Last year Americans received over 50 billion robocalls. That works out to more than 150 calls for every man, woman and child in the country. For adults over 50 the problem feels even worse because many still keep a home landline for emergencies.
These automated calls interrupt dinner, scare people with fake IRS threats, and waste hours of precious time. The good news is you can fight back with free or low-cost tools already on your phones.
This guide walks you through exactly what to do, step by step, using settings built into your current devices. No fancy gadgets required. You will sleep better knowing your phone rings only when it should.
Why Robocalls Exploded After 2019
The Federal Communications Commission reported that robocalls jumped sharply after a 2019 court ruling weakened rules on automatic dialers. YouMail, a call-blocking service, counted 4.6 billion robocalls in March 2025 alone.
That is roughly 148 million calls every single day. Scammers use cheap software that can dial thousands of numbers per minute. Many calls pretend to come from your local area code to trick you into answering.
The FCC says about one in five calls to older adults now involves fraud attempts. Common scams include fake Social Security suspensions, Medicare changes, and lottery wins that ask for bank details.
Understanding the scale helps you realize you are not alone and that solutions exist.
Free Built-in Tools on Cell Phones
Most smartphones already have strong robocall protection. On an iPhone running iOS 18 or later, open Settings, tap Phone, then Silence Unknown Callers. This sends calls from numbers not in your contacts straight to voicemail.
For Android phones with version 12 or higher, go to Phone app, tap the three dots, choose Settings, then Blocked numbers or Caller ID & spam protection. Google’s built-in filter labels suspected spam before you answer.
Both systems improved in 2024 with new “Verified Caller” badges that show when a business has proven its identity. Turn on these features today and you will cut unwanted calls by up to 70 percent according to consumer tests by Consumer Reports.
Blocking Calls on Traditional Home Phones
Landline users have options too. Most newer cordless phones from brands like Panasonic and VTech include a built-in call block button. Press it during a robocall and the number is added to a reject list holding up to 100 or 200 entries.
If your phone is older than five years, consider a $25 call blocker device that plugs between the wall jack and your phone. Popular models such as the CPR Call Blocker V500 store up to 5,000 numbers and update a shared blacklist weekly.
The FCC’s Traceback Consortium also lets you report the call by dialing 1-800-333-3474 after hanging up. Carriers use these reports to shut down entire scam networks.
Apps That Work on Both Phones and Landlines
Nomorobo offers a free service for VoIP landlines such as those from Ooma, Vonage, or Xfinity Voice. After a quick setup it stops 95 percent of robocalls on the first ring.
For cell phones, the free version of YouMail replaces your voicemail with a smarter system that transcribes messages and blocks known spam. Truecaller, used by over 400 million people worldwide, maintains a crowd-sourced list of 300 million spam numbers updated daily.
A paid version costs about $4 per month and removes ads while adding reverse lookup. Consumer Reports testing in 2025 showed these three apps blocked between 88 and 97 percent of test robocalls.
Registering With the National Do Not Call List
Since 2003 the National Do Not Call Registry has let consumers add their numbers at donotcall.gov. As of 2025 it holds over 244 million phone numbers. Legitimate telemarketers must check the list every 31 days and stop calling registered numbers.
It does not stop scammers, but it reduces legal sales calls by about 60 percent according to FTC data. Add both your cell and landline. The process takes two minutes. After registration, report violations on the same website.
The FTC fined companies more than $100 million in 2024 for illegal calls to registered numbers.
What to Do When a Call Gets Through
Never press any number to speak with a live person or to be removed from a list. That confirms your number is active and can lead to more calls. Hang up immediately. On smartphones, tap the info icon next to the recent call and choose Block this Caller.
Report the number to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to your carrier. Carriers such as Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile added free “Call Filter” or “ActiveArmor” services in 2023 that now stop most spoofed calls before they ring.
If you receive government-impersonation calls, forward details to the Treasury Inspector General at 1-800-366-4484.
Setting a Family Safety Routine
Create one weekly habit: review your blocked-call list every Sunday evening. This takes less than five minutes and lets you unblock any neighbor or doctor’s office that got caught by mistake.
Teach grandchildren the same rule so the whole family stays protected. Many older adults worry about missing important calls from family or doctors. Set favorite contacts to always ring through on both iPhone and Android.
Most phones also let you create a special ringtone for these important numbers so you never miss them even when silence-unknown-callers is turned on.
Call Blocking Tools Compared
| Tool | Best For | Monthly Cost | Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|---|
| iOS Silence Unknown | iPhone users | Free | 70% |
| Android Caller ID & spam | Android users | Free | 75% |
| Nomorobo | VoIP landlines | Free | 95% |
| YouMail | Cell + voicemail | Free tier | 88% |
| CPR V500 device | Traditional landlines | $25 one-time | 90% |
You do not need to become a technology expert to reclaim your quiet evenings. Start with the two-minute change of turning on your phone’s built-in spam filter today. In one week you should notice fewer interruptions.
Add your number to the Do Not Call Registry next. For your landline, check if your current phone has a block button or consider the simple plug-in device. Each small step adds up to real peace of mind.
Millions of adults just like you have already cut their unwanted calls dramatically. Celebrate each quiet dinner as a small win. Your phone should serve you, not the other way around.
Take these steps this week and enjoy the calm that follows.
Sources
- YouMail, 'Robocall Index,' YouMail.com (2025)
- Federal Communications Commission, 'Robocall and Spoofing Report,' FCC.gov (2024)
- Federal Trade Commission, 'Do Not Call Registry Data Book,' FTC.gov (2025)
- Consumer Reports, 'Best Robocall Blocking Apps and Services,' ConsumerReports.org (2025)