Information Technology Services

by Curt Price

Robocalls are a growing problem. 48 billion robocalls were placed in the US last year, which is 46% more than the year before. And while major phone providers are working on new technology as a fix for the robocalls, it isn't out yet and it likely won't be enough to completely solve the problem, at least not right away. Experts agree that a multi-pronged attack against robocallers is what needs to be done, and consumers can take action as part of the attack.

1) If you haven't already, you should register your landline and mobile phone with the FTC's Do Not Call List here: https://www.donotcall.gov (if you aren't sure if you registered or not, you can check on that site as well)

2) Block numbers on your phone

• iPhone
  Open the Phone app and tap on the icon for Recent calls. Tap on the Info icon next to the number you want to block. Tap on the link to Block this Caller. At the confirmation message, tap on the button to Block Contact. That number is now blocked.
• Android
  The steps for blocking numbers on an Android phone vary based on your phone and your version of the OS. Here's one example. Open the Phone app. From the recent calls screen, look for and tap the number you want to block. Tap More. Tap the command to Block number or Block/report spam. Confirm the message asking if you want to block the number.

3) Use Robocall Blocking Apps

Apps have no federal mandate to connect calls (like phone providers currently do), so they can stop bad calls before customers receive them.

There are many apps to choose from in the Apple App & Google Play stores. Some popular ones are Hiya Caller, Truecaller, & Calls Blacklist Pro. Some are free and some have one-time or monthly fees. Choose the one that's best for you and your device.