Let’s be honest—our phones won’t stop ringing. But it’s not friends or family checking in. Instead, it’s the “IRS” demanding money, “credit card companies” warning about missed payments, or scammers trying to steal personal information.
Americans will receive over 52 billion robocalls this year. Many people, myself included, ignore unknown numbers to avoid spam.
Scammers Are Getting Smarter
Companies like Apple now warn users about “scam likely” calls, but scammers keep evolving. They spoof local numbers and well-known companies to appear legitimate. Lately, they’ve even sent SMS messages that appear to come from your own phone number.
How to Protect Yourself
Companies are working to stop robocalls, but you can take steps to stay safe:
- Ignore unknown numbers – Don’t answer blocked or unfamiliar calls.
- Beware of local-looking numbers – Scammers spoof numbers to seem local.
- Avoid saying “Yes” – Don’t respond to questions that prompt a “Yes” answer.
- Verify companies directly – If a caller claims to represent a company, hang up and call the official number from their website.
- Hang up on suspicious calls – If you hear, “Hello, can you hear me?” or a prompt to press a number, disconnect immediately.
Why You Shouldn’t Engage
Interacting with these calls confirms your number is active. Scammers then sell your number, leading to even more spam.
Apple users can enable “Silence Unknown Callers” to send calls from unknown numbers straight to voicemail.
Stop Spam Text Messages
If spam texts flood your inbox, forward them to 7726 (SPAM) to alert your carrier. This won’t block the number but helps stop future scams.
Need Help?
For questions about spam calls, contact us at info@optfinity.com.
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