T-Mobile customers are getting help in fighting the scourge of robocalls.
The company that refers to itself as the “Un-carrier” has rolled out Scam Shield, a series of new free protections.
These features include:
- Scam ID and blocking that flags suspicious calls and allows customers to block scam calls
- Enhanced caller ID that lets you know when a call is verified as coming from a real person or business
- T-Mobile PROXY, a second phone number that allows you to keep your personal number private
- The ability to change your phone number if your personal number becomes a “spam magnet”
- A Scam Shield app, where you can activate the new free protections and, for an extra charge, access more advanced call controls
Anyone with service from T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile or Sprint can get Scam Shield for free. (T-Mobile acquired Sprint earlier this year.) Visit T-Mobile’s Scam Shield webpage to learn more.
The T-Mobile announcement comes roughly a year after carriers such as AT&T, Comcast, