Apple has shared three straightforward ways iPhone users can adjust their settings for peace of mind
Fed up with constant spam calls? There’s a simple fix to halt them entirely or drastically cut down their frequency. Taking swift action could be important if you want to safeguard your hard-earned cash from being drained.
Some scammers are incredibly convincing and can extract your personal details within moments, leaving your bank account nearly empty before you’ve even cottoned on to what’s happening. So what’s the solution?
Apple has advised iPhone owners that they can switch on the built-in Silence Unknown Callers feature, and if that’s not for you, there are two other methods available. Here’s everything you need to know, reports the Mirror.
Screen or silence unknown callers
- Phone app: Scroll to Screen Unknown Callers, then select Never, Ask Reason for Calling or Silence. Never means calls from unsaved numbers ring like any other call; Ask Reason for Calling means these calls are screened (the caller is asked why they’re calling before your phone even rings); and Silence automatically silences these calls and sends them to voicemail.
- FaceTime: Tap to turn on Silence Unknown Callers. Calls from unknown numbers are silenced and sent to voicemail.
Filter unknown callers
- Go to Settings, then tap Apps. Tap Phone or FaceTime
- Scroll down to Call Filtering, and turn on Unknown Callers. Missed calls and voicemails from unknown numbers are moved to your Unknown Callers list
- If you want to see your Unknown Callers list in the Phone app or FaceTime, tap the Filter button, then tap Unknown Callers. In the Phone app, this appears in the Recents tab in Classic view, and in the Calls tab in Unified.
Silence spam callers
- Navigate to Settings, then select Apps. Select Phone or FaceTime.
- Scroll to Call Filtering and activate your spam filter: FaceTime: Toggle on FaceTime Spam. Calls flagged as Spam or fraud are muted and transferred to the Spam list.
- On your phone app: Toggle on Spam. Calls marked as Spam or fraud by your mobile network provider are muted, directed to voicemail and shifted to your Spam list.
- To access your Spam list, simply tap the Filter button, followed by Spam. Within the Phone app, you’ll find this in the Recents tab when using Classic view, or in the Calls tab if you’re using Unified view.
Contacts warning
Apple stresses that when activating these features, it’s essential to add trusted contacts to your address book to avoid missing important calls from family, friends, your child’s school, workplace, or GP surgery. “If you call the emergency services, call screening turns off for 24 hours”, the company cautions.
Telephone Preference Service
Following Apple’s latest guidance for users, the technology firm isn’t the only one working to tackle nuisance calls. Citizens Advice specialists suggest registering with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) as a helpful step.
After registering, your number is placed on a database of individuals who don’t want to receive sales and marketing calls. It’s against the law for salespeople, whether operating from the UK or overseas, to ring numbers registered with TPS.
It adds: “Registering won’t stop automated marketing calls, also known as ‘computer-generated calls’. This is because the law only applies to people, not computers. You should talk to your telephone provider about how to stop these calls.”
The fastest method to register is by completing the TPS online registration form on the TPS website. To register with TPS you’ll need your: It’s worth noting that registering with the TPS won’t stop scam calls from getting through.
Details on how to report scams can be accessed here. Information about reporting fraudulent activity is available here.