🔐Securing your account: Part 2: Phone Number

Imagine your phone rings every hour. Regardless of what you are doing, you leave that to attend to the call thinking it is something important only to find out it is yet another scam call.  Sure, this can be very frustrating and lately, the volume of scam calls has greatly increased ever since the election. If you have become a target for scam callers, you are not alone! This is a reality many of us around the world deal with daily. 

Isn’t it interesting though that only some of us get increasing amount of scam calls while others don’t?  What makes me so special that I must deal with hundreds of scams calls every month?  Why do some people seem to receive an endless number of scam calls, while others hardly receive any?  And what can you really do, beyond blocking numbers, to help secure your phone number?  This issue comes with serious consequences.  So, in today’s episode of “Securing Your Account” Part 2, let’s take a closer look at what it means and some key steps you can take to protect yourself.

WHY ME? WHY NOT YOU?

From a research standpoint, it is not always entirely clear why your number may be a frequent target for scammers.  There are some possibilities outline below that you can use to deduce your own behavioral pattern when it comes to your digital footprint;

1. Your Number Has Been Exposed or Sold: One of the most prevalent reasons you’re receiving spam calls is that your number has been compromised in a data breach or sold by a business you’ve dealt with.  Organizations often keep your phone number, and if their databases happen to be hacked or sold, scammers can catch a break.  Other companies also sell consumer data to third-party marketing firms, which can inadvertently forward it onto bad actors, including phone numbers.

2. You’ve Had Previous Contact with Scammers: If you’ve answered a scam call before, pressed a button as instructed, or engaged in conversation with the caller, scammers mark your number as “active.”  That makes you a more attractive target for future calls because they know you are likely to pick up.

3. Robocalls and Random Dialing: Robocallers use computer systems to dial random phone numbers, generally aiming for broad blocks of area codes.  If your number is within a frequently targeted range, you may simply be one of the unlucky ones repeatedly swept up in their net.

4. Publicly Accessible Information: If your phone number is available publicly—on social media, a website, or in a public directory—scam callers can easily scrape your number and add you to their long-distance calling lists.

5. Frequent Sign-Ups Online: Signing up for giveaways, free trials, or online accounts typically requires you to provide your phone number.  Some of these services could share your information with third parties, or their databases might be less secure than you realize.

SAFEGUARD YOUR PHONE NUMBER

Let’s be honest.  Scam calls are difficult to completely eradicate however, there are plenty of steps you can take to minimize their frequency and safeguard your phone number from future exposure:

1. Sign Up for the Do Not Call Registry
   In many countries, you can place your number in a government managed “Do Not Call” database.  In the U.S., for example, you can sign up at donotcall.gov. (This won’t put an end to illegal scam calls, but it can cut down on the number of legitimate telemarketing calls you receive.)

2. Use Call Blocking Apps
   Apps such as Truecaller, RoboKiller, or Hiya can help identify and block known spam numbers.  These apps have extensive, continuously updated databases of scam numbers and can filter them out automatically.  Some apps also let you report scam callers, helping to feed into global efforts to identify and stop scammers.

3. Enable Carrier-Level Spam Protection: These tools can detect suspicious calls and label them “Scam Likely” or block them completely before they even ring. Many mobile carriers also offer free (or premium) services to block scam calls:

• AT&T ActiveArmor

• T-Mobile Scam Shield

• Verizon Call Filter

4. Remove Your Phone Number from Your Public Profile
   Be conscious of where you put your phone number.  Do not mention it publicly on social media or your websites.  Use a second number for online signups, promos, and other times when you don’t want your real number out there.  Consider services that provide disposable phone numbers, such as Google Voice or Burner.

5. Silence Unknown Callers
   You can silence calls from unknown numbers on both iPhones and Android phones. Here’s how:

• On iPhones: Open Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers.

• On Android: Find a third-party app or the “Block Unknown Callers” option in your phone settings.

6. Do Not Engage with Suspicious Calls
   If you accidentally answer the call, do not press anything, do not reply, and do not engage.  The best option is to simply hang up.

7. Use a Private Phone Number for Sensitive Transactions
   Use a private phone number that you only share with close friends and family. Minimize the potential fallout by just using a separate number for business or online transactions.

REPORTING SCAM CALLS

Reporting scam calls not only helps protect you but also aids broader efforts to crack down on these operations. Here’s how you can report scam calls:

• Report Spam Texts to Your Carrier:
  In the U.S., forward spam messages to 7726 (SPAM).  It is used for spam collection and blocking by most major carriers.

• File a Complaint with Authorities:
  Report scam calls to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov or the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) at fcc.gov/complaints.

• Use Reporting Features in Apps:
  Apps like Truecaller enable you to flag and report scam numbers to raise awareness among other users.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Scam calls can be a never-ending annoyance, but you’re not helpless.  There are steps you can take to protect your number, reduce the number of these calls, and make your phone less appealing to scammers. Here’s a recap of what you can do:

• Register your number with the Do Not Call Registry.

• Use apps like Truecaller or RoboKiller to block spam calls.

• Use carrier-level spam protection (like T-Mobile Scam Shield or Verizon Call Filter).

• Don’t share your primary phone number needlessly—use disposable numbers when signing up for something online.

• Silence unknown callers so that they won’t interrupt your day.

• Report fraudulent calls to your carrier, the FTC, or other agencies to help combat these operations.

Scam calls might never go away completely, but with these tools and practices, you can take back control and find a little peace of mind in your digital life.  Protecting your phone number is not only in your interest—it’s part of a bigger battle against bad actors.  With cooperation, we can make scam calls an issue of the past.