Did you know that all Robocalls, regardless of what they are selling, are illegal? Robocalls roam through carriers and a maze of networks, making it difficult to identify their origins.
And the government's Do Not Call list has been spoofed. So as the government works on this problem, you still need to protect yourself. Blocking Apps have collected records of literally billions of phone numbers, and they update them regularly, much like anti-virus apps.
Spammer's deceptive measures have become more sophisticated. The latest trick is “neighborhood spoofing.” Robo callers use local numbers to increase the odds you will pick up. NS is indeed a dirty trick.
18 Billion Robocalls so far this year (2018)
Source ROBOCALL INDEX™
The FTC is where you are supposed to complain. Their number is 1-877-FTC-HELP. Their web is ftc.gov/robocalls.
Here's my list of recommended RoboCall Blocking Apps.
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Hiya - A Blocking and Caller ID finder App. Hiya helps you identify calls you want and block other requests, like spammer calls. The App is free for preventing spam calls. Caller ID comes with a cost. This App also works with text messages. The developers claim to have a database of hundreds of millions of spamming numbers. The App works well for blocking robocalls, telemarketers, and IRS scammers types.
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Call Control - A Blocking App. Call Control can block entire area codes if that's become a problem. Call Control provides a personal Whitelist and Contacts Protection to make sure you get the calls you want. This App lets users report spammers to help update its database. Spam text blocking is supported by this App also.
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TrueCaller - A Blocking and True caller identifier App.
Have you ever waited for an important call that is not in your contacts list? This can be tricky. You could be tempted to not answer and then block the caller. Whoops! The TrueCaller App can help. The App is free and it helps you find out who is calling. You will need to copy and paste the number into the app though.
Truecaller then searches the unknown number in its database of over 250 million users.
The App is also a Blocking App like the others above.
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RoboKiller - A Blocking App. RoboKiller won the FTC's anti-robocall competition. The New York Times, NBC, Wired, Engadget and Vice gave them good reviews.
But the App is not free. On the right is a screenshot of their pricing.
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Hint - You can install multiple blocking Apps and have them all active at the same time.
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What about the FTC?
"The Federal Trade Commission has recently filed a complaint in federal district court seeking to stop two related operations and their principals who allegedly facilitated billions of illegal robocalls to consumers nationwide, pitching everything from auto warranties to home security systems and supposed debt-relief services." Here's the article on the FTC website.
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