2021-07-15
Without a doubt, the greatest annoyance of using a cell phone or a landline phone is the constant occurrence of unwanted calls. Also referred to as scam or spam calls, they are made by scammers looking to get money or personal information for their own gain. Often, there isn’t a live person making the calls. Robocalls, as they are known, are the calls that have a recording saying “you owe money to the IRS” or “your vehicle’s warranty is expired,” among countless others. Regardless of the format, scam calls are irritating, and can be a threat to personal security. Knowing how to identify a spam call, and employing tactics to avoid them are important skills to have in today’s world.
Many people are familiar with the National Do Not Call Registry. For those who aren’t, it is a government run program that hosts a list of phone numbers of individuals who prefer not to be bothered by telemarketers. The list is provided to corporations, and they will not call those numbers. Signing up is easy and free, and can be done at the Do Not Call website. Unfortunately, the national list will not prevent scam calls. Scammers obtain phone numbers from the internet, and the government program does not prevent people’s numbers from appearing on various information websites.
Having a newer cell phone can be an advantage as many models have built-in spam call alerts. When a suspicious number is calling, the phone will notify you that the call is a potential scam. Although each cell phone is different, information on this feature is generally found in the settings application. If your phone doesn’t have this, a free app can perform a similar function. TrueCaller, TRAP, Robokiller, and Nomorobo are only a few of the various apps to alert of and prevent scam calls. Additionally, wireless carriers often offer some form of scam call prevention. Some are included with monthly plans, others are an extra charge. Information about this can be found on the carrier’s website, or by contacting them directly.
Preventing scam calls on a landline phone is not as easy as on a cell phone. Similarly, though, many phone service providers offer protection from scam calls. Just like with the wireless carrier, some may be included with the plan, but others are an additional fee. Another option is a call blocker. This is a small device that connects to the phone line, and has a large database of known scam numbers. You can also manually add phone numbers you wish to block. Call blockers can be purchased at many major retailers, and cost between $25-$100.
There is still a chance for a scam call to come through even if you’ve taken the preventative measures. Being able to identify these calls is a useful skill to have. Anyone calling and asking for immediate payment in a specific way is usually a scammer. Additionally, they often say they are from a well-known company to sound believable. Scammers tend to threaten arrest or other harsh punishments for not paying. If there is any doubt that a call isn’t legitimate, hang up the phone and do not provide any information to the caller. Most companies do not reach out about important matters over the phone. This includes the IRS and the Social Security Administration. Calls that claim to be from these organizations demanding money or reporting account problems are fraudulent. If they need to contact you, they will do so through other means, such as mail or email.
Even though many scam calls are easily identifiable, scammers are always finding new ways to trick the public. Taking the proper steps to prevent spam calls is an easy process, and can save you from being scammed. But, it is still important to know how to recognize suspicious callers, in the event that one does make it through the blocking devices. Preventing scam calls will keep money and personal information from being stolen, and end the headache of persistent unwanted calls.
