What Are Spam Calls and How to Stop Them?

Did you wait for a big call? Use a spam call instead. Spam calls happen when people or robots phone you for things you don’t need. These calls can be annoying and even risky at times.

Here, you will find out what spam calls are, why they happen so often, and easy ways to block them. Whether you use a cell phone or a home phone, we’ll help you stop these calls so you can feel safe and avoid the bother.

What Are Spam Calls?

A spam call is an unwelcome call that interrupts your day. These calls come to you without your okay. Scam calls try to take your personal or money details. They show up in different ways, like sales calls, robocalls, or scams. 

• Sales Calls: Real firms looking to sell things or offer services.  
• Robocalls: Machine-made calls with pre-recorded talk, often for ads or shady deals.  
• Fake Calls: Calls where someone acts like a trusted person, like your bank, to take your info.  

Spam calls have grown trickier, making them tough to spot as fake. These calls hit many people at random with no aim.  

Phone numbers get flagged as spam by networks or call tools if tied to fishy acts like robocalls or fraud, causing them to be blocked or ignored.  

Why Am I Getting So Many Spam Calls?

Spam calls are very common in 2025, and many people wonder why they keep increasing. One big reason you might be getting so many nuisance calls is that your phone number might have been shared or leaked without you even knowing it. This kind of information is used by scammers and telemarketers to target you with unwanted calls.

Reasons how scammers may have access to your number:

• Data breaches expose your phone number.
• Random dialing software used by scammers.
• Online forms or social media posts reveal your number.
• Caller ID spoofing to make spam calls harder to detect.
• Businesses share your contact information without clear consent.

These various reasons compound to make spam calling a common complaint. Spam calls are an ongoing issue; this understanding, however, is the first step in safeguarding yourself against these annoying interruptions.

1. Data Breaches and Leaks

Your phone number can be in the database of many companies. Cybercriminals attack such databases for data breaches. Several million phone numbers are leaked every year, reaching scammers and robocalling companies.

How to Protect Yourself:

• Only share your phone number with trusted companies.
• Try not to expose your number on public platforms or forms.
• Use security tools that can prevent the leaking of your personal information.

2. Caller ID Spoofing

Caller ID spoofing is the shady trick of scammers that masks their real number, thereby making it appear to come from someone you might trust. It’s infuriatingly frustrating because the fake number makes blocking the spammer all but impossible. Unfortunately, this tactic is growing in popularity, so here’s how to protect yourself.

How to Protect Yourself:

• Use spam-blocking apps that are designed to detect and block spoofed calls.
• Make sure to keep your call-blocking apps updated so they catch the latest spoofing patterns and methods.

Also Read: Caller ID vs CNAM – What’s the Difference?

3. Random Dialing

These scammers utilize automated software that dials thousands of numbers randomly, hoping to get someone on the line. This is one method of finding targets even when they might not know your number directly. The result is that almost any person owning a phone can become a victim of these widespread and random spam calls.

How to Protect Yourself:

• Ignore calls from unknown or unusual numbers.
• Let unfamiliar numbers go to voicemail to verify their authenticity.

4. Lead Sharing among Companies

Many businesses share customer contact information with their partners to expand their marketing reach. This practice is also known as lead sharing. This can lead to your phone number being passed around without your knowledge.

How to Protect Yourself:

• Read the privacy policy and terms before agreeing to share your information.
• Opt out of marketing calls when possible.

5. Robocalls

Robocalls are pre-recorded, automated calls often, they can be made for things such as promotions, questionnaires, or scams. They are difficult to block because scammers continuously change their phone numbers. These calls are not only annoying but can also trick you into giving away personal or financial information.

How to Protect Yourself:

• Use phone providers’ features or spam-blocking apps to filter robocalls.
• Enable your phone’s spam filter to automatically silence unknown or suspected spam calls.

6. Telemarketing

Telemarketing is used to sell products or services by legitimate businesses. It gets more overwhelming when the telemarketers buy your number from other sources. That would mean you may start getting calls from firms you have never dealt with.

How to Protect Yourself:

• Put your number on the National Do Not Call Registry in the United States.
• Block unknown numbers or calls from telemarketers with the installation of call-blocking apps. 

How Spam Calls Affect Consumers?

Spam calls are not just minor interruptions in your day. They can cause serious problems for consumers. Other than causing a headache from being disturbed, these calls waste your time and violate your privacy. They also put your finances and emotional well-being at risk. 

It happens so often that scam calls don’t allow people to even trust unknown numbers anymore, which complicates distinguishing real calls from scams.

I. Wasting Time and Productivity

Every time the phone rings and interrupts you, it diverts your attention from important tasks at work, school, or even home. Even though you never answer the call, frequent notifications make you lose focus and get irritated. 

