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Unwanted calls are annoying. They can feel like a constant interruption — and many are from scammers. Unfortunately, technology makes it easy for scammers to make millions of calls a day. So this week, as part of Older Americans Month, we’re talking about how to block unwanted calls — for yourself, and for your friends and family. To get started, check out this video: 

Some of the most common unwanted calls the FTC sees currently include pretend Social Security Administration, Medicare, and IRS calls, fake Amazon or Apple Computer support calls, and fake auto warranty and credit card calls.

But no matter what type of unwanted calls you get (and everyone is getting them) your best defense is a good offense. Here are three universal truths to live by:

  • Don’t trust your caller ID

  • Hang up on robocalls

  • Use call blocking

Visit ftc.gov/calls to learn to block calls on your cell phone and home phone.

The FTC continues to go after the companies and scammers behind these calls, so please report unwanted calls at donotcall.gov. If you’ve lost money to a scam call, tell us at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Your reports help us take action against scammers and illegal robocallers — just like we did in Operation Call It Quits. In this law enforcement sweep, the FTC and its state and federal partners brought 94 actions against illegal robocallers. But there’s more: we also take the phone numbers you report and release them publicly each business day. That helps phone carriers and other partners that are working on call-blocking and call-labeling solutions.

So share these videos and this call blocking news with your friends and family. Sharing will help protect someone you care about from a scam — and it’ll help them get fewer unwanted calls, too!

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The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.

  • We won’t post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions.
  • We won’t post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups.
  • We won’t post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity.
  • We won’t post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. The comments posted on this blog become part of the public domain. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission.

rjkoser
May 12, 2021
Some landline carriers only allow so many numbers to be blocked. Those limitations are too small for the amount of calls one receives in this day and age.
CRL1
May 12, 2021
It would be nice to block them if they weren't from a spoofed number. We don't answer any calls from numbers we don't recognize. It's amazing the number of calls we get from people in our area code and exchange that we have no idea who they are and of course they never leave a message.
Dorothy
May 12, 2021
The ability to log one call, and then add others is nice. It makes it a bit less time consuming, but it is still requires time to have to collect the information, log in and fill out the form. I used to diligently report all the calls I received, but after a while it simply became impossible to keep up with all the calls, track the numbers, the time, the call details, etc. and then log them. I receive 2 - 3 true spam calls 2 - 3 days a week.
bob@notbob
July 13, 2021

In reply to by Dorothy

Agree, they need to make reporting easier. Like a built in app. Sure they'll be some fake or wrong numbers reported as spam, but they could just set a limit of a few thousand. If that many report the number as spam or a scam, block it. And the app should block any and all numbers blocked by the service.
RMilesDon't us…
May 12, 2021
I wish they could find a way to prevent Robo callers from hijacking other people's phone numbers and use them to make their calls!
Bunny
May 15, 2021

In reply to by RMilesDon't us…

Yep it was hilarious that since 2019 I have received a dozen or more spam calls from my very own number, leaving voice mails selling "Medicare-authorized cancer screening" or informing me that my Apple computer (which I do not have) has an out of date warranty, or that the IRS is coming to arrest me (what, for the tiny tax refunds I get? DO TELL.).
Poppy
May 12, 2021
Call Blocking is fine until you reach the limit that your provider has on Call Blocking. In other words, Call Block is not unlimited, When you reach the limit, the calls keep coming. We need unlimited call block to make the difference.
figmo6673
May 12, 2021
I no longer answer unknown calls. I let them go to voicemail. If they don't leave a message I block the number.
jk
May 12, 2021
There is a specific caller that's impossible to report because the phone number is different each time, no company name is left, and the recording only prompts to select 5, more information, or select 9 to stop the calls.
Carol
May 12, 2021
I get an average of one call every day from the same prefix as my phone number. I don't know anybody that has that prefix. When I 1st started receiving them, I called the numbers back and found that they appeared to be just normal people. I read sometime back that it was a trick. If you see a number with the same prefix as yours, you are more liable to answer the phone. I have answered the phone to these people numerous times and called these people every name in the book. Really upset a few. If I don't answer and call back, I never get them. Don't see how it would do any good to report these numbers, but I am more than willing if it will do any good. Thank you for your efforts.
Jessb
May 12, 2021
So in the past 6 months, I have gotten an email 3x that were from my "boss". Long story short, it said to text her, she was in a closed door meeting, so I did that. Next thing I know, my so called boss is asking me to buy gift cards. I know its a scam then, but they disconnect their number. Any advice on how to report their email? Ty!!
Bunny
May 12, 2021
In the past two weeks I have received legitimate calls from local residents who have received spam calls using my correct land line and also cell phone. If someone turns in my number am I going to get blocked also on my land line and cell?
PadhD
May 12, 2021
Although it might take a little time to adjust, an answering machine works fine for me. Phone rings, machine answers, I listen, hear nothing and caller hangs up. The pretense here is if they don't want to I.D. themselves, I'm not talking. Plus, it's cheaper than call blocking.
HTMc
May 12, 2021
I cannot seem to block robo calls because the respective callers do not reveal their true telephone number as illustrated by calls identified as my own telephone number.
Rae
May 13, 2021
I still get calls from numbers I have blocked. I get spam and threatening texts and emails
FTC should do …
May 17, 2021
the scammers 'spoof' a fake number that suggests it's geographically close to the target, plus it's usually a disconnected number, blocking does absolutely no good, if it's not a real number, and they just spoof with a new number the next time. quit trying to put the responsibility on the people and YOU do something. Detect mass outgoing calls and delete / block the source. don't put it on the people, pretend you're competent and do something worthwhile for a change ! biden will give you billions in his new socialist empire ! he is killing our country :(
graymare
June 25, 2021
I have had 5 amazon scamers calls today on my landline phone. I would love to know how to stop them. I really want to report the numbers. 317 863 1282- 207 2951271- 317863 4589-317 863 1493- Molly??? 606 418 2554 & 317 863 3512 I am sure this is not the end of them. Plus many more bogus calls.
Jnora
July 22, 2021

In reply to by graymare

I received one the other day that said it was from Iran, for crying out loud!
Amy E
July 15, 2021
It is impossible to totally block these callers when they change the last 4 digits of their number for each call. For example, I had calls from TX area code 726, same prefix but the last 4 digits changed EVERY time. The calls came 3, 4 times a day for about three months. I never answer so they finally gave up. But now, it's just more spammers doing the exact same thing. I can "block #" but that doesn't do anything at all.
HuskerRich
August 09, 2021
The problem is the scammers are Spoofing local verizon cell numbers so your caller ID appears to be legit. Until the Spoofing capability is outlawed, I dont see a way for this to get resolved.
Please do something!
August 11, 2021
855-648-9426~Caller CHOSE not to leave info with the directions on voice mail. Report & block.
Please do something!
August 12, 2021
336-775-5294-CHOSE not to leave info or identify themselves as requested on voicemail
DBuchannan
September 03, 2021
15-20 calls a day are annoying and time consuming. When some have the audacity to use foul language when they are found out. What a disgrace that anyone should have to tolerate such hateful ness.
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