How to Stop Spam Calls on Android?

How to Stop, Block, and Avoid Spam Calls on Android?

Do you receive many robocalls or spam calls?  Those annoying calls interrupt other important business and valuable time.  We will give details on how to stop spam calls on Android. Stop Robocalls on Android and spam calls with a couple of settings on your Android phone. Plus, Robocalls can be filtered by an app that you can download from your cell service provider.  These apps have a database of common numbers where robocalls and spam calls come from and can easily filter them or warn you when a call comes through.

You should register your phone number with the US Government Do Not Call register: The National Do Not Call Registry lets you limit the telemarketing and spam/scam calls you receive. Stop unwanted sales calls by registering your phone number: Online: Visit DoNotCall.gov

Use the built-in spam filtering features in Android

Android has a built-in spam filtering feature that you can use to block and stop spam calls on Android. To enable this feature:

  1. Open the Phone app.
  2. Tap the three dots in the upper-right corner.
  3. Tap Settings.
  4. Tap Spam and Call Screen.
  5. Toggle on Filter spam calls.

Android will now automatically block spam calls. You can also report spam calls to Android by long-pressing on the number and tapping Report spam.

First, change a setting on your phone that will help you block the calls…

  • Open the Phone app and Touch the Recent Calls tab
  • Touch on the number you want to Block
How to stop spam calls on Android
  • Touch on the Information icon
How to stop spam calls on Android
  • Look to the bottom of the screen and touch on Block
How to stop spam calls on Android

How to Block Unknown and Private numbers?

  • Open the Phone App
  • Touch on the 3-dot menu in the upper right corner of the screen
How to stop spam calls on Android
  • Touch and Open Settings
  • Touch and select Block Numbers
How to stop spam calls on Android
  • Block unknown/private numbers – Touch the slider to enable
How to stop spam calls on Android

Use third-party spam blocking apps:

Open Google Play store and search on Block Spam Calls.  A list of apps will be displayed and you can read about each one.  The best way to stop Robocalls on Android and block spam calls on Android is to use an app created by the cell service company you use.  For example, if your cell service is AT&T, then you should select and install the AT&T Block Spam app.

There are a number of third-party spam blocking apps available for Android that you can install from Google Play store. Some popular options include:

  • Hiya
  • Truecaller
  • RoboKiller
  • CallApp
  • Mr. Number

These apps use a variety of methods to identify and block spam calls, such as caller ID databases, user feedback, and machine learning.

How do spammers get your phone number?

Spammers can get your phone number in a number of ways, including:

  • Buying lists of phone numbers from data brokers: Data brokers collect phone numbers from a variety of sources, such as public records, online surveys, and social media. They then sell these lists of phone numbers to businesses and other organizations, including spammers.
  • Scraping websites and social media for phone numbers: Spammers can use automated software to scrape websites and social media for phone numbers. This software can scan websites and social media profiles for any publicly available phone numbers.
  • Using random number generators: Spammers can also use random number generators to generate phone numbers. They will then call these numbers to see if anyone answers. If someone does answer, the spammer will try to sell them something or scam them.

Here are some tips on how to avoid giving your phone number to spammers:

  • Be careful about giving out your phone number to businesses and organizations. Only give out your phone number to businesses and organizations that you trust.
  • If you’re asked to give out your phone number to receive a prize or enter a contest, be wary. This is a common tactic used by spammers to collect phone numbers.
  • Don’t click on links in emails or text messages from unknown senders. These links can lead to websites that will try to collect your personal information, including your phone number.
  • Be careful about what information you share on social media. Don’t share your phone number publicly on social media.

If you do think that your phone number has been given to spammers, there are a few things you can do:

  • Register your number on the National Do Not Call Registry. This will reduce the number of telemarketing calls you receive.
  • Use a spam blocking app. There are a number of spam blocking apps available for both Android and iOS devices. These apps can help to block spam calls and text messages.
  • Report spam calls and text messages to your phone carrier. Your phone carrier may be able to block the number for you.

How to report spam calls to your phone carrier?

To report spam calls to your phone carrier, you can typically do so by:

  • Calling your phone carrier’s customer service number.
  • Reporting the spam call online through your phone carrier’s website or app.

When you report a spam call to your phone carrier, be prepared to provide the following information:

  • The phone number that called you.
  • The date and time of the call.
  • A brief description of the call.

Your phone carrier may also ask you for additional information, such as your account number or billing address.

Once you have reported the spam call to your phone carrier, they will investigate the call and may take steps to block the number or prevent the caller from contacting you in the future.

Here are some additional tips for reporting spam calls to your phone carrier:

  • Be as specific as possible when describing the spam call. Include any information that you can about the caller, such as their name or company name.
  • If you have a recording of the spam call, you can provide it to your phone carrier. This will help them to investigate the call and take appropriate action.
  • If you receive multiple spam calls from the same number, report each call to your phone carrier. This will help them to build a case against the caller and may make it more likely that they will take action to block the number.