Over time, these snags start to add up and take an ever-increasing toll on productivity and serenity.

II. Financial Risks

Scam calls are spam calls that aim to steal money. Scammers spoof calls from any of your trusted groups, like banks, courier services, or government offices. They lure money or personal information out of you. They may threaten you by telling you that your account is in danger or that you owe them money. 

III. Threats to Privacy

Many spam calls aim to collect personal information that can be misused. Sharing even the tiniest details, such as one’s full name or address, might lead to identity theft. Once your information is released, scammers may sell it to other fraudsters. It could increase the chances of scam targeting.

IV. Emotional Stress

Those constant spam calls will raise your stress and anxiety levels, especially when the scare factor is involved. Some scammers say that you owe some taxes or are being investigated to get you to take immediate action. This kind of high-pressure trick may leave people overwhelmed, worried, and not knowing what to do.

How to Identify Unwanted Spam Phone Calls?

The first step in preventing unwanted spam phone calls is knowing how to spot them. Recognizing the warning signs can protect you from scams and safeguard your personal information. Here’s how to identify potential phone scams and reduce your risk:

1. Unfamiliar or Suspicious Numbers

If you have calls from unknown numbers, especially with strange or international area codes, they may be fraudulent calls. Be careful if this number keeps calling or calls at odd hours. If you are not sure, let such calls go to voicemail to avoid a trap by telemarketing scams.

2. Pressure with Urgent Language

Scammers use urgency in unwanted scam calls to manipulate you. For example: “You’ll miss the offer, you’ll lose money, or face penalties unless you act immediately.” The idea is to get you to act without thinking. Keep calm, and be sure not to react impulsively to such scam phone calls.

3. Too Good to Be True Offers

If a caller promises you’ve won some big prize like a vacation or lottery that you never entered, it’s most likely a fraudulent call. These kinds of tempting offers are usually characteristics of phishing calls. They aim to steal your personal information. Keep in mind that if it’s a little too good to be true, then it probably is.

4. Requests for Sensitive Information

Legitimate companies, whether businesses or government agencies, will never request sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, or banking information over the phone. 

Often, this is a dead giveaway that the call is spam or fraudulent. To safeguard against this, do not give any private information to suspicious callers.

5. Robocalls or Automated Messages

Many unwanted calls begin with a pre-recorded message, also called a robocall. While some robocalls, like those that remind you of appointments, are legal, most are illegal and part of spam phone scams. 

These messages often ask you to press a number or say you owe money. If you think it’s a scam robocall, hang up right away.

6. Repeated Calls from the Same Number

Repeated calls from an unidentified number may indicate suspicious activity. Most scams involve one number repeated several times in attempts to incite curiosity or concern. To decrease the aggravation of nuisance calls, block these numbers and report them if necessary.

7. Spoofed Caller IDs

Some of these unwanted scam calls display a local number or one from a trusted organization through a method called caller ID spoofing. This is a technique that makes the call look valid, but you should always verify a caller’s identity before sharing information. Spoofed numbers are a common feature of phishing phone calls.

Ways to Stop Spam Calls

Spam calls can be a pain and sometimes dangerous if they involve scams. Luckily, there are simple ways to reduce and stop those unwanted calls. Here’s how you can protect yourself from them:

I. Use an AI-Powered Spam Call Blocker

Apps with AI technology can block spam calls before they reach your phone. These smart tools identify scam numbers and prevent them from ringing your phone. 

Download apps like Truecaller, RoboKiller, or Hiya to block known spam numbers. These apps can filter calls based on reports from other users.

II. Use Your Phone’s Built-In Spam Filters

Most smartphones come with built-in spam detection features. By that, I mean you can block certain numbers or silence the calls of unknown ones. Check your phone’s settings to enable these. 

For example, iPhones have the “Silence Unknown Callers” option, and Android phones have similar tools to filter suspicious calls.

More on blocking spam calls on your device: How to Block Spam Calls on iPhone, Android, and Landline?

III. Activate Your Carrier’s Call-Filtering Service

Most phone carriers offer services to filter spam calls. These services flag or block suspicious calls automatically. It helps you to avoid unwanted interruptions. 

Some carriers also provide customizable options, allowing you to adjust the level of protection based on your preferences. Contact your carrier to activate their call protection features.

IV. Register with the Do Not Call Lists

If you live in the U.S., sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce telemarketing calls. Although it won’t stop all spam calls, it will help block calls from most legitimate telemarketers. 

Once you’re registered, your number will be added to the list. It will make it illegal for most companies to contact you. This helps to reduce unwanted or even ghost calls.

V. Don’t Answer Numbers You Don’t Recognize

If you get a call from a number you don’t know, let it go to voicemail. Spam callers usually don’t leave messages, but real callers will. 

