How to stop those annoying, endless robocalls to your smartphone and landline

[Olde Hornet]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech...calls-on-iphone-smartphone-android/100474848/

Have you noticed an uptick in those super annoying robocalls, telemarketers, and scams hitting up your smartphone all hours of the day and night? I have, and it’s driving me nuts.

Last month, I had a bogus call to lower my electricity bill. A few weeks ago, it was a pause after I said hello, then a woman saying, “Oh, I’m sorry, I’m adjusting my headset,” before launching into a sales pitch of some sort. And then there’s the daily deluge of numbers that look legit — like my daughter’s school calling, or a media outlet from Manhattan — only to end up being an obvious scam. “This is George Michael,” says a male caller with a heavy accent, “calling from your online pharmacy with your diet medication.” Talk about adding insult to injury.

Robocall rage
According to the Federal Communications Commission, there are nearly 2.4 billion robocalls made every month. That’s more than 7 calls per person, according to new research from the YouMail Robocall Index.

At best, the calls are frustrating. At worst, they’re robbing us blind. So what can we do about it once and for all?

 

[Olde Hornet]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech...rs-and-telemarketers-your-landline/101041228/


A few weeks ago, I did a story on how to stop annoying, endless robocalls to your smartphone. Boy, did it strike a nerve. Hundreds of people emailed with complaints, comments, and the same question asked over and over: How can I end those infuriating calls on my home phone, too?

Superstar screening

I interviewed a half dozen of the nation’s top experts, getting advice from everyone from the Federal Trade Commission and Better Business Bureau — to a former robo-caller himself. As rudimentary as it seems, one the most effective deterrents is to screen your calls.

“If no one ever picked up the phone when it rang, robocalls would stop,” says Alex Quilici, CEO of YouMail, a visual voicemail and robocall blocking service. “If I’m going to scam you to buy a fake cruise or install fake virus software, I need you to answer the phone so that I can pitch you.”