Question:

What are the best practices to reduce spam calls, emails, and texts after registering on the national do not call list?

I registered on the national do not call list to avoid spam calls, but instead of decreasing, they increased significantly. I also receive a lot of spam emails and texts from different sources. I tried some solutions, such as silencing unknown callers, blocking numbers, and using a mass-unsubscribe plug in, but none of them worked effectively. I do not want to change my phone number or email address, as I have been using them for a long time. How can I stop or minimize these unwanted communications? I am looking for expert advice on this issue.

Answer:

Spam calls, emails, and texts are annoying and intrusive forms of communication that can waste your time, money, and privacy. Many people register on the national do not call list to avoid receiving unsolicited calls from telemarketers and other businesses. However, some people may experience an increase in spam calls, emails, and texts after registering on the list. This is because some scammers and spammers use the list as a source of potential targets, or they simply ignore the list and use spoofing techniques to hide their identity and location. In this article, we will discuss some of the best practices to reduce spam calls, emails, and texts after registering on the national do not call list.

Spam calls

Spam calls are phone calls that are unwanted, unsolicited, or fraudulent. They may try to sell you something, offer you a prize, ask for personal information, or threaten you with legal action. Spam calls can be annoying, disruptive, and potentially dangerous. Here are some tips to reduce spam calls:

• Do not answer or return unknown calls. If you do not recognize the number or caller ID, do not answer the phone. If it is important, the caller will leave a message or contact you through another channel. If you answer a spam call, you may confirm to the caller that your number is active and valid, which may lead to more calls. If you return a spam call, you may incur charges or fees, or expose yourself to scams or frauds.
• Report spam calls to the authorities. If you receive a spam call, you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at [donotcall.gov](https://www.donotcall.gov/) or by calling 1-888-382-1222. You can also report it to your phone carrier, who may be able to block or filter the calls. Reporting spam calls can help the authorities track and stop the spammers and scammers.
• Use a call blocking or screening app or service. There are many apps and services that can help you block or screen spam calls. Some of them are free, while others may charge a fee or require a subscription. Some examples are Nomorobo, RoboKiller, Hiya, Truecaller, and YouMail. These apps and services use various methods to identify and block spam calls, such as blacklists, whitelists, databases, algorithms, or crowdsourcing. You can also use the built-in features of your phone, such as Do Not Disturb, Silence Unknown Callers, or Call Blocking, to filter or reject unwanted calls.

Spam emails

Spam emails are electronic messages that are unwanted, unsolicited, or fraudulent. They may try to advertise a product or service, offer you a deal or a reward, ask for personal or financial information, or infect your device with malware or viruses. Spam emails can be annoying, distracting, and potentially harmful. Here are some tips to reduce spam emails:

• Do not open or reply to spam emails. If you do not recognize the sender or subject, do not open the email. If you open a spam email, you may confirm to the sender that your email address is active and valid, which may lead to more emails. If you reply to a spam email, you may incur charges or fees, or expose yourself to scams or frauds. You may also risk downloading malware or viruses that can damage your device or steal your data.
• Report spam emails to the authorities. If you receive a spam email, you can report it to the FTC at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) or by forwarding it to your email provider. You can also report it to the sender’s email provider, who may be able to block or filter the emails. Reporting spam emails can help the authorities track and stop the spammers and scammers.
• Use an email filtering or blocking app or service. There are many apps and services that can help you filter or block spam emails. Some of them are free, while others may charge a fee or require a subscription. Some examples are Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, SpamAssassin, and MailWasher. These apps and services use various methods to identify and filter spam emails, such as keywords, headers, content, or sender reputation. You can also use the built-in features of your email app or service, such as Spam, Junk, or Trash folders, to sort or delete unwanted emails.

Spam texts

Spam texts are text messages that are unwanted, unsolicited, or fraudulent. They may try to sell you something, offer you a coupon or a gift, ask for personal information, or direct you to a malicious website or app. Spam texts can be annoying, intrusive, and potentially risky. Here are some tips to reduce spam texts:

• Do not respond or click on spam texts. If you do not recognize the sender or content, do not respond to the text. If you respond to a spam text, you may confirm to the sender that your phone number is active and valid, which may lead to more texts. If you click on a link or download an attachment in a spam text, you may incur charges or fees, or expose yourself to scams or frauds. You may also risk downloading malware or viruses that can damage your device or steal your data.
• Report spam texts to the authorities. If you receive a spam text, you can report it to the FTC at [donotcall.gov](https://www.donotcall.gov/) or by calling 1-888-382-1222. You can also report it to your phone carrier, who may be able to block or filter the texts. Reporting spam texts can help the authorities track and stop the spammers and scammers.
• Use a text blocking or filtering app or service. There are many apps and services that can help you block or filter spam texts. Some of them are free, while others may charge a fee or require a subscription. Some examples are Messages, Signal, WhatsApp, Textra, and Mr. Number. These apps and services use various methods to identify and block spam texts, such as blacklists, whitelists, databases, algorithms, or crowdsourcing. You can also use the built-in features of your phone, such as Do Not Disturb, Silence Unknown Senders, or Message Blocking, to filter or reject unwanted texts.

Conclusion

Spam

calls, emails, and texts are common and annoying problems that many people face after registering on the national do not call list. However, there are some best practices that can help you reduce or prevent these unwanted communications. By following these tips, you can protect your time, money, and privacy from spammers and scammers.