How Do I Block Spam Calls on All Devices

Spam calls have become an everyday nuisance, interrupting your workflow, invading your privacy, and putting you at a risk of privacy exploitation. Robocalls, telemarketers, or scam attempts, these unwanted calls can be relentless!

There are some effective ways to block spam calls across different devices and carriers. In this guide, we’ll discuss how you can stop spam calls on iPhone, Android, and even traditional landlines. 

What Is a Spam Call?

Spam calls are unwanted phone calls sent out in bulk by telemarketers, robocallers, or fraudsters. While some may be legal but annoying attempts to sell products or services, many are malicious and designed to scam you to extract your personal information or money. These calls often exploit vulnerabilities in caller ID systems, making it difficult to distinguish real ones from impersonators.

6 Common Types of Spam Calls You Must Avoid

Spam calls come in various forms, here are the most common types to watch out for:

1.Telemarketing Calls

Unsolicited promotions for products or services, often using toll-free or unfamiliar numbers. These calls frequently include aggressive sales tactics or time-sensitive exclusive offers.

2. Robocalls

Automated messages delivered by bots. If you answer and hear a recorded voice, you’re dealing with a robocall, and many operate illegally or support scams.

3. Autodialed Calls

These originate from auto-dialing systems and are characterized by a brief silence before a live agent speaks. They’re often used for lead generation or fraudulent activity.

4. Spoofed Calls

The caller ID is faked to make the call appear as if it’s coming from a trusted source, like your bank, a government agency, or even your own number.

5. AI-Generated Voice Scams

Scammers are now using AI tools to mimic real voices, especially in “family emergency” scams, where they pretend to be loved ones in distress.

6. IRS or Government Scams

These impersonate tax authorities or legal entities and use fear tactics, such as threats of arrest or lawsuits, to extract money urgently.

Why Am I Getting So Many Spam Calls?

If you're receiving a surge in spam calls, chances are your number has been exposed or targeted for one of the following reasons:

1. You entered your number on a suspicious website, fake giveaway, or unverified app.
   
2. You engaged with a scammer online or responded to a previous spam call.
   
3. Scammers randomly dialed your number as part of a broad autodialing campaign.
   
4. Your number has been flagged as responsive and is now on a scammer’s list.
   
5. Data brokers may have sold your phone number to marketing firms or bad actors.
   
6. A service you trusted has suffered a data breach.
   
7. Your number was publicly exposed in a doxxing incident or posted on the dark web.
   
8. You’ve been targeted via phishing (email) or vishing (voice phishing) attacks.

Tried and Tested Ways to Block Spam Calls

You can try the below mentioned ways to block spam calls on all your devices.

1. Block Individual Numbers on Your Device

If the spam calls are sporadic or coming from the same number, manually blocking is a good first defense.

On iPhone:

1. Go to Phone > Recents
2. Tap the (i) next to the number > Block this Caller > Confirm

On Android:

1. Open the Phone app > Recents
2. Tap (i) next to the number > Block/Report Spam

2. Block All Unknown or Private Numbers

This method filters all calls from numbers not saved in your contacts.

iPhone (Silence Unknown Callers):

1. Go to Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers
2. Toggle it on

Android (Caller ID & Spam Protection):

1. Phone App > Settings > Spam & Call Screen
2. Enable Caller ID and Spam Protection and Block spam calls

Samsung (Smart Call):

• Phone App > Settings > Block Numbers > Enable “Block unknown callers”

Caution: May block important calls from doctors, couriers, or new contacts.

3. Use Carrier-Based Spam Blocking Codes

These short codes activate spam protection features directly from your mobile carrier.

4. Register with the National Do Not Call Registry

To legally prevent legitimate telemarketers from contacting you:

1. Visit donotcall.gov
2. Register up to three numbers for free
3. Confirm registration via email

5. Use Built-in Carrier Spam Protection Tools

Many mobile carriers now offer apps or services to help identify and block spam:

6. Install Third-Party Spam Call Blocker Apps

When built-in features fall short, third-party apps offer deeper control and better detection.

Look for apps with privacy-first policies and no third-party data sharing. 

7. Use Physical Call Blockers for Landlines

If you're still using a landline, dedicated call-blocking hardware can help. These devices connect directly to your phone line and filter spam before it rings.

8. Report Spam Calls to the FTC

Reporting spam helps build enforcement cases and improves public protection tools.

1. Visit reportfraud.ftc.gov
2. Provide the caller’s number, call time, and nature of the scam
3. You won’t get a response, but it helps the FTC take legal action
   

You can also report via phone at 1-877-FTC-HELP.

9. Secure Your Number & Online Presence

Spam calls often originate from data breaches or public leaks. You must:

• Remove your number from data brokers
• Avoid giveaways or shady trial offers online
• Not engaging with suspicious calls,even answering confirms your number is active
• Use PureVPN to detect if your number is exposed on the dark web.

Wrap Up

Spam calls aren’t just disruptive, they’re often linked to scams and privacy risks. To protect yourself, combine phone settings, carrier spam filters, and the Do Not Call Registry. For holistic privacy, try PureVPN and run a free scan to know if your phone number is leaked on the dark web, which might be the reason for spam calls.