By reporting spam calls to your phone carrier, you can help to reduce the number of spam calls that you receive and protect yourself from scams.

Other tips for blocking spam calls:

  • Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers.
  • Register your number on the National Do Not Call Registry. Online: Visit DoNotCall.gov
  • Be careful about giving out your phone number to businesses and organizations.
  • If you get a call from a scammer, hang up immediately and don’t engage with them.

Common questions and answers for how to stop spam calls on Android:

Q: How do I block spam calls on Android?

A: There are two ways to block spam calls on Android:

  1. Use the built-in spam filtering features in Android:
    • Open the Phone app.
    • Touch the three dots in the upper-right corner.
    • Touch Settings.
    • Touch Spam and Call Screen.
    • Toggle on Filter spam calls.
  2. Use a third-party spam blocking app: There are a number of third-party spam blocking apps available for Android. Some popular options include: * Hiya * Truecaller * RoboKiller * CallApp * Mr. Number

Q: Why am I getting so many spam calls?

A: Spammers use a variety of methods to obtain phone numbers, such as buying lists of numbers from data brokers, scraping websites and social media for phone numbers, and using random number generators. Once they have your phone number, they may use it to make automated calls (robocalls) or to sell your number to other spammers.

Q: How can I reduce the number of spam calls I receive?

A: There are a number of things you can do to reduce the number of spam calls you receive, including:

  • Use the built-in spam filtering features in Android.
  • Use a third-party spam blocking app.
  • Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers.
  • Register your number on the National Do Not Call Registry. Online: Visit DoNotCall.gov
  • Be careful about giving out your phone number to businesses and organizations.
  • If you get a call from a scammer, hang up immediately and don’t engage with them.

Q: What should I do if I get a call from a scammer?

A: If you get a call from a scammer, the best thing to do is to hang up immediately and don’t engage with them. Scammers may try to trick you into giving them personal information, such as your Social Security number or credit card number, or they may try to get you to send them money. If you think you may have been a victim of a scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Q: How can I report spam calls to my phone carrier?

A: You can report spam calls to your phone carrier by contacting them by phone or online. Your phone carrier may have specific instructions on how to report spam calls.

Q: What are some common spam call scams?

A: Some common spam call scams include:

  • IRS impersonation scams: Scammers call people claiming to be from the IRS and say that the person owes back taxes. They may threaten to arrest the person if they don’t pay the taxes immediately.
  • Tech support scams: Scammers call people claiming to be from a tech support company and say that there is a problem with the person’s computer. They may try to trick the person into giving them remote access to their computer or into paying for unnecessary tech support services.
  • Warranty scams: Scammers call people claiming to be from a warranty company and say that their car or appliance warranty is about to expire. They may try to sell the person a new warranty or to get them to sign up for a maintenance plan.
  • Charity scams: Scammers call people asking for donations to fake charities. They may try to guilt-trip the person into donating or to pressure them into donating immediately.

If you get a call from someone claiming to be from a government agency, a tech support company, a warranty company, or a charity, be wary and do your research before giving out any personal information or money.

Problems and solutions for how to stop spam calls on Android:

Problem: I’m getting a lot of spam calls on my Android phone.

Solution:

  • Use the built-in spam filtering features in Android.
  • Use a third-party spam blocking app.
  • Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers.
  • Register your number on the National Do Not Call Registry.
  • Be careful about giving out your phone number to businesses and organizations.
  • If you get a call from a scammer, hang up immediately and don’t engage with them.

Problem: I can’t block all spam calls.

Solution:

No spam blocking method is perfect. Spammers are constantly developing new ways to get around spam filters. However, by using a combination of spam blocking methods, you can reduce the number of spam calls you receive significantly.

Problem: I’m missing important calls because I’m blocking spam calls.

Solution:

If you’re concerned about missing important calls, you can adjust your spam blocking settings so that only known spam numbers are blocked. You can also whitelist specific numbers so that they are never blocked.

Problem: I’m getting spam calls from the same number over and over again.

Solution:

If you’re getting spam calls from the same number over and over again, you can block that number specifically. You can also report the number to your phone carrier or to the FTC.

Problem: I’m getting spam calls from numbers that look like my own phone number.

Solution:

This type of spam call is known as a spoofing call. Spoofing calls can be difficult to block because they appear to be coming from a legitimate number. However, there are a few things you can do to reduce the number of spoofing calls you receive:

  • Don’t answer calls from your own phone number.
  • Register your number on the National Do Not Call Registry.
  • Be careful about giving out your phone number to businesses and organizations.
  • If you get a call from your own phone number, hang up immediately and don’t engage with the caller.

Additional helpful information:

You may also want to block text and/or spam messages – How to Block Text Messages on Android?