Smartphone Tips: Silence the Scammers

Smartphone Tips: Silence the Scammers

We believe your computer and phone should work for you, not the other way around. While we usually help you with your computer, we’re going to change things up a bit.  Since quite a few of you now have smartphones, today, we’re going talk about smartphones – both Android and iPhones and show you how to silence the spammers and scammers regardless of what kind of smartphone you use.

The scammers are everywhere these days. But fear not, you don’t have to be a victim. Here is our guide to reducing spam and scams and taking a stand against the miscreants who pester you with all the scammy, spammy text messages and calls.
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Taking Control: Silence the Scammers

For Android smartphone users:

Google has built some smart features right into your phone that act like a digital bouncer.

• Silence the Ring: Open your Phone app, tap those three dots in the corner, and head into Settings. Look for Caller ID & Spam. Turn on “See caller and spam ID” and—most importantly—”Filter spam calls.” Now, when a scammer calls, your phone won’t even ring.

• Clean Up Your Texts: If you use the Google Messages app, tap your profile icon > Message settings > Spam protection. Make sure it’s turned on. Google will start putting those “Your account is locked” texts into a dark corner where you never have to see them.

For the iPhone folks:

Apple’s approach is somewhat akin to a “private club”—if the caller isn’t on the list, they won’t be admitted.

• For the Ultimate Peace and Quiet: Go to Settings > Apps > Phone and tap Silence Unknown Callers. If a number isn’t in your contacts, your phone stays silent and sends them straight to voicemail.

• Inbox Filtering: In Settings > Apps > Messages, turn on Filter Unknown Senders. This creates a separate tab in your messages just for people you don’t know, keeping your main list clean for friends and family.

Time to Fight Back with the “7726” Trick

When a spam text does sneak through, don’t just delete it—report it. Forwarding it to 7726 (which spells SPAM on your keypad) tells your carrier exactly who the bad guys are, so they can block them for everyone.

On an iPhone:

1. Open the spam text (but do not click any links!).
2. Long-press (press and hold) the body of the text message itself.
3. Tap More… in the little menu that pops up.
4. Tap the curved arrow in the bottom-right corner.
5. In the “To:” box, type 7726 and hit Send.
6. Wait: Your carrier will text you back asking for the sender’s number. Go back, copy that number, and text it back to 7726.

On an Android (Google Messages):

1. Open the conversation.
2. Long-press the specific spam message.
3. Tap the three vertical dots (top right) and select Forward.
4. Choose New Message and type 7726 as the recipient.
5. Hit Send.
6. Wait: Just like the iPhone, look for a reply from your carrier asking for the “From” number. Reply with the scammer’s phone number to finish the job.

On a Samsung Phone (Samsung Messages):

1. Open the message.
2. Long-press the text bubble until the menu appears.
3. Select Forward.
4. Enter 7726 in the recipient box and tap Send.
5. Reply to the carrier’s follow-up text with the scammer’s phone number.

A Timely Reminder:

Never reply “STOP” to a text from a number you don’t recognize. To a scammer, “STOP” tells them, “Hey, I’m a real person, and I’m reading your messages!” It only leads to more spam. 

To give you more protection against these digital miscreants, here are the official apps from the big three carriers. Most of these have a free version that covers the basics and a paid version for the “bells and whistles” like Caller ID names.

1. Verizon: Call Filter

Verizon’s tool is great because it usually comes pre-installed on Android phones. If you don’t see it, you can install it from the store.

• Android: Get it on Google Play
• iPhone: Get it on the App Store

The free version automatically blocks “high-risk” (likely fraud) calls. If you want it to block “potential spam” (annoying telemarketers), you just have to toggle that setting on inside the app.

2. AT&T: ActiveArmor

AT&T changed the name of its security app a while back to ActiveArmor. It handles both calls and data security.

• Android: Get it on Google Play
• iPhone: Get it on the App Store

This app has a “Nuisance Call” category. You can set it to “Block,” “Send to Voicemail,” or “Flag.” We recommend “Send to Voicemail”—that way, if a real person is calling from a new number, they can still leave a message.

3. T-Mobile: Scam Shield

T-Mobile is very aggressive about blocking scams at the network level, and this app is your remote control for those settings.

• Android: Get it on Google Play
• iPhone: Get it on the App Store

Look for the “Scam Block” toggle. When you flip this on, T-Mobile stops the call before your phone starts ringing. It’s like having a “No Trespassing” sign that actually works.

One More Thing, Columbo!

If you’re using an iPhone, remember that after you install these apps, you have to tell your phone to let the app do its job:
1. Go to Settings > Phone.
2. Tap Call Blocking & Identification.
3. Turn on the switch for your carrier’s app (Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile).

Now you’re all set to enjoy a much quieter phone!