The average American receives about 14 scam calls per month. For seniors, the number is often higher because scammers specifically target older phone numbers and landline holders.

The good news is that you can block most of these calls using tools already built into your phone and provided free by your carrier. You do not need to buy anything. You just need to turn on the right settings.

Here is exactly how to do it on iPhone, Android, and through your phone carrier.

iPhone: Silence Unknown Callers

Apple built a powerful scam call blocker directly into every iPhone. It is called "Silence Unknown Callers" and it sends calls from numbers not in your contacts, recent calls, or Siri suggestions straight to voicemail.

To turn it on:

  1. Open Settings
  2. Scroll down and tap Phone
  3. Scroll down to Silence Unknown Callers
  4. Toggle it on (green)

What this does: Any call from a number not in your contacts will go silently to voicemail. If it is a real person with a real reason to call, they will leave a message. Scammers almost never leave messages.

The only downside is that you might miss legitimate calls from new numbers, like a doctor's office calling with test results. Check your voicemail regularly, and add important numbers to your contacts when you receive them.

Add your doctors, pharmacy, and bank to your contacts. Before turning on Silence Unknown Callers, add the phone numbers for your doctor's office, pharmacy, bank, and any other places that call you regularly. This way their calls will still ring through.

iPhone: Report and Block Specific Numbers

If a specific number keeps calling you:

  1. Open the Phone app
  2. Go to Recents
  3. Tap the i icon next to the number
  4. Scroll down and tap Block this Caller

This blocks calls, texts, and FaceTime from that specific number. Scammers change numbers frequently, so this is most useful for persistent callers using the same number.

Android: Call Screening and Spam Protection

Android phones have built-in spam call detection. On most Android phones:

  1. Open the Phone app
  2. Tap the three-dot menu (top right)
  3. Tap Settings
  4. Tap Caller ID & spam
  5. Toggle on See caller and spam ID
  6. Toggle on Filter spam calls

On Google Pixel phones, you also have access to Call Screen, which uses Google Assistant to answer unknown calls, ask the caller's name and purpose, and give you a real-time transcript so you can decide whether to pick up. This is one of the best scam call tools available on any phone.

On Samsung phones, look for Caller ID and spam protection under Phone app settings. Samsung partners with Hiya to identify and block known scam numbers.

Carrier Tools: Free Scam Blocking From Your Phone Company

All major U.S. carriers now offer free scam call blocking tools. You may already have access to these but not know it.

AT&T ActiveArmor

T-Mobile Scam Shield

Verizon Call Filter

Never pay for scam blocking you already have for free. Your carrier's basic scam blocking is free. Some carriers offer premium versions with extra features, but the free version is sufficient for most people. Do not pay for third-party scam blocking apps until you have tried the free options first.

Nomorobo: An Extra Layer of Protection

Nomorobo is a free service for landline phones and a low-cost app for mobile phones. It maintains a massive database of known scam numbers and blocks them automatically.

For landlines, Nomorobo uses "simultaneous ring" technology. When a scam number calls, Nomorobo answers on the first ring and hangs up. Your phone only rings once and stops. It is free for landlines and requires no equipment.

For mobile phones, Nomorobo costs about $2 per month and works alongside your carrier's built-in tools for an additional layer of protection.

To set up Nomorobo on your landline, visit nomorobo.com and follow the setup instructions for your phone provider (Comcast, Spectrum, AT&T, etc.).

Register on the Do Not Call List

While the National Do Not Call Registry will not stop criminal scammers (they do not follow the law), it will reduce the number of legitimate telemarketing calls you receive. Register at donotcall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222 from the phone you want to register.

Registration is free and does not expire. After registration, if you still receive telemarketing calls from legitimate companies, you can report them through the same website.

The Best Setup: Layer Your Protection

For maximum protection, use all of these together:

  1. Turn on your phone's built-in spam blocking (Silence Unknown Callers on iPhone, Spam Protection on Android)
  2. Download and activate your carrier's free scam blocking app
  3. Register on the Do Not Call list
  4. Add your important contacts (doctors, pharmacy, bank) to your address book

These steps take about 15 minutes and will dramatically reduce the number of scam calls you receive. If you are setting this up for a parent, sit with them and do it together. Walk them through what will happen when a call is silenced and how to check voicemail.

Got a suspicious message? Check it free at NoScamForMe.com before you respond. It takes seconds and could save you thousands.