How to Automatically Block Spam Calls on Android

The number of spam calls is constantly rising, and they interrupt us at the most inconvenient moments. There is a wide variety of unsolicited calls, including those from telemarketers, robocalls, scammers, and fraudulent schemes.

Thankfully, there are several options available to Android users to automatically prevent these spam calls.

This in-depth guide will go over how to automatically block spam calls on Android device, empowering you to take back control of your phone.

What are Spam Calls and Why They are Problems?

Spam calls are unsolicited calls made to your phone, often for the purpose of marketing, phishing, or other fraudulent activities. These calls can be a nuisance, disrupt your daily routine, and sometimes lead to financial or personal data loss.

Spam calls are problematic because they waste time, cause stress, and can lead to serious security issues. With the rise of sophisticated phishing techniques, scam calls can trick individuals into divulging sensitive information, leading to identity theft and financial losses.

Common Types of Spam Calls

Robocalls: Automated phone calls that play recorded messages, frequently advertising goods, services, or scams. These calls, which can reach thousands of people at once, are placed by auto-dialing software.

Phishing Calls: Calls where the scammer pretends to be from a legitimate organization, such as a bank or government agency, attempting to trick you into providing sensitive information like social security numbers, credit card details, or passwords.

Telemarketing Calls: Calls from companies trying to sell products or services. While some are legitimate, many are unsolicited and can be persistent and intrusive.

Lottery or Prize Scams: Calls informing you that you’ve won a lottery or prize and asking for personal information or a payment to claim your winnings. These are always fraudulent as legitimate lotteries do not operate in this manner.

Tech Support Scams: Callers claim to be from tech support companies, like Microsoft or Apple, and try to convince you that your computer has a virus or other issue. They aim to gain remote access to your device or sell you unnecessary services.

Charity Scams: Calls soliciting donations for fake charities, especially after natural disasters or during holiday seasons. These incoming calls play on emotions to extract money from unsuspecting victims.

Wangiri Scams: A call that rings once and then hangs up, hoping you will call back. Doing so will connect you to a premium-rate line, which will cause you to incur exorbitant rates.

How Spammers Get Your Number?

Data Breaches: Large-scale data breaches from companies and websites can expose millions of phone numbers, which are then sold or shared on the dark web.

Public Directories: Phone numbers listed in public directories or on social media profiles can be easily harvested by spammers.

Online Forms: Entering your phone number on untrusted websites or online forms can lead to your number being collected and sold to spammers.

Mobile Apps: Some mobile apps collect user data, including phone numbers, and may share or sell this information to third parties.

Social Engineering: Spammers use tricks and manipulation to obtain phone numbers. For example, they might pose as survey companies or offer fake prizes to lure people into providing their contact details.

Random Number Generation: Auto-dialing software can generate and call random phone numbers, increasing the likelihood of reaching a live person.

Purchasing Lists: Spammers buy lists of phone numbers from data brokers who collect information from various sources, such as online purchases and subscription services.

By understanding these common types of spam calls and how spammers obtain phone numbers, individuals can take proactive steps to protect their privacy and reduce the incidence of unwanted calls.

Importance of Android Call Protection

The importance of Android call protection cannot be overstated, as it plays a vital role in enhancing both user experience and security. Here are several key reasons why Android call protection is essential:

Privacy Protection: Android call protection helps safeguard personal information. Scam and fraudulent calls often aim to extract sensitive data from users. By blocking such calls, users can better protect their privacy and prevent identity theft.

Reduction of Disruptions: Unwanted calls can be incredibly disruptive, especially during work or personal time. Call protection ensures that users are not constantly interrupted by spam calls, allowing them to focus on important tasks without unnecessary distractions.

Enhanced Security: Many spam calls are part of larger schemes to defraud individuals. Call protection features can identify and block these malicious calls, reducing the risk of falling victim to scams. This is particularly important for vulnerable populations who may be more susceptible to such tactics.

Improved User Experience: A seamless and pleasant user experience is crucial for smartphone users. Call protection contributes to this by filtering out unwanted calls, ensuring that users only receive calls from legitimate sources. This improves overall satisfaction with the device and its functionality.

Time Management: Dealing with spam calls can waste a significant amount of time. By automatically blocking or filtering these calls, Android call protection allows users to manage their time more efficiently, focusing on important calls and activities.

Mental Well-being: Constant interruptions from scam calls can lead to frustration and stress. Call protection helps reduce this mental burden by minimizing the frequency of unwanted calls, contributing to better mental well-being and peace of mind.

Professionalism: For professionals and businesses, maintaining a level of professionalism is crucial. Frequent fraud calls can disrupt important meetings or client interactions. Call protection ensures that professional communication remains uninterrupted and efficient.

How Spam Calls Impact Brands or Businesses?

Unsolicited calls can significantly impact brands or businesses in several ways:

Reputation Damage: A brand’s reputation may suffer as a result of persistent spam calls. Customers are likely to form an unfavourable opinion of your firm if they identify it with unsolicited or invasive calls. This opinion can then spread via social media and word-of-mouth.

Customer Trust: Receiving scam calls can erode customer trust. When customers feel harassed or annoyed, their trust in the brand diminishes. This may lead to a decline in loyalty and make it more challenging to draw in new business or keep hold of current clients.

Operational Disruption: Spam calls can disrupt the daily operations of a business. Employees may spend valuable time handling these calls, which distracts them from their core responsibilities and reduces overall productivity.

Financial Costs: Handling fraud calls can incur additional costs. Businesses might need to invest in call-blocking technologies or hire additional staff to manage the increased call volume. These expenses can add up, affecting the bottom line.

Legal Repercussions: There are strict laws prohibiting scam calls in several areas. Companies that are discovered to be in breach of these rules risk severe penalties and legal action. This not only costs money but it further tarnishes the reputation of the brand.

Customer Experience: Spam calls negatively impact the customer experience. Customers who receive frequent scam calls may become frustrated and choose to take their business elsewhere. A poor customer experience can lead to higher churn rates and a decline in customer satisfaction.

How to Automatically Block Spam Calls on Android?

A major inconvenience that may ruin your day and put you at risk of scams are unsolicited calls. Thankfully, there are a few methods available for Android smartphones to automatically stop scam calls. This is a step-by-step guide to assist you in controlling and minimising these obnoxious calls.

Enable Built-In Spam Protection

Most modern Android phones come with built-in spam protection features. Here’s how to enable them:

1. Open the Phone app on your Android device.
2. Tap on the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner to open the menu.
3. Select “Settings.”
4. Tap on “Caller ID & spam.”
5. Toggle on “Filter spam calls.” This option will block calls that Google identifies as spam and send them straight to voicemail.

Install a Third-Party Spam Blocker App

The Google Play Store offers a number of dependable apps that are intended to prevent scam calls. Among the most well-liked are the following:

• Hiya: Provides caller ID, call blocking, and reverse phone lookup.
• Truecaller: Identifies unknown callers and blocks spam and telemarketing calls.
• Mr. Number: Blocks unwanted calls and identifies spam callers.

To set up and install any of these applications:

• Look for the app of your choosing (Truecaller, for example) in the Google Play Store.
• To configure the app, install it and follow the on-screen directions.
• Give the app the authorisation it needs to manage calls and access your contacts list.

Manually Block Numbers

If you continue to receive spam calls from specific numbers, you can manually block them.

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Go to the “Recent” tab to view your call history.
3. Tap on the number you want to block.
4. Select “Block/report spam.”
5. Confirm the action by tapping “Block.”

Setting Up Do Not Disturb Mode

Do Not Disturb mode can be configured to block incoming calls from unknown numbers or allow calls only from your contact lists. This feature helps reduce the number of spam calls that reach you during specific times or situations.

Use Your Carrier’s Spam Blocking Service

Many carriers offer spam blocking services. Contact your carrier to see if they provide such a service and how to enable it on your device.

Tips for Reducing Spam Calls

In addition to using the methods mentioned above, here are some additional tips to help reduce scam calls:

1. Register with the National Do Not Call Registry: In the United States, you can register your number with the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce telemarketing calls. Visit donotcall.gov to register your number.
2. Avoid Sharing Your Number Publicly: Be cautious about sharing your phone number on public forums, social media, or websites. The more your number is exposed, the more likely it is to be targeted by spam callers.
3. Use a Secondary Number for Online Sign-ups: Consider using a secondary phone number or a VoIP number for online registrations and sign-ups to protect your primary number from being added to spam lists.
4. Report Spam Calls: Many spam blocking apps allow you to report scam calls. Reporting these calls helps improve the app’s spam detection and benefits the community.
5. Be Wary of Unknown Numbers: If you receive a call from an unknown number, let it go to voicemail. If it’s important, the caller will leave a message.

What’s Next?

The quantity of scam calls you get on your Android phone can be greatly decreased by using these techniques. By following these instructions, you can have a more tranquil and uninterrupted phone experience whether you’re utilising carrier services, third-party apps, or built-in functions.

By booking a demo to employ Bytescare’s brand protection solutions, you can safeguard your brand against phishing emails, scam calls and malicious software, ensuring outbound spam protection.

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