Everyone knows the feeling: your phone rings, you look at the screen, and it says “phone number suspected spam.” Very annoying. In this article, we’ll explain how to block spam calls and reduce the number of unwanted calls you receive. With a few simple steps and smart tools, you can put an end to spam calls.

How Do You Know If a Number Is Spam?

Fortunately, you don’t have to guess whether a caller is a spammer. Many phones and providers use smart technologies to automatically mark suspicious numbers as “suspected spam call.” Features like Smart Call and Spam ID work with databases full of spammers and scammers, so you can quickly see if a call is likely from a spammer.

What Does “Suspected Spam” Mean?

When your phone indicates suspected spam, it’s a warning that the number may be unwanted advertising, a scam, or fraud. This doesn’t mean you should always block it immediately, but it does give you a heads-up to be cautious. Many providers are constantly improving their systems to better detect spam.

How Do You Get Rid of Spam Calls?

  • Block the number: If you’re repeatedly bothered by the same number, you can block it. On both Android and iPhone, you can easily do this by tapping on the number and selecting the “Block” option. This prevents the number from calling you again.
  • Mark as spam: Many smartphones allow you to mark calls as spam. This helps other users because your feedback is sent to the provider to verify if the number is indeed spam. In the future, the system will automatically block these callers.
  • Enable spam filters: Android users can activate the Smart Call feature or the Block spam calls setting to stop most unwanted calls immediately. iPhone also offers the option to filter spam calls, sending them directly to voicemail.
  • Update your contact list: Regularly updating your contact list ensures you know who’s calling. If unknown numbers come in, be cautious and don’t answer right away.

What Happens If You Answer a Spam Number?

If you accidentally answer a spam number, don’t panic. Hang up as quickly as possible and don’t share any personal information. Some scammers use clever tricks to obtain your details. If you receive such a call on a business line or landline, ask for a company name and verify it online. Spammers may also try to gain your trust by appearing as “unknown number” or even displaying a name in the caller ID. But remember: if something feels suspicious, hang up!

Extra Tips to Avoid Spam

  • Check with your provider: Many providers have their own apps or features to block spam calls.
  • Don’t share personal info online: A lot of spam originates from sharing your phone number online. The less your number is available on the internet, the less likely spammers will reach you.
  • Adjust voicemail settings: Set up your voicemail smartly so spammers can’t leave messages, reducing annoying notifications.
  • Trust Google and other sources: Google collects user reports about suspicious numbers and uses this information to block spammers. This makes your phone safer from unwanted calls.

What to Do If a Number Is Incorrectly Marked as Spam?

Sometimes, a number may be incorrectly marked as spam. For example, if you call a business client and they receive a warning. Fortunately, you can easily report this to the provider and indicate that the number is not spam.

Phishing

In addition to spam, there’s also phishing. While spam is mostly annoying, cybercriminals take it a step further with phishing. They make targeted attempts to scam you by pretending to be a trusted source to obtain confidential information.