Stop robocalls and spam calls for good

How to stop robocalls

Robocalls, automated calls using a prerecorded or synthetic voice, are the single biggest source of unwanted call complaints in the country. Stopping them usually takes a layered approach, since no single tool blocks everything.

• Register every number you use on the National Do Not Call registry (it's free, and takes about 31 days to fully take effect)
• Turn on your carrier's built-in call-screening or spam-labeling feature
• Avoid answering unknown numbers. Answering, even to hang up, can confirm your number is active to auto-dialers
• Directly ask any legitimate company that calls to add you to their internal do-not-call list
• Keep a simple log of repeat callers, including dates and numbers. It matters if you ever need to pursue a claim

How to block spam calls

Most smartphones now include a built-in spam call blocker. On iPhone and Android, carrier-level spam filtering (often free) will label or silence likely spam automatically. Third-party call-blocking apps add crowdsourced number databases on top of that.

What blocking does and doesn't fix

Spam blockers are good at catching known scam numbers, but callers who spoof local area codes or rotate through new numbers regularly slip past filters. If you're blocking calls constantly and they keep coming from new numbers, that pattern itself can be evidence of a TCPA violation.

Who is calling me?

A number that calls repeatedly, often with no voicemail left, or a robotic voice when you do answer, is almost always either a telemarketer, a debt collector, or a scam operation using an autodialer. Reverse-lookup tools can sometimes identify the caller, but many operations use spoofed or rotating numbers specifically to avoid being identified or blocked.

If you don't recognize a number that keeps calling, the safest move is not to engage, and to document the calls in case they add up to a claim, or submit it using the lookup tool above.

The National Do Not Call list, explained

The Do Not Call Registry is a free, federal list maintained by the FTC. Once your number has been listed for 31 days, telemarketers are legally prohibited from calling it for sales purposes. Debt collectors and some other categories of callers are exempt, but general telemarketing calls are not.

If a telemarketer calls a number that's been on the registry for more than 31 days, that call is very likely a violation, and it's one of the more straightforward TCPA claims to bring.

Getting too many spam calls?

If you feel like you're fielding call after call every single day, you're not imagining it; spam and robocall volume has climbed for years faster than blocking tools can keep up. The good news is that volume itself can work in your favor: every illegal call is a separate violation, and they add up.

When unwanted calls become a TCPA claim

Not every annoying call is illegal, but a lot of them are. You likely have a claim worth pursuing if any of the following are true:

• You're getting robocalls or prerecorded messages without ever giving consent
• You're receiving marketing texts you never opted into
• Your number is on the Do Not Call registry and telemarketers are still calling
• You've directly told a company to stop calling, and they keep calling anyway

Each of these is worth $500 to $1,500 per violation under the TCPA, and calls or texts that repeat over time can add up quickly.

Frequently asked questions

Does blocking a number stop a TCPA violation from counting?

No. Blocking stops the call from reaching you, but the violation already happened the moment an illegal call or text was sent. Keep a record even for calls you've blocked.

Do I need to answer the phone to have a claim?

No. Missed calls, voicemails, and texts all count. In fact, not answering is generally the safer choice.

How long do I have to file a claim?

TCPA claims generally have a four-year window from the date of the violation, but it's best to act while records like call logs and texts are still available.