Unwanted calls, especially robocalls, have become a pervasive nuisance in modern life. These automated calls, often from scammers, can disrupt your day, invade your privacy, and even lead to financial loss. Understanding how to effectively block spam calls and protect yourself from phone scams is crucial in today’s digital age. This guide provides actionable consumer tips and in-depth information to help you take control of your phone and safeguard against unwanted solicitations and fraudulent schemes.
Understanding the Spam Call Problem
Spam calls, frequently robocalls, are made using autodialers and often deliver prerecorded messages. Technological advancements have unfortunately made it easier and cheaper for these calls to originate from anywhere globally, escalating the problem for consumers and complicating solutions. While many robocalls are illegal, identifying and blocking them in real-time without hindering legitimate calls remains a complex challenge.
It’s important to recognize that not all robocalls are illegal. However, under FCC rules, telemarketers must obtain your prior express written consent before making prerecorded telemarketing calls to your landline or wireless phone. For autodialed or prerecorded calls or texts to your wireless number, your oral or written consent is required. Exceptions exist for emergency calls concerning life or safety.
All legal prerecorded voice message calls must include specific identification details:
- Clearly state the identity of the business, individual, or entity initiating the call at the beginning of the message.
- For business or corporate entities, clearly state the official business name at the message’s outset.
- Provide the calling party’s telephone number during or after the message.
- Include an automated, interactive opt-out mechanism for do-not-call requests, particularly for telemarketing or calls made under exemption.
The FCC has also classified AI-generated voice calls as “artificial,” subjecting them to TCPA regulations, making the use of voice cloning in robocall scams illegal without prior consent or recognized exemptions.
Practical Tips to Stop Spam Calls
Here are immediate steps you can take to minimize and stop spam calls:
- Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers. This is a simple yet highly effective first line of defense. If you do answer, hang up immediately. Be cautious even with “local” numbers on your caller ID, as these can be spoofed.
- Resist pressing buttons. If a caller or recording asks you to “press a button” to stop calls, just hang up. This is a common scam tactic to identify active phone numbers.
- Avoid responding to questions, especially “Yes” questions. Scammers might try to record you saying “yes” to use it for fraudulent purposes.
- Never give out personal information. Be extremely wary of unsolicited calls asking for account numbers, Social Security numbers, passwords, or any identifying details. Legitimate organizations will not request sensitive information in this manner.
- Verify callers independently. If someone claims to represent a company or government agency, hang up and call the official number listed on your account statement, the company’s website, or in a phone directory. This ensures you are speaking with a legitimate representative.
- Be wary of pressure tactics. Legitimate entities rarely pressure you for immediate information or payment over the phone.
- Secure your voicemail. Set a password for your voicemail account. Without a password, hackers can potentially access your voicemail by spoofing your phone number.
- Utilize call blocking tools. Contact your phone company about their call blocking services or explore call blocking apps for your mobile device.
- Report unwanted calls to blocking services. If you use call-blocking technology, report spam numbers to help improve their blocking capabilities for yourself and others.
- Register with the National Do Not Call Registry. Add your phone number to DoNotCall.gov. While this primarily targets legitimate telemarketers, it can reduce unwanted sales calls.
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Alt text: Downloadable Tip Card: How to Stop Spam Calls – Consumer guide from the FCC on preventing robocalls and phone scams. Includes practical tips and advice.
Understanding Robocall Rules and Regulations
The FCC has established rules to protect consumers from unwanted robocalls and telemarketing. Here’s a breakdown of key regulations:
Telemarketing Robocalls to Wireline Home Phones
Telemarketers are required to have your prior express written consent before making telemarketing calls to your home phone using a prerecorded or artificial voice. Telemarketing calls to your home are prohibited between 8 pm and 9 am local time. Crucially, an “established business relationship” is no longer sufficient justification for telemarketing robocalls to your landline.
Robocalls to Wireless Phones
For autodialed, prerecorded, or artificial voice calls or texts to your wireless number, your written or oral consent is necessary. Telemarketing robocalls to wireless phones require written consent. Similar to landlines, an “established business relationship” is not a valid basis for robocalls to your wireless phone. Emergency calls related to safety are exceptions to these consent rules.
