Instagram has a new tactic to stop unsolicited pics. Why it falls short in this brief podcast.
Area codes and numbers that are probably spam
Whew, the election’s over. The onslaught of robocalls and texts is over, too … right? Nope.
There are fewer political calls and messages, sure, but there are always scammers and spammers. It may be easier for these creeps to get a hold of us now that our phones aren’t constantly lighting up with election-related notifications.
Today, I’m sharing how to spot scammers faster and the privacy tool I used to cut my spam calls to zero. That’s right — I get none at all.
If you see these, don’t answer
It’s surprisingly easy to spoof phone numbers. A scammer can make it look like they’re calling from your bank or doctor’s office so you’re more likely to hand over your info.
Here’s what they definitely don’t want me to tell you: They spoof numbers from some area codes more than others. If you get a call from one of these area codes and you don’t recognize the number, let it go to voicemail:
- 216: Cleveland, Ohio
- 469: Dallas, Texas
- 657: La Palma, California
- 332, 347, 646: New York City
- 218: Northern Minnesota
- 712: Western Iowa
‘Any specific numbers I should watch for?’
Glad you asked. Certain spam numbers can get past your carrier. Give these a read so you’re better at spotting cybercriminals’ tricks:
- (865) 630-4266: This one’s tied to a Wells Fargo scam telling you your account has been locked.
- (469) 709-7630: Callers from this number will use your name and say you have a package awaiting delivery.
- (805) 637-7243: Hooray! You won a prize from Publishers Clearing House … not.
- (858) 605-9622: Someone’s trying to tell you your bank accounts have been hacked. (They haven’t.)
- (312) 339-1227: This one has a ton of scams associated with it, from weight loss supplements to failed package delivery attempts.
- (917) 540-7996: It’s an automated robocaller advertising any number of products.
- (347) 437-1689: Tax and sweepstakes scams are common for this number.
- (301) 307-4601: This one pretends to be your local post office.
- (878) 877-1402: More “frozen debit card” claims.
- (202) 221-7923: “Kelsey” calls with info about student loan forgiveness initiatives.
So, what can you do about this?
- The obvious one: Put yourself on the Do Not Call Registry. It’s worth doing, but just keep in mind it’ll only make a dent in the number of calls you receive … or have no impact at all.
- Block numbers: On an iPhone, you can block a caller by hitting the Info button (lowercase i icon) next to the call, then tapping Block this Caller. On Android, select the call in your Phone app, tap the three dots > Block/report spam. Blocking a number, though, doesn’t do much; spammers will just fire up a new one.
- Report it to the feds: Go to ftc.gov. Select Report to the FTC > Report Now > Report an annoying call. Maybe they’ll check it out … or maybe not.
Use this trick to stop spam texts on your Android phone
Spam messages are no longer confined to your email inbox. They can now show up on your phone as text messages. Spam messages can range from harmless and annoying to invasive and dangerous.
Carriers and smartphone developers offer built-in tools to combat spam. You can block calls and filter numbers from unknown senders if you have an iPhone. You can even report spam messages as junk. Tap or click here to learn more.
🛑 Nothing but blue skies: X recently changed its policies to where if you block someone, they can still see your profile and posts. Competitor BlueSky, meanwhile, added 500,000 new members in just one day. I’m going to start posting on BlueSky and see what happens. Too many people on X are mean.
Block spam texts on your iPhone once and for all
Is your phone full of blocked numbers as a result of spam calls? These types of calls can range from nuisances to dangerous scams.
Being more discrete with your phone number can help reduce the number of unwanted calls. Tap or click here for tips on keeping your number private.
Here’s how someone knows you’ve blocked them on social media
Social media is an effective tool for staying in touch with friends and family. Facebook is the most used platform, with 2.8 billion users worldwide. Are you locked out of your social media account? Watch out for scammers promising to help.
📸 Sayonara, snoops: A Japanese sportswear brand just launched infrared-blocking fabric to protect athletes from creepy photographers looking to take naked pics. Clothes already block visible light, but this new material stops thermal cameras from capturing heat signatures. Neat, right?
How to stop someone from seeing what you post on Twitter without blocking them
Social media can be a hostile environment. When people get behind the keyboard, they feel empowered to say just about anything, because hey, it’s all online, right? Tap or click here to find out how to schedule tweets ahead of time.
This great freebie from Google stops annoying robocalls and gives you a second phone number
Fun fact: Two of the most popular tips on my website over the years are all about blocking your number and revealing the identity of blocked or strange numbers calling you.
I get the curiosity. It’s not always a robocaller ringing you from a number you don’t recognize. Tap or click here for four ways to find anyone’s cellphone number online.