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A lot of people own two different types of phones. They have a cell phone for everyday use and then have a landline in case of emergencies or simply for convenience.
While you might be using your cellphone for most, if not all, of your calls, your landline might still be getting calls from spam robots. CNet reports that Americans received 50.5 billion robocalls in 2021 — which is an improvement on 2019’s 58 million.
Landlines are just as likely to receive spam calls as mobile phones, unfortunately. And the companies that call you wouldn’t do so if they weren’t sure they could con some people out of their money or personal information. Even if you’re one of the people who can see through their manipulations, they’ve turned others into victims. Plus, having spam calls interrupt your day can be frustrating.
The National Do Not Call Registry, which has mostly been able to target legitimate businesses, isn’t always much help. But the Federal Communications Commission has recently become more aggressive in working to crack down on spam calls, especially the ones that are trying to sell you an auto warranty. This involved ordering U.S.-based telecom providers to stop carrying call traffic from culpable companies.
Stop Unwanted Calls With The Best Cordless Phone
So, how do you prevent these unwanted calls from occurring on your landline other than taking your phone off the hook? For starters, stop answering any calls where you don’t recognize the number. The best cordless phones will show you the number on the caller ID. If the caller is legitimate, they’ll leave you a message so you can call back. However, this doesn’t always work, especially when you’re waiting for an important call from a doctor’s office or repair service.
Most of the best new cordless phones on the market come with caller ID and are pre-programmed to identify spam calls, allowing you to block them. If your phone has seen better days and you’re in the market for a new one, check out our favorite best cordless phone picks.
Get A Call Blocker
If your landline is an old-school copper line, you can buy a piece of hardware called a call blocker. They usually come pre-programmed with thousands of known spam numbers and you can add any new numbers that break through. This won’t be as up-to-date as using a software-based service, but it’s still pretty useful, and may be one of your best options.
Use Available Anti-Spam Software
While there are anti-spam apps available for cellphones, there are only a few options available for VoIP (voice over internet protocol) landlines. Nomorobo is quite popular and effective. Once you register your number with them, your phone rings simultaneously at your home and through the company’s screening system. If the number appears as a spam call in their database, the system automatically disrupts the call and hangs up. The downside is this application works on most VoIP phones, such as Vonage, Optimum or Verison FiOS, but if you have a true landline, it won’t be beneficial.
Ask your landline providers to see if any anti-spam software is available, as some might offer third-party solutions. If your carrier doesn’t have anti-spam software, it might be able to warn you when a call could be coming from a robot or spammer. Verizon, for example, currently lets you flag spam calls. Simply switch on the filter to auto-block high-risk spam calls.
Spam calls are annoying. While you can’t stop every single one that comes through on your landline, you do have the power to put the kibosh on many of them, and that’s a big win for all of us.
This story originally appeared on Don't Waste Your Money. Checkout Don't Waste Your Money for product reviews and other great ideas to save and make money.
