Need a robocall blocker? How to stop robocalls for good!

According to research done by First Orion, nearly half of all incoming phone calls in 2019 have been scam calls. In the U.S., over 4.7 billion robocalls were registered in January of 2020 alone, a 4% increase since December 2019. It’s gotten so bad that more than half of all calls from unknown numbers go unanswered. Instead of picking up, people have begun ignoring calls and searching the numbers up online before deciding whether they should call back or not. The #1 listed reason for this trend? Robocalls. These scammers aren’t just annoying—they’re dangerous too, costing Americans nearly 10 billion dollars in 2019.

Robocall blocking 101 — protect yourself

As of December 30th, 2019, a new bill has become public law—the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence, or TRACED act for short. The act allows you to legally request your number be put on a “Do Not Call” list. Once you do so, it will become illegal for the majority of these services to call you.

While this law is a step in the right direction, it still doesn’t guarantee the calls won’t happen. Some spam companies will happily risk calling you anyway, counting on the potential profits outweighing any penalties they might endure. Other companies, especially scam operations, won’t even know your number is on the list. They won’t have access to that information since they’re working illegally and don’t care anyway.

Apart from new legislation taking place, plenty of third-party solutions, such as call filtering apps supported by mobile carriers, have come out. Unfortunately, it has become apparent that robocalls will not stop unless companies operating them start taking major losses. Luckily, there is finally a way to fight back.

How to send demand letters to robocall providers and get money for your inconvenience

Yes, you read that correctly—not only can you fight back annoying robocalls, but now you also have the opportunity to profit from them. Assuming that your number is on the “Do Not Call” list, the TRACED act allows you to send demand letters to companies that spam called you. Up until this point, the process was too troublesome for most to be bothered with it. In order to create the lawsuit, you needed to:

1. Get hold of your phone records
2. Find information on the company that called you
3. Pay a lawyer to create and file the dispute for you

Now the entire process can be done on your phone or computer. Introducing Robo Revenge, the newest feature of DoNotPay. The tech portal Gizmodo reported on DoNotPay’s latest feature. Here’s how it works:

1. Open DoNotPay through the web app
2. Register your number on the “Do Not Call” list through the app
3. Get a virtual credit card from DoNotPay
4. The next time you receive a call, give your virtual card payment information
5. When the scammers attempt to charge you, DoNotPay will get their information
6. Use the “Robo Revenge” option and let the app send a dispute letter demanding compensation

Under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), individuals may be entitled to seek $500 for each robocall they receive without their consent, and this amount can potentially be tripled to $1,500 if the court finds the violation to be willful or knowing.

If the provider refuses to pay up, you can use DoNotPay to send demand letters to them in small claims court using the information gathered from the attempted transaction. The app will do all the necessary preparation for you within minutes.

How to block incoming robocalls on your iPhone or another device?

Most people don’t want to deal with robocalls—they’d rather prevent them. There are many services, such as phone apps, offering to filter out robocalls. These apps come in forms such as:

• Free
• One time payment
• Subscription service
• Part of your data plan

Most of the apps are third-party, but some of the solutions are created or endorsed by mobile carriers. Robocalls are among the top complaints cell phone service providers receive. As a result, not providing solutions for robocalls has become a frequent reason people switch carriers. Solutions provided include, but are not limited to:

• Options to block numbers
• Crowdsourced lists that people update with information about numbers and reasons for calls
• Prevention of all known robocall numbers from calling your number
• Redirection to voicemail or rejecting calls from all numbers not in your contact list

These solutions can be useful in minimizing spam, but none of them can guarantee 100% protection. This is why we strongly recommend using DoNotPay to register your number on the Do Not Call list and potentially cash in on unwanted calls.

Recommended call filter apps and services

Are all robocalls illegal?

Although equally annoying and unwanted, not all robocalls are illegal. Certain types of government-approved service numbers can call you, regardless of whether your number is on the “Do Not Call” list or not. The most common illegal calls are those trying to sell you something and pushing for payment information. Unless you agree to be called by a specific company regarding product sales, you could use DoNotPay to send demand letters to them and try to get money from them. Here’s a quick table breakdown:

What else can DoNotPay do?

Dealing with spam calls is just one of the features of DoNotPay. The app can help you handle situations such as:

1. Filing for compensation for delayed and canceled flights
2. Canceling unwanted subscriptions and services
3. Waiting in customer care phone lines for you until an agent answers
4. Avoiding surprise charges from expiring free trials with a virtual credit card
5. Suing individuals or companies in small claims court
6. Getting you the fastest DMV appointments
7. Disputing parking tickets
8. Contesting traffic tickets
9. Challenging speeding tickets

There’s plenty of similar educational content available for FREE at the DoNotPay learning center.