Have you ever wondered why you get so many robocalls on your phone? Well, according to YouMail’s Robocall Index, it looks like Americans are going to get a whopping 52 billion robocalls this year! That’s a lot of annoying calls!
The Cost of Phone Fraud
But here’s something even more surprising. A report from Truecaller says that in 2020, people in the United States lost nearly $30 billion to phone fraud. That’s a huge amount of money! So, not only are robocalls annoying, but they can also be really expensive.
How Robocall Apps Can Help
Now, let’s talk about a solution to this problem. There are some cool robocall apps out there that can help you deal with these pesky calls. These apps have a special trick – they can check the phone numbers that call you and compare them to a list of known scam numbers.
How Do Robocall Apps Work?
Okay, let’s break this down a bit. Imagine you have a friend who’s really good at spotting troublemakers. Whenever someone new comes to your school, your friend checks if they are on a list of troublemakers. If they are, your friend warns you before you even talk to them!
Robocall Apps Are Like Your Super Smart Friend
Robocall apps work a bit like that super smart friend. When your phone rings, these apps quickly look up the number calling you and see if it’s on a list of bad numbers known for scams. If it’s a match, the app will then do one of two things:
1. Warn You: If it thinks the call might be a scam, the app will give you a heads up. It’ll say something like, “Hey, be careful! This call might not be good news.”
2. Block the Call: In some cases, the app might be super sure that the call is from a scammer. In that case, it can block the call completely. You won’t even hear your phone ring!
Why Robocall Apps Are Awesome
So, why are these robocall apps awesome? Well, they help you avoid getting tricked by scammers, and they save you from a ton of annoying calls. Plus, they can save you money by preventing you from falling for phone fraud.
How Can I Stop Annoying Calls on My Phone?
If you’re tired of those annoying calls from robocalls, scammers, and telemarketers, there’s good news! Different phone carriers have special apps to help you out. Let’s check out the best robocall blockers for AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile users.
For AT&T Users: Call Protect
Are you with AT&T? They’ve got a handy app called Call Protect. This app is like a superhero for your phone. It can find and block those pesky robocalls and unwanted calls all by itself.
But that’s not all! You can also add numbers to your very own blocked calls list. If you’re tired of hearing from someone, just put their number on your list, and they won’t bother you anymore. And if you want to go even further, you can block all calls from numbers not in your address book. That means only your contacts can get through.
Call Protect is even friends with Siri! You can use voice commands to tell Siri when a number is spam. Plus, it makes your caller ID super smart, so you can tell if a scammer is calling before you answer.
For Verizon Users: Call Filter
Verizon users, there’s a cool app for you called Call Filter. It’s like having a guardian for your phone. This app spots robocalls, spam, and those annoying calls you don’t want to deal with. When it finds one of these troublemakers, it sends them straight to voicemail. Your phone won’t even ring!
With Call Filter, you can also report numbers as spam. But here’s a tip: the free version doesn’t let you make your own blocked list. However, you can make sure important numbers aren’t blocked by whitelisting them.
Oh, and there’s something extra cool called the Neighborhood Spoofing Filter. It stops scammers from using fake numbers that look like yours to sneak past your robocall blocker.
For T-Mobile Users: Scam Shield
T-Mobile users, listen up! You’ve got a fantastic app called Scam Shield. It’s like having a shield against all those annoying calls. This app can spot robocalls, telemarketers, and even political calls you’d rather not get.
With Scam Shield, you can report spam calls and add numbers to your personal blocked list. They won’t bother you again once you do that. But here’s the best part – Scam ID and Scam Block. These cool features stop scammers before they even reach your phone!
And there’s a bonus – you get a free proxy number. This is handy when you don’t want to give out your real number.
What’s the Deal with Robocall Blocker Apps?
So, you’ve had enough of those annoying robocalls, right? Well, there are some cool apps out there that can help you fight them off. Let’s take a closer look at some of the best ones!
Hiya: Your Trusty Robocall Sidekick
First up, there’s Hiya, and it’s got a whopping 170 million users for a reason. Once you set it up, Hiya starts sending you notifications when a call might be from a robocaller, telemarketer, debt collector, or a fraudster. No more wondering if that call is a pain!
The magic part? Hiya can spot fake phone numbers and block them even before your phone rings. It uses data from lots of people, and it’s got a mega-database of phone numbers. Plus, it tells you why other Hiya users marked a number as a scam. Teamwork, right?
YouMail: The Privacy Protector
Next, meet YouMail. This app is like your personal bouncer for robocalls, telemarketers, and spammers. But here’s the cool twist: when YouMail blocks a call, it doesn’t let it go to your voicemail. Instead, it plays a message like “out of service.” Sneaky, right? This keeps your privacy intact and tricks scammers.
And when YouMail blocks a call, it sends you a message explaining why it did so. You can also block specific numbers or set up a smart blocking level to stop them from calling or texting you.
Robokiller: Get Back at Those Robocallers
Now, if you’re ready to take things to the next level and don’t mind paying a bit, Robokiller is your go-to option. It’s like having a superhero for robocalls! Just like free blockers, it blocks calls from scammers and telemarketers, no ringing involved.
But here’s the cool part: Robokiller can recognize scammers by the “digital fingerprint” of their voice. Even if they change their number, this app can still shut them down. You can also add numbers to your personal blocked list or unblock them if needed.
And the best part? Robokiller gets revenge on scammers! It uses AI “answer bots” to waste their time, making them think they’re talking to a real person. You can even choose different “answer bots,” including one with Ice-T’s voice!
Don’t Want an App? Here’s Another Way:
If you don’t want to use an app, you can also block numbers on your iPhone. There’s a handy guide for that.
So, if robocalls are bugging you, these apps can be like your trusty sidekicks in the fight against those pesky calls. Choose the one that suits you best, and say goodbye to those annoying interruptions!
