Combatting Spam Calls: How to Protect Yourself from Unwanted Calls and Scams in 2025
Are you tired of receiving spam calls that disrupt your day with unwanted services or scams? In 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received over 2.6 million complaints about various types of calls, including debt reduction, imposters, medical and prescriptions, energy, solar, utilities, and home improvement. Arizona had the highest number of complaints per capita, followed by Florida, Tennessee, Illinois, Nevada, Colorado, Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey, and Oklahoma.
Common complaints also included debt reduction, medical and prescription calls, warranties, energy, solar, utilities, computer and tech equipment, home improvement, and vacations. Robocalls, automated calls delivering recorded messages, were prevalent in most categories, with live callers mainly in the home improvement and cleaning category.
While robocalls may seem unstoppable, there are ways to reduce them. You can start by checking your phone settings for built-in features like Apple's Silence Unknown Callers or Android's call-blocking settings. Your phone carrier may offer call-blocking services, and you can sign up for the national Do Not Call registry. Smartphone apps like Nomorobo, YouMail, Hiya, RoboKiller, and TrueCaller can also help block spam calls.
It's essential not to engage with robocalls or scammers. The FTC advises against pressing numbers or speaking to them, as it may lead to more calls. Cybersecurity experts recommend not saying "yes" during suspicious calls, as scammers can use your confirmation for fraudulent activities. By taking these precautions, you can reduce the number of spam calls you receive and protect yourself from potential scams.