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Spam calls have become an ever-present phenomenon since telecommunications entered the digital age. With advancements in technology, scammers and telemarketers have found many ways to reach potential victims, and with one click of a button they can dial up hundreds and thousands of phone numbers, becoming a regular nuisance for phone users.
Interestingly, some people actually want to sign up for spam calls, for several reasons; such as testing spam filters, conducting research on telemarketing tactics, or general curiosity about spamming methods.
However most phone users would prefer not to receive them since they are usually annoying interruptions to daily life, for example at meal times, when we are working, or otherwise engaged in activities.
So it is important to find ways to protect our phones from spam callers, and this article looks at some of the best ways to do this.
Spam calls are an irritation for many people, who often wonder how their phone number has ended up in the hands of the telemarketers. Here are some common ways that people unintentionally expose their phone number.
One way is by people registering their phone number on unfamiliar websites, maybe signing up for a free trial or to access special content, or a ‘members only’ site, without realising that these sites usually sell the personal data to third parties.
Social media sites are full of content such as games, quizzes, or competitions advertising free giveaways and prizes. These are known as ‘clickbait’, and are designed to harvest personal information including phone numbers, email addresses etc.
Most of these may not be very ethical but they are generally legal. One illegal method is from data breaches, which involves cyber criminals hacking into databases – private businesses, even government departments – to steal sensitive data including phone numbers along with personal details about the owners. In this way even the most careful people can find their number is on a telemarketers’ list.
Most people just see spam calls as an irritation, and try to cut them off and ignore them. However they can pose a serious threat to our privacy, our personal data and our financial wellbeing, for example in phishing scams, where scam callers present themselves as legitimate organisations – typically a bank, or a computer company such as Microsoft – to trick people into sharing sensitive data like passwords and bank account numbers.
This can result in identity theft and financial loss, which it is difficult and time-consuming to recover from.
Moreover, parents need to be especially aware of spam calls targeting children, who probably don’t understand the risks involved and are more susceptible to inappropriate calling than adults.
It is critical for parents to find ways to teach their kids about the dangers, and how to use security measures to create a safe environment.
To solve this problem, specific software tools have been developed to allow parents to monitor and control their kids' smartphone usage. FamiGuard Pro is highly rated as a reliable parental control and security tool to block spam calls, filter unknown numbers, and monitor call activity in real time.
FamiGuard Pro can help users and families stay protected from potential threats, by blocking spam calls. Known as one of the best call blockers, parents can use it to block unwanted calls and contacts remotely, even ‘no caller i.d.’ calls, to protect the children's safety, and FamiGuard Pro’s calls and contacts checking features can let parents know if their kids receive spam calls and bullying calls.
Installing and setting up FamiGuard Pro involves some easy steps that do not require any technical ability.
On the FamiGuard website, click on the SignUp button to register for a FamiGuard account. Choose a subscription plan – 1 month, 3 month, or 1 year plan. Pricing varies, and longer plans are less expensive.
Just follow the clear on screen guides to set up the app. There is also a handy video to guide you through the set up process.
When FamiGuard Pro has been set up and configured on the monitoring device and on the target device, navigate to the user-friendly dashboard and you can monitor, record, and block calls with FamiGuard Pro now. From Phone Files > Call Logs on the dashboard menu you can see all call histories. From here, you can block any call you want, and the call-blocking settings can be customized for specific phone numbers or keywords for added security.
In addition to parental control software, there are other options to help reduce the number of spam calls.
Most smartphones have a feature that can be used to send calls from unknown numbers directly to voicemail, which you can check later and filter out legitimate calls.
Also, most cellphones have a call-blocking feature, so that known problem numbers can be automatically blocked.
You can sign up with the national Do Not Call registry to prevent telemarketing calls.
If you receive a spam call, avoid engaging with the caller. Just close the call quickly, and if possible add the call to the blocked list.
The digital world today seems full of spammers and scammers who will try to steal identities, financial information, and personal data from ordinary people for illegal purposes. Safeguarding our phones from spam callers is critical in protecting our privacy and possessions.
The risk from spam and scam calls can be reduced by taking precautions and being aware of the various ways they try to capture our phone number and private data.
It is important to know where we share our phone number, what websites can be trusted, stay away from suspicious adverts, and be informed about data breaches.
The most effective solution is FamiGuard Pro, which allows you to monitor all incoming and outgoing calls to protect children from spam calls. It also monitors calls on social media apps like Facebook, WeChat and WhatsApp.
FamiGuard Pro allows you to see all text messages, call history, contacts, and phone files, and block numbers as appropriate.
Everyone needs to be aware of the dangers from spam calls, so that they can stay vigilant and informed, to reduce the risks associated with unknown numbers and unwanted callers, with the ultimate goal of protecting themselves and their loved ones from personal and financial harm.
