only takes a couple of minutes to register. Furthermore, while it does not prevent companies from dialing your number, it does let them know that they are potentially violating the law and that they should cease communications with you.
Use Your Carrier’s Protection
Given the volume of consumer complaints regarding robocalls, most major phone carriers are stepping in to offer a protective layer between their customers and robo-dialers. AT&T offers a free app called ‘Call Protect’ for all of their postpaid customers. Simply install the app and it is capable of blocking spam calls.
Sprint and T-Mobile offer Caller ID features, allowing the recipient to screen calls at their own discretion. Verizon offers a ‘Call Filter’ app that allows you to program numbers that you prefer to avoid receiving calls from. Ultimately, each major carrier offers its own solution to help you lessen the aggravation of dealing with these calls.
Use Your Phone’s Call-Blocking Features
Most phones on both Android and IOS platforms include call-blocking functionality. Generally, you have to manually input these numbers. However, this feature works well if you continue to get repeat calls from the same number.
Caller ID Apps
Smartphone apps make life a heck of a lot easier when it comes to dealing with robocalls. Both major platforms (IOS/Android) offer caller ID apps. There are both free and paid versions, so you can choose what works best for you. These apps generally take minutes to download and set up…so you can get back to what’s important in a hurry.
Just Hang Up
Naturally, you can follow all of the advice we laid out above and still some robocalls will slip past your defenses. Fortunately, if you have enough experience taking these sorts of calls, it doesn’t take much to identify one when you receive it. Hence, all you have to do is hang up the phone when you’re suspicious of the nature of the call.
While technology gives way to annoyances like robocalls, it also provides us with plenty of options to block them! Following these simple steps, you don’t have to waste any more time on these calls.