Permitted Autodialed Calls
Not all autodialed calls are illegal. Permissible calls include:
- Market research or polling calls to home wireline numbers.
- Calls from tax-exempt non-profit groups.
- Informational messages like school closings or flight information to your home phone (without prior consent).
However, even these permissible prerecorded calls must identify the caller and provide a contact phone number. Autodialed or prerecorded calls to wireless phones still require prior express consent, regardless of content, except for emergency situations.
Rules About Releasing Telephone Lines
Autodialers delivering prerecorded messages must release your phone line within five seconds of detecting that you have hung up. This is intended to prevent delays in getting a dial tone after disconnecting from a robocall.
Exempt Organizations from Do Not Call Rules
The Do Not Call Registry primarily targets telemarketing calls. Exemptions include:
- Tax-exempt, non-profit organizations.
- Political organizations.
- Pollsters and survey takers (not making sales calls).
- Religious organizations.
- Telemarketers with your prior written consent.
These exempt groups may still have limitations on the number of calls they can make to you without your consent.
Opting Out of Autodialed Calls
Telemarketers are legally obligated to provide an automated opt-out mechanism during prerecorded telemarketing calls. This mechanism, announced at the beginning of the call, allows you to immediately stop future robocalls from that specific telemarketer. You can also revoke your consent for any robocalls or robotexts you previously agreed to receive.
Reporting Spam Calls and Robotexts
Taking action against spam calls is vital. Here’s how to report them:
- FCC Complaints: File a complaint with the FCC at fcc.gov/complaints. Choose the “phone” form and “unwanted calls” issue, even for spoofing or blocking issues.
- FTC Complaints: For telephone fraud or Do Not Call list violations, file a complaint with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- IRS Scam Reporting: For IRS-related scams, report to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at www.tigta.gov or call 1-800-366-4484.
Consumer complaints provide crucial data for the FCC to inform policy and take enforcement actions against rule-violating callers.
Robotexts: Unwanted Text Messages
Similar to robocalls, FCC rules restrict unwanted text messages, or robotexts. Sending text messages to a mobile phone using an autodialer is prohibited without your prior consent, unless it’s for emergency purposes.
- Commercial texts require your written consent.
- Non-commercial, informational texts (from non-profits, political campaigns, schools) can have oral consent.
This ban applies regardless of whether your mobile number is on the National Do Not Call Registry.
Tips to Avoid Unwanted Texts
- Don’t respond to suspicious texts. Block the sender and report it to your mobile provider by forwarding the text to 7726 (SPAM).
- Be cautious sharing your number. Limit where you provide your mobile number and personal information.
- Review privacy policies. When submitting your number on websites, read privacy policies and opt out of text message communications if possible.
- Check company sharing policies. Understand if companies you interact with sell or share your information.
Reporting Unwanted Texts
File an FCC complaint if you receive:
- Unwanted commercial text messages.
- Autodialed texts without your prior consent (unless for emergencies).
- Autodialed texts from or advertising telecommunications companies without your consent.
Spoofing and Caller ID: Recognizing Deceptive Tactics
Caller ID spoofing is when callers intentionally falsify the information displayed on your caller ID to mask their identity. This tactic is often used in scams to trick you into divulging personal information.
Neighbor Spoofing
Robocallers frequently use “neighbor spoofing,” displaying numbers similar to your own to increase the likelihood you’ll answer. The FCC is combating this by requiring the phone industry to implement a caller ID authentication system to verify call origins.
Legality of Spoofing
While often used for illegal purposes, spoofing isn’t always unlawful. Legitimate uses include doctors displaying office numbers when calling from personal mobiles or businesses showing toll-free callback numbers. However, the Truth in Caller ID Act prohibits misleading or inaccurate caller ID information transmitted with the intent to defraud, harm, or wrongly obtain value, with penalties up to $10,000 per violation.
