How to stop spam calls for good
Spam calls keep coming because your phone number is bought and sold by data brokers. Here are the free steps that actually cut them down — plus the one move that stops them at the source.
To stop spam calls: register your number free at donotcall.gov, turn on your carrier’s free call filter (AT&T ActiveArmor, Verizon Call Filter or T-Mobile Scam Shield), and switch on your phone’s built-in spam filter (iPhone’s “Silence Unknown Callers”, Android’s “Filter spam calls”). The durable fix is removing your number from the data brokers that sell it — they re-list it every few weeks, so it has to stay removed.
Free steps that cut spam calls today
Do these in order. None cost anything, and together they’ll noticeably reduce the calls you get.
Add your number for free at donotcall.gov. It stops legitimate telemarketers within about 31 days — but it won’t stop scammers and illegal robocallers, who ignore it. Treat it as a baseline, not a fix.
AT&T ActiveArmor, Verizon Call Filter and T-Mobile Scam Shield all have free tiers that label or block likely-scam calls using STIR/SHAKEN caller-ID authentication. Enable it in your carrier’s app — it catches a lot of spoofed numbers automatically.
On iPhone, enable “Silence Unknown Callers” (Settings → Apps → Phone) so only saved or recent contacts ring through. On Android, turn on “Caller ID & spam” and “Filter spam calls” in the Phone app. Filtered calls still leave voicemail.
Never press a button to “opt out” of a robocall and never call back an unknown number — both confirm your line is active and lead to more calls. Let unknown numbers go to voicemail, block the worst offenders, and report scams at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Block spam calls on your phone (iPhone & Android)
Your phone already has spam filtering built in — here’s exactly where to switch it on.
- Settings → Apps → Phone → turn on Silence Unknown Callers — numbers not in your contacts or recent outgoing calls go straight to voicemail.
- Install your carrier’s app (ActiveArmor, Call Filter or Scam Shield) for automatic scam labeling on top of that.
- On any spam call, open the call info and tap Block this Caller; report junk texts with “Report Junk”.
- Phone app → Settings → Caller ID & spam → enable “See caller & spam ID” and “Filter spam calls”.
- On a Pixel, turn on Call Screen so Google answers and screens unknown callers before they ring you.
- Press and hold a number in Recents → Block / report spam to silence and report it.
The real source: data brokers selling your number
Blocking and filtering treat the symptom. The reason the calls exist is that data brokers and people-search sites publish and sell your phone number — to lead-generation companies, marketers and, indirectly, the robocallers who buy those lists. As long as your number is listed, new callers keep discovering it.
The highest-leverage move is to remove your number from those sites. Start with our free, step-by-step data-broker opt-out guide — it covers the biggest people-search sites and exactly how to get off each one.
The catch: brokers re-scrape public records and re-list your number every few weeks to months, so a one-time opt-out fades. Keeping it removed means re-checking those sites on a schedule.
Cut spam calls off at the source
PersProtect finds where your phone number is listed across 499 broker and people-search sites, removes it, and keeps re-checking so it doesn’t creep back. Start with a free scan to see who’s listing you.
See who’s selling my number — free scan →Stopping spam calls, answered
Does the Do Not Call Registry stop scam calls?
It stops legitimate telemarketers, not scammers — illegal robocallers already ignore the law. The registry is worth doing, but pair it with your carrier’s call filter and, most importantly, getting your number off the data-broker sites that sell it.
Why am I suddenly getting more spam calls?
Your number most likely landed on new marketing or lead-generation lists — often after filling out a form, a purchase, or a data breach. Data brokers buy, repackage and resell these lists, so once your number is circulating it spreads quickly.
Should I answer or call back unknown numbers?
No. Answering, speaking, or calling back confirms your number is active and reachable, which increases the calls you get. Let unknown numbers go to voicemail, then block and report the obvious spam.
Does blocking individual numbers actually help?
Only a little. Scammers spoof and rotate caller IDs constantly, so blocking one number rarely stops them. Carrier-level filtering (which uses caller-ID authentication) helps more — and reducing how widely your number is listed helps most of all.
How do I stop my phone number from being sold?
Opt out of the data brokers and people-search sites that publish it — see our free data-broker opt-out guide. The catch is they re-list you every few weeks, so your number needs to be removed and then monitored continuously to stay off the market.
Stop the calls — and keep them stopped
See which data brokers are publishing your phone number right now, free.
Run my free exposure scan →