Spam calls to a phone are what weeds are to a garden. They appear unexpectedly, are everywhere at once, and are a nuisance. However, unlike weeds, which can be natural and even beneficial to wildlife, spam calls offer no redeeming qualities. Fortunately, there are several effective methods to stop spam calls without resorting to harmful measures. We consulted tech experts to outline the best options for reclaiming peace on your device.
1. Do Not Answer the Call
Every technology expert emphasizes this point. While it may seem obvious, it is crucial not to answer unfamiliar calls, especially if your phone flags them as spam. Engaging with scammers, even for fun, is risky. "Even minimal engagement, like answering the call, speaking, or pressing buttons, can signal to dialing systems that your number is active," said Steve Morris, founder and CEO of NewMedia.com. "Many spam operations use automated dialers that optimize for live targets, so detecting a human voice prioritizes your number for future calls." Let unknown calls go to voicemail and avoid interaction. Morris noted that shifting from occasional engagement to total non-engagement reduced call volume by 30% to 40% over a few months. Moreover, some scammers record voices to trick your family and friends. "The worst thing you can do is interact with a spam call. Silence is the most effective defense," Morris added.
2. Report the Caller
Most phones have a feature to "report spam" or "block and report spam." Tapping this flags the number to your carrier and operating system providers like Apple or Google. "When you delete and report a call or text as spam, it makes it harder for that number to be used against others," said Stephen Boyce, founder of The Cyber Doctor. While it may not provide instant gratification, it helps carriers identify patterns across millions of calls. However, Patrick Coughlin, CEO of Savi Security, noted that scammers generate and rotate numbers automatically for fractions of a cent, so reporting only helps on the margins.
3. Use the Do Not Call Registry
Only about one in five American households still has a landline, according to Statista. The National Do Not Call Registry, established in 1991, now includes cell phones. Register your number at DoNotCall.gov once, and it remains effective forever. While legitimate telemarketers will stop calling, scammers may still ignore the list. If calls persist, you have legal recourse under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). "Violators face penalties of up to $500 per call or text, and up to $1,500 in certain circumstances," said Christopher E. Roberts, a consumer action lawyer. "Consumers often receive many calls, so penalties can add up quickly, prompting businesses to stop."
4. Treat Your Phone Number as Confidential
Morris advises treating your phone number like your Social Security number or home address. "Every spam call originates from your number being in some database—shared by data brokers, scraped from websites, or exposed in data breaches," he said. Minimize sharing your number online and avoid posting it on social media. This reduces exposure to telemarketers and scammers.
5. Use Spam Call Features on Your Phone
Both iPhone and Android devices have settings to silence unknown calls. Coughlin explained that calls from numbers in your contacts will still ring through, while others go directly to voicemail. On iPhone, go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Screen Unknown Callers and select "Silence." On Android, go to Phone settings, find Call Screen or Call Screening, and toggle it on.
6. Ask Your Carrier About Unknown Call Rejection
For landline users, ask your carrier about "unknown call rejection" (often *77 on many systems). This blocks calls that purposely hide Caller ID, catching many robocalls and spam. Carriers may also offer services requiring callers with blocked numbers to enter a number or follow a prompt before connecting.
7. Pay for a Public Data Removal Service
Services like Cloaked, Avast, Norton, DeleteMe, EasyOptOuts, Incogni, Optery, and Privacy Bee remove your data from public brokerages that sell to telemarketers and scammers. Morris recommends Cloaked as one of the best options.
8. Change Your Number
As a last resort, getting a new number and protecting it carefully can stop spam calls entirely. This extreme measure ensures your number is not in any databases, but requires vigilance to avoid future exposure.
