Experts Reveal How to Reduce Unwanted Calls: The One Thing You Must Never Do
Translated from Croatian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Experts advise not answering unknown numbers, especially those flagged as potential spam, to reduce unwanted calls.
- Interacting with automated systems, even minimally, can signal that a number is active, potentially leading to more calls.
- Reporting spam calls and blocking numbers, along with using phone settings to silence unknown callers, can help mitigate the problem.
Unwanted calls have become a daily nuisance for many, often originating from automated systems, sales pitches, or scams. While completely stopping them is difficult, technology and cybersecurity experts offer strategies to significantly reduce their frequency. The primary advice is simple: do not answer unknown numbers, particularly if your phone flags them as potential spam. Experts warn that even minimal interaction, such as answering or pressing buttons, can signal to automated systems that the number is active, making it a more attractive target for future calls. Letting unknown calls go to voicemail and avoiding automated prompts is recommended. Experts suggest that ceasing all interaction can decrease unwanted calls over several months. There's also a risk of voice misuse, as scammers may try to record your voice for future fraudulent activities, making silence an effective defense. Reporting and blocking these numbers through smartphone features helps mobile operators and tech giants like Apple and Google identify problematic patterns. However, scammers often use auto-generated and changing numbers, so blocking one number is not a permanent solution. Experts also stress the importance of guarding your phone number like a personal document, as it can end up in databases sold to advertisers or scammers if shared frequently on online forms or public profiles. Utilizing built-in phone settings to silence or filter calls from unknown numbers can prevent them from ringing, directing them to voicemail for later review.
If they discover a human voice, that number can become more interesting for future calls.
Originally published by Veฤernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.