If you've ever raced to your desk phone mid-project only to see "Scam Likely" flashing again, the pattern isn't in your head: YouMail's Robocall Index tracked 52.5 billion robocalls to U.S. phones in 2025 alone. Under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, most robocalls require your prior written consent, with narrow exceptions for political, charitable, and debt-collection calls. No single tool eliminates them, but combining your carrier's built-in blocking, a call-blocking app, and the National Do Not Call Registry meaningfully cuts down how many get through.
Take Advantage of Your Wireless Carrier's Call-Blocking Tools
Each major U.S. carrier now offers some form of built-in spam and scam protection, though what's free versus paid varies:
- T-Mobile®'s Scam Shield is built into the network itself and includes Scam ID (flagging likely scam calls) and Scam Block (blocking them outright), largely at no extra cost. You can turn it on through your account, the Scam Shield app, or by dialing #662# from a T-Mobile phone.
- Verizon®'s Call Filter includes free spam detection and number reporting, with a paid tier that adds full caller ID and a Neighborhood Filter to silence unfamiliar local area codes.
- AT&T®'s ActiveArmor offers free fraud and spam call blocking, plus an Advanced tier with additional identity protection features.
Check your carrier's current plans for exact pricing and what's included, since these programs get updated fairly often.
Download a Call-Blocking App
A dedicated call-blocking app can add another layer of protection, especially if your carrier's tools miss something. These apps use crowdsourced call data to predict which calls are likely spam and filter them before they reach you.
Look for an app with strong, recent ratings in your device's app store, automatic call blocking, spam alerts, and the ability to report a number that gets through. Reviews and comparisons from independent tech publications are a good way to compare current options before installing one.
Register with the National Do Not Call Registry
Adding your number to the National Do Not Call Registry stops legitimate telemarketers from calling you. It's worth doing, but it's not a defense against illegal scam robocalls, since scammers are already breaking the law by calling and have no reason to follow a do-not-call list too.
Report Suspicious Calls and Texts
File a complaint with the FTC or FCC, or report the number directly through donotcall.gov. Even if the number looks fake or spoofed, reporting it still helps, since the FTC analyzes calling patterns across many reports to identify illegal callers. You can also forward spam text messages to 7726 (SPAM) to notify your carrier; it won't block the sender immediately, but it helps your carrier investigate and act on it.
Reduce the Noise, Not Eliminate It
None of these tools fully stop robocalls on their own, but layering your carrier's protection, a call-blocking app, and the Do Not Call Registry meaningfully cuts down how many reach you. Robocalls are also a common vector for the kind of scams covered in How to Tell if Someone Is Scamming You Online, so if you've gotten a suspicious call asking for personal information, that's worth a read too.
