1. Register your number
Add your phone number to the ‘Do Not Call’ register at www.donotcall.gov.au – it’s free and it should remove you from most lists. It can take up to 30 days for all calls to desist.
2. Answer the phone
If you keep receiving calls from your former bank or insurance company but have no intention of speaking to them, the best thing you can do is actually answer the phone and ask to be removed from their call/contact lists. This means you no longer give the company permission to contact you.
3. Block the number
If you keep getting calls from survey centres, charities or nuisance numbers and know the numbers on sight, the best thing you can do is block the number from your phone. On an iPhone, simply select the number from your recent calls screen and press the ‘I’ for information. Scroll down to the ‘block this caller’ option. On an Android phone, select the number from your call log, hold down and an option menu should pop up. Click the ‘block/report’ option.
4. Download an app
There are now apps that can filter calls and SMS messages on iPhone and Android, such as Truecaller. These apps can block the calls and SMS from ever coming through. PC Mag also recommends RoboKiller and Nomorob for blocking robotic calls.
5. Be proactive
If you find that you get a lot of unwanted random phone calls then you may need to be more proactive in protecting and sharing your phone number. Never provide your phone number on online forms if it isn’t absolutely necessary, and avoid giving it out to strangers or via social media.
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