Despite the best efforts of governments and others to reduce the frequency of unwanted calls, they remain a consistent part of all our lives. If you're one of the sufferers, you may be wondering why you're getting so many spam calls and how to stop unwanted calls from disturbing your peace.
The bad news is there are many reasons why you may be dealing with annoying spam calls. The good news is that there's also a lot you can do to prevent them. We'll show you why spam happens and give you step-by-step instructions to make it stop.
Why am I getting so many spam calls?
You might suddenly start receiving spam calls for several reasons, including:
- Data brokers are selling your phone number to spammers.
- Your phone number has been involved in a data breach.
- Scammer groups are sharing your phone number.
- You have answered spam calls in the past.
- You share your phone number publicly.
- Someone is signing you up for spam calls.
Should I be worried if I get a lot of spam calls?
Spam calls are very common, however, it may be cause for worry if you experience a sudden increase in the number of spam calls you get. This could indicate a deeper problem, such as a vulnerability in your cybersecurity or that your number is being sold by scammer groups.
Is it better to ignore or decline spam calls?
It's better to ignore spam calls. When you decline a call, it can alert the spammer that your phone number is active, prompting them to call you again. If you use a call-blocking tool that uses caller ID, you should never answer calls labelled as spam.
What happens if I answer a spam call?
It's never a good idea to answer spam calls. In the best case, this will simply lead to more spam calls down the line. In the worst cases, it could lead to loss of funds, identity theft, or legal issues, especially if the spam call was fraudulent in nature.
How many spam calls a day is normal?
It's normal for Americans to receive 3 to 4 spam calls a day, on average. However, the rate of spam calls varies greatly from country to country. Data released from Ofcom last week reveals that 3% of people surveyed receive a suspicious text message every day, 6% receive a suspicious call every day and 23% receive at least one suspicious call per month. Despite being common, however, spam calls can be disruptive and harmful, so it's best to block them.
Will spam calls eventually stop?
Spam calls won't stop on their own. However, you can take steps to stop spam calls from reaching you. These include:
- Removing your phone number from data brokers and people search sites;
- Signing up to the national Telephone Preference Service;
- Blocking spam callers using your mobile phone settings;
- Blocking spam callers through your mobile carrier;
- Using spam-filtering apps.
Why are spam calls so hard to stop?
Spam calls are hard to stop because your phone number is likely exposed in multiple places across the web, from data brokers to your online accounts. While you can make legitimate organisations stop calling, the only way to stop illegal callers is by making your phone number private.
Why do spammers call and not say anything?
Silent spam calls are usually telemarketing cold calls. This happens when the company uses predictive diallers which make many calls at the same time. Sometimes there aren't available agents to handle the call, resulting in a silent call that quickly disconnects.
This article is an excerpt from 'Why am I getting spam calls? (and how to stop them) which features on the Incogni blog. You can read the full article here.