Robocall Scam Alert: We’re all being hounded incessantly by robocalls, both on our landlines and on our mobile phones. But we are not powerless to block the scammers and telemarketers who bother us night and day, including weekends and holidays.
It blocks only legitimate robocallers, but nearly all these robocall creeps are scammers and spammers who get around the rules with impunity. So it may not be worth your time to bother registering or updating your number or numbers.
I’ve been on the “do not call” registry for a more than a decade, but I get more scam robocalls than ever these days, So do you.
More Than 50 Billion Robocalls in 2025
U.S. consumers received just under 4.1 billion robocalls in December 2025, bringing the yearly total to 52.5 billion, according to the Robocall Index from YouMail, a FREE robocall protection app that tracks call data.
That is a 6.4% increase from the previous month, November 2025, and likely reflects scam end-of-year robocalls for new 2026 medical plans, dental plans, donations to scam charities and scam holiday shopping deals.
Part of the problem is that while the FTC considers robocalls to be a fraud on consumers, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) believes robocalls are “beneficial” to consumers to get them.
So while the FTC and the FCC duke it out to figure out what to do to stop the spammers and scammers, here’s what you can do for yourself right now.
ecoXplorer Robocall Scam Alert Tips:
Before giving your phone number to any business, including legitimate online businesses such as Facebook, read their privacy policy first.
Some policies imply that by giving your phone number or agreeing to a business’s terms and conditions, you also give them permission to contact you and possibly to share your contact information with others.
Do not sign into websites with your phone number. Always use a password.
Contact your service provider for instructions on. AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon have specific ways to block robocalls. So do Apple for iphones and Android manufacturers like Samsung
Screen your calls
Do not answer a call from a number you do not recognize. My mobile phone is set to silence calls from unrecognized numbers, which creates a problem when a car service driver phones to tell me he’s arrived at the airport to pick me up.
Do not answer a call from a number that caller ID identifies as “out of area”, since this is most likely a spammer or scammer robo-calling from an unidentified number, including a “spoofing” number.
Block anonymous calls that show up on caller ID as “Unknown” callers
Use reverse lookup to detect fake caller ID information before you call back a number you do not recognize.
If you do happen to pick up a robocall by accident, do not click any prompt buttons, which could re-direct you to some pay-by-the-minute overseas location.. Just hang up.
ecoXplorer Robocall Scam Alert Tip:
I keep a loud whistle by my desk phone. If I happen to answer a robocall by mistake and there’s a live person on the other end, rather than a recorded message, I give him or her a blast. It’s just too bad if I blow out the spammer’s eardrum. Just too bad.
Robocall Blocking Apps
Which app works for you depends on a combination of your phone’s operating system and the level of call protection you need. Start by contacting your landline and/or cellphone provider to ask if they have blocking features. Most now do, including the three largest, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. Apple has a blocking device for iphones.
If you have AT&T cell phone service, you can – and should – download the FREE Call Protect app. It includes automatic fraud blocking, suspected spam warning and the ability to add numbers to your block list. You can use the app to report spam calls and see a list of numbers that have called you.
Robokiller blocks calls from over 100,000 telemarketers, tells you who’s calling, and lets you create your own block and allow lists. This app is the winner of the FTC RoboCall’s Contest and comes highly rated. Robokiller is free to download and comes with a free trial period, after which Robokiller charges a fee for its services.
Lets you block unwanted calls and text messages and create a blacklist for unwanted callers, gives spam alerts, helps identify who is calling, and doesn’t contain ads, like some other free apps. The iPhone version is English only, while the Android version is available in English, French, German and Spanish.
If you receive unwanted calls or robocalls in violation of the FTC policy, take notes. You’ll want to gather this information from the call: incoming phone number, date and time of call, what the call was about, and whether it was a recording or live person.
File a complaint on the FTC website. The agency has made its complaint form simple, with numerous drop-down menus to help you through the process.
Alternatively, call the FTC at 1-877-FTC-HELP or the FCC at 1-888-CALL-FCC.
Forward SPAM text messages to 7726 (or SPAM). This free text exchange with your wireless provider will report the SPAM number, and you will receive a response thanking you for reporting it.
What’s your tip for blocking or ignoring robocalls?
This article was published originally in 2019, and is updated and re-published irregularly, including in 2026.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is an award-winning journalist with 25+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and author of guidebooks and smartphone apps – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.
Robocall Blocking Apps
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