If Your Number is Spoofed
If people report receiving calls appearing to be from your number, your number is likely being spoofed. Inform callers that your number is being spoofed and you did not make the calls. You can also add a voicemail message explaining the situation. Spoofers typically change numbers frequently, so the issue is often temporary.
Call Blocking and Labeling
Blocked or labeled numbers (“potential scam,” “spam likely”) on your caller ID indicate possible spoofing. Phone companies and apps use call patterns and consumer complaints to identify fraudulent calls. While the FCC permits call blocking and labeling, they emphasize ensuring legitimate calls are not blocked and encourage providers to have processes for correcting mislabeled numbers. You can legally block your number from being displayed when you make calls, which is not considered spoofing.
Caller ID Rules for Telemarketers
Telemarketers must adhere to specific caller ID rules:
- Display their phone number or the number of the entity they represent, and ideally their name or company name.
- Provide a number for you to call back during business hours to request to be placed on their do-not-call list.
Political Calls and Texts During Elections
Expect increased political campaign calls and texts during election seasons. While exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry, they must follow Telephone Consumer Protection Act rules.
Political Robocall Restrictions
Political autodialed or prerecorded voice calls, including live calls and texts, are prohibited to cell phones, pagers, and mobile devices without prior express consent. Landline calls are permitted without prior consent. These restrictions also apply to emergency, toll-free, and hospital lines.
Political calls using artificial or prerecorded voices must include identification information:
- Clearly state the identity of the individual or entity initiating the call.
- For corporate entities, state the official business name.
- Provide the calling party’s phone number.
Political Robotexts
Political text messages sent via autodialers require prior express consent. Manually sent texts do not. Campaigns should honor opt-out requests if you reply “STOP.” Report non-compliant political robocalls or texts to the FCC at fcc.gov/complaints.
Call Blocking Resources and Technologies
Call blocking is a vital tool to stop illegal and unwanted calls. Phone companies are increasingly using call blocking, often partnering with third-party analytics firms to block billions of unwanted calls.
Many providers offer call blocking services or apps, and consumers can also adjust phone settings or use third-party apps. Blocked calls may go to voicemail, provide caller ID information only, or give no notification, depending on the service. Automatic enrollment in call blocking is becoming more common, with opt-out options available if you are concerned about missing legitimate calls. Call labeling services further assist by categorizing calls as “spam” or “scam likely.”
Contact your phone company to learn about available blocking and labeling solutions. Explore mobile app stores for call blocking apps and check your device settings for built-in blocking features.
Do Not Call Registry: Limiting Telemarketing Calls
The National Do Not Call Registry (donotcall.gov) protects both landline and wireless numbers. Register by calling 1-888-382-1222 (voice) or 1-866-290-4236 (TTY) from the number you wish to register, or online at donotcall.gov.
Telemarketers must remove your number within 31 days of registration. Your number remains on the list indefinitely unless you remove it or discontinue service. Telemarketing calls to your home are prohibited before 8 am and after 9 pm, and telemarketers must immediately comply with do-not-call requests made during a call. Even if registered, you can still tell unwanted callers to place you on their internal do-not-call list.
Understanding Telephone Solicitations
A telephone solicitation is essentially a phone call that acts as an advertisement. Permissible solicitations under FCC rules include calls with your prior express permission or from tax-exempt non-profit organizations (with limitations). However, an established business relationship no longer justifies unsolicited calls to your landline. Telemarketers must have your express permission to call.
State Do-Not-Call Lists
In addition to the National Registry, many states have their own do-not-call lists. Contact your state’s public service commission or consumer protection office to inquire about state-level registries and how to register.
Taking Further Action
If you continue receiving unwanted solicitations violating FCC rules, file a complaint with the FCC at fcc.gov/complaints. While the FCC doesn’t award individual damages, they can issue citations and fines to violating companies.
By understanding the tactics of spam callers and utilizing these preventative measures and reporting mechanisms, you can significantly reduce unwanted calls and protect yourself from phone scams, reclaiming control over your phone and peace of mind.