If the call is important, they will leave a message. You can listen to the voicemail and decide if you want to call back. This helps avoid answering scam calls and getting added to unwanted call lists.

VI. Avoid Posting Your Number in Public

Be careful with your phone number. Don’t post it on social media or give it to untrusted websites. The more your number is shared, the more likely you’ll get spam calls. 

Keep your number private and only share it with trusted people and services.

VII. Download a Call-Blocking App

Apps like Hiya and Nomorobo can block spam calls by using lists of known scam numbers. These apps add extra protection against spam or scam calls. 

Some apps also let you block certain types of calls or alert you if a number is suspicious. These apps help reduce telemarketing and scam calls.

VIII. Report Spam Calls

Report spam calls to your carrier or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This helps stop the calls and prevents others from getting them. 

Reporting scam calls helps authorities track and stop bad callers. Carriers use these reports to improve their blocking technology, giving everyone better protection.

What to Do If You’re Targeted by Spam Calls?

If you suspect a call is spam, quickly take precautions to avoid scams or fraud. Scammers do many things to get people to give them their personal information or money. Here are some simple steps to help you avoid those scams and keep your information safe.

1. Don’t Engage:

If you answer a spam call, don’t press any buttons or respond to the caller. Even saying “hello” can signal to the scammer that your number is active. It leads to more unwanted calls in the future. The best option is to immediately hang up without interacting with the caller.

The best option is to hang up immediately without interacting with the caller. This prevents them from gathering information about you.  

2. Block and Report the Number:

Most smartphones allow you to block numbers directly. After you get a spam call, block the number using this feature within your phone. Blocking numbers prevents the same spam callers from being able to call again.

You should also report the number to your carrier or relevant authorities. This helps track and subsequently stops scammers from reaching other people.

3. Protect Personal Information:

Never give out personal or financial information over the phone. Scammers often pose as trusted organizations, like banks or government agencies, to steal your data. They may request sensitive information, like your Social Security number, bank account, or passwords. 

Always check who is calling and ensure you are talking to an authentic source before sharing your private information. 

4. Stay Calm and Verify:

Spam callers often try to pressure you by claiming you owe money or that your account is at risk.  It’s important to remain calm and not rush into anything. 

If the caller claims to be from a legitimate company, hang up and call the company directly. This ensures you’re speaking to the actual organization, not a scammer. 

5. Use Call-Blocking Services from Carriers:

Many phone carriers offer a service to block spam calls. These services can automatically identify and block robocalls and known scam numbers. Providers like AT&T and Verizon allow features like Call Protect and Call Filter. 

They are simple to activate and add another layer of protection to your phone. Contact your carrier to learn about these services and protect your phone from future spam calls. 

Conclusion

Spam calls are an increasingly serious problem that may ruin your day. It can even lead to compromising sensitive personal information. Although they are difficult to completely avoid, you can lower the impact of these unwanted calls in many ways.

To block spam calls, try using the in-phone call-blocking features. Download call blocking apps and enable the services your carrier offers. You can also sign up with the Do Not Call List, which cuts down on telemarketing calls. 

Be protective about sharing your personal details. Recognizing spam calls early on is the proper way to prevent fraud and protect your privacy.

Remember, if any such calls seem spam to you, don’t engage in them. Instead, directly hang up, block the number, and report it to the authorities. That will help decrease spam calls, not only for you but also for others. Such small steps can make a big difference in keeping your phone and personal data safe from scams.

FAQs: 

What are spam calls?

Spam calls are unwanted calls that may be given through automated systems or scammers. The most common spam calls include robocalls, telemarketing, and fake calls from scammers who claim to be the representative of a reputable organization.

How can I block spam calls?

You can block spam calls with several methods. Most smartphones have built-in features in them that let you block unknown or suspicious numbers. You can download the call-blocking apps, such as Hiya, Nomorobo, and RoboKiller. 

How do I report spam calls?

To report spam calls, you can contact your phone carrier. Carriers may offer various tools to report scam numbers and enhance anti-spam systems.

Can spam calls be stopped completely?

No, spam calls can’t be stopped completely. But you can limit them. You can use call-blocking apps, turn on your phone’s spam filter, and register with the Do Not Call Lists to block legitimate telemarketers and scam calls. 

How can I protect my phone number from being leaked?

Don’t put your name on public websites, social media, or forms. Consider using a secondary number to sign up for online services. 

How would scammers obtain my number?

Scammers can obtain your number through data breaches, random dialing software, online forms, social media posts, or lead-sharing practices by businesses.

Can spam calls be dangerous?

Yes, spam calls can be dangerous. Scammers may steal your personal information, commit financial fraud, or trick you into installing malware on your devices.