Got Spam? Do You Know How to Block Spam Calls on an iPhone?
Every new communication medium generates opportunities for new versions of unsolicited or undesirable messages, also known as spam. In the mildest sense, spam is an annoying source of clutter in inboxes everywhere. At its worst, spam provides a launch platform for scams and cybercrimes. Cell phones feel as though they’ve become little more than mobile receivers of spam emails, texts and robo phone calls, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
How to Block Spam Calls
The FTC offers basic suggestions for minimizing intrusions by robocalls:
- Don't answer calls from blocked or unknown numbers
- Don't assume an incoming call is really from a local number just because it looks like it is. Spammers can be anywhere in the world and disguise their calls with what appear to be nearby area codes
- Don't respond to any questions that can be answered with a "Yes"
- Be cautious if someone calls and claims to be with a particular company. Hang up then go to the company's website to find an official phone number and call back
- Hang up if a recorded voice says, "Hello, can you hear me?"
In addition, if a caller says “press a number to be connected to a representative,” don’t press it. Doing so only confirms that the caller has found a live number, which means it can be sold as a verified phone number and might also be subject to more frequent automated calls.
Q: What are three simple ways to limit the number and risks of spam calls?
A: Don’t answer calls from blocked or unknown numbers, don’t answer any question with a “Yes” and if someone calls claiming to be a company representative, look up the number and call back. Also, take steps to get off spam call lists.
How to Get Off Spam Call Lists
The FTC offers a Do Not Call Registry. Placing a number on the registry is free and should reduce the number of telemarketing sales calls and texts received. You can also choose not to hand out your cell phone number to everyone who asks for it.
However, online protocols allow spammers from all over the world to disguise internet phone calls by using almost any area code. For example, a caller ID might show the local area code even though the call originated in India. The United States Justice Department investigates, arrests and prosecutes more international spammers every year. But at the average user level, it is no longer easy to discern which calls to answer and which to ignore.
Q: Is it safe to assume that calls and texts coming from a local area code are not spam?
A: No. Internet protocols allow spammers to use fake or “spoofed” area codes, so a local area code doesn’t mean a call is from a local number.
How to Stop Robo Text Messages on an iPhone
On an iPhone, blocking specific numbers to avoid spam calls and messages is easy:
- At the top of a given text message window, tap on the name or number of the caller
- In the new window, tap “info”
- Finally, scroll to the bottom of the screen and tap “Block this Caller”
How to Stop Robo Text Messages on an Android Phone
Android users can block spam texts in Messages by Google. (The default setting on many Android phones.)
- Open the “Messages” app
- Tap and hold “Spam message”
- Tap the three dots (⋮), then choose “Block”
- Tap “OK”
Note: Options may vary slightly depending on your Android version and phone brand (Samsung, Google Pixel, etc.).
The number will be permanently blocked. However, depending on the volume of spam calls and texts, this task can become tedious and time-consuming.
What if the Spam is from an “Unknown Sender?”
It’s possible to block unknown numbers on either iPhone or Android.
For iPhone:
- In “Settings” on your iPhone, select “Apps”
- Scroll down to “Messages”
- Turn on the “Filter Unknown Senders” option
For Android:
- Open “Messages”
- Tap three dots (⋮), then tap “Settings”
- On the next screen, tap “spam protection”
- Turn on “enable spam protection”
The phone will filter messages from unknown numbers that users can review at a later time to determine if they are spam or from known, trusted sources.
The volume of spam calls and texts has skyrocketed, and all the major wireless carriers now offer call blocking apps to help streamline the process and leave less to chance. In addition, many third-party apps are available, such as RoboKiller, Blocker and Truecaller, to help block spam calls and texts. However, it takes several concurrent layers of user detection and protection to eliminate spam. Unfortunately, the average small to midsized (SMB) business does not have the time or staff to devote to tracking this vulnerability, and many do not realize the cyber threats posed by unsolicited calls and texts.
As a business grows, expands its network and adds more devices (such as smart controls, wireless access and remote access), network vulnerability and the need for regular IT maintenance grows, too. From blocking robocalls to of protecting the network data from cyberattacks, SMBs cannot afford to ignore these ever-evolving threats. Since the increase in remote-access work, the importance of mobile device management has never been greater.
Taking the steps outlined above provides a starting point for defending against the annoyances and dangers of spam calls and texts. Knowing how to block spam calls on iPhone, how to get off spam call lists and how to stop robo text messages, is useful for employees that use their own devices for business.
Ask your IT provider about mobile device management (MDM) solutions for small businesses. MDM solutions include syncing mobile devices that connect to your network (such as employee cell phones, tablets and laptops) and securing them so that network data is better protected from cybercriminals.