Robocalls are a menace to modern society. So you resort to a third-party app to block them and all’s well, right? Actually, no.
As it turns out, many popular robocall-blocking apps such as TrapCall and Truecaller don’t have your best interests in mind.
According to TechCrunch and Dan Hastings, a security researcher at NCC Group, many top robocall-blocking apps share your phone number with analytics firms and uploading device information such as device type and software version to companies like Facebook without your explicit consent,
Yikes!
And while some these apps released “fixes” after getting caught red-handed, the damage is already done. How can you even trust any of them anymore? You could go and read their lengthy privacy policies to see exactly what data they collect, or you can find another way to block and reduce robocalls without using third-party apps. Here’s how you can do that.
1. Register your number on the Do Not Call List
According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), one of the simplest ways to block robocalls and telemarketers is to register your phone number on the Do Not Call List, which makes it illegal for them to call you.
It’s not foolproof. I added my phone number to the list over a decade ago and still get calls from telemarketers, but I’m sure I would get way more if I didn’t. Do yourself a solid and add your number.
Note: It takes 31 days for telemarketers to stop calling your number once it’s on the Do Not Call List. So be patient.
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