Tired of your phone ringing with spam calls? You’re not alone. Every day, millions of Americans are interrupted by unwanted calls—and scammers are constantly finding new ways to get past your defenses. Fortunately, there are tools that can help stop these calls before they reach you. 

NATIONAL DO NOT CALL REGISTRY

The National Do Not Call Registry, managed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), is a free service that helps reduce sales calls from legitimate businesses that follow the law. By registering your number, telemarketers are required to check the registry and avoid calling you. 

Register your number at DoNotCall.gov or call 888-382-1222 from the phone you want to register. If registering online, click the link in the confirmation email within 72 hours to complete the process.

Your number will be added within 24 hours, but it may take up to 31 days for sales calls to decrease. Once registered, your number remains on the list unless you ask to remove it or it’s disconnected and reassigned.

Keep in mind, the registry only applies to legal telemarketing. Informational calls, like school closings or medical reminders, are still allowed.

 The registry won’t stop:

• Scam calls from bad actors, especially ones operating outside the U.S.

• Robocalls with prerecorded sales messages (unless you gave written permission)

If you get a robocall, don’t press any buttons or speak to a live person. Doing so can confirm your number is active and result in more calls. Just hang up.

CALL BLOCKING 

Scammers often operate outside the law and use a tactic called “spoofing” to fake caller ID, making the phone number appear local or familiar. That’s why the Do Not Call Registry isn’t enough on its own.

Call blocking tools can stop suspicious calls before your phone even rings. These numbers are often flagged because they’ve been reported by others or don’t follow typical calling patterns, such as international spam calls.

Many devices and providers offer built-in options:

• Smartphones may have settings to automatically silence unknown callers.

• Wireless carriers often provide free or paid call-blocking services

• Third-party apps can block known scam numbers and let you create a custom block list

Most call-blocking tools work across mobile phones, traditional landlines and VoIP (internet-based) home phones.

For trusted third-party app recommendations, visit CTIA.org, the official site of the U.S. wireless industry. 

CALL LABELING

Call labeling doesn’t block calls but helps you recognize suspicious ones. Labels like “Scam Likely,” “Spam Risk” or “Telemarketer” may appear on your caller ID, based on patterns and user reports. If a call is labeled as suspicious, let it go to voicemail. 

Most smartphones and carriers offer built-in labeling features. Third-party apps may allow more control over how calls are flagged.

Still using a landline or VoIP phone? Many providers offer call-blocking and labeling tools for these, too. 

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) maintains a helpful list of call-blocking options by provider. Visit the FCC’s Call Blocking Resources page to learn more.

HOW TO REPORT UNWANTED CALLS

If you receive a suspicious call, report it—even if you didn’t lose money. Your report helps authorities track scam patterns and shut down illegal operations.

• Go to DoNotCall.gov to report unwanted calls where no money was lost

• If you lost money or have more details, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov

Be sure to include:

• The number that received the call

• The caller ID

• Any callback number

• The date and time of the call

While the FTC can’t respond to individual reports, your information helps protect others. Learn more at Consumer.FTC.gov.

Remember: Don’t answer calls from unfamiliar numbers, and never give out personal information over the phone. 

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