Save up to 44%
Get the app
Practical steps that cut down cold calls on iPhone and Android, and what to do about the ones that keep coming.
Sales calls are one of the most common complaints people have about their phone. The good news is that a few free steps remove a large share of them. The steps below work in the UK and take about ten minutes in total.
The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is a free UK register. When you add your number, companies that follow the law are not allowed to make marketing calls to it. You can register at tpsonline.org.uk or by calling 0345 070 0707. It can take up to 28 days to take full effect.
The TPS only stops legitimate companies. Scammers and companies abroad ignore it, so you still need the steps below.
Blocking works well for a single number, but sales callers often switch to a new number each time.
On an iPhone, go to Settings, then Phone, then Silence Unknown Callers. Calls from numbers that are not in your contacts go straight to voicemail. Android phones have a similar option, usually called Block unknown callers or Caller ID and spam, inside the Phone app settings. The drawback is that a genuine call from a new number, such as a doctor or delivery driver, also goes to voicemail.
If a recorded message tells you to press a number to be removed from a list, hang up instead. Pressing a button tells the caller that your number is live, which often leads to more calls.
You can report unwanted marketing calls to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk. Report silent or abandoned calls to Ofcom at ofcom.org.uk. Your report helps the regulators take action against repeat offenders.
VerovaShield is a UK app that blocks nuisance, sales and scam callers before they ring, so you do not have to block each number by hand. It can also check a phone number for you in seconds, so you know whether a call is worth answering.
VerovaShield checks any text, email, link or phone number in seconds, and blocks nuisance, sales and scam callers before they ring.