According to the reports from CNBC, Americans had lost around $40 billion from scam calls. And what’s even more alarming is that the numbers continue to escalate.
Additional reports from the YouMail Robocall Index also state that Americans were bombarded with massive 50 billion fake calls in the year 2021 alone.
How to Get Rid of These Scam Calls
Ask Your Carrier for a Spam Detecting Tool/App
Filter Spam Calls Using Your Phone Settings
Add Your Phone Number to the Do Not Call List
Anyhow, the numbers are alarming, so, it is better to take precautions before it’s too late.
Here are the common thefts that are being committed by phone scammers:
1- Identity Theft
One of the most common tactics used by scammers is that they impersonate themselves as government officials falsely claiming that individual is under investigation. Somehow, they convince you and out of fear, you might give out your Social Security Number, bank details, credit card details, or more.
2- Getting Your Passwords or Pin
For password and pin scams, the ideal target of the scammers is elderly people because they aren’t usually aware and can’t distinguish between a legitimate and a scam call. They are easy prey for them and what they do is ask for the passcodes of your bank account or if they can’t do it, they ask you to tell them the code written at the back of gift cards. The moment you let out this information, you are done and they have your hard-earned money.
3- Malware Installation
This was about to happen to me. I received a call from a lady saying that she was from the tech support from Microsoft. That happened after a day I reported a bug to Microsoft. I thought that it could be legitimate but the red flag for me was she wanted the remote access to my laptop. Then I realized if she really was a Microsoft representative, there was no need for extra information or remote access.
I asked what she would do next and she replied that I am about to run a diagnostic test, so I disconnected the call right away. Later I discussed that with a colleague of mine and he said that she was about to install malware in your system to fetch the data from there.
4- Using Your Voice
Now this is an advanced-level scam. You will receive a call and the purpose of that call is just to make you say anything and then they will record it. Then they will use advanced software to replicate the tone and sound of your voice. This will be used to scam your family members or friends.
So, before you attend a call from an unknown number, make sure it’s not flagged. There are so many apps that can help you identify scam numbers and they are free.
How to Get Rid of These Scam Calls
Here are some methods that I tried to get rid of the scam calls and they worked for me and can work for you too:
Ask Your Carrier for a Spam Detecting Tool/App
Many carriers around the US offer mobile applications and tools that can detect spam calls and block them right away. You should contact your carrier about that.
As for the hackers, you can opt for an ISP like Xfinity which offers supreme network reliability through its xFi Gateway. I have been personally using it for the past two years and I am quite satisfied with the service. Explore what more they can offer at Xfinity customer service number.
Filter Spam Calls Using Your Phone Settings
Whether you are an Android user or an iOS, there are settings available within your phone that can help you block or at least filter the spam calls. Follow the given steps if you are an iPhone user to enable the call filtering:
- Open the settings on your device
- Now search or locate the phone settings
- After opening the phone settings, enable Silence Unknown Callers
In case you are an Android user, you can go for these steps:
- Search for the ‘Phone’ and open it
- Now press the three dots on the either top corner of the screen
- Go to the setting and then you will something like block or filter
- Tap on block and filter and then block calls
- Enable block calls from unknown numbers
Add Your Phone Number to the Do Not Call List
The Federal Trust Commission has created a ‘Do Not Call List’ and if your number is in that list then it will be illegal for the companies to call you for promotions.
This is a way to limit the spam calls on your number, you will still receive calls though.
Also, being a responsible citizen, you should report these numbers on DoNotCall.gov.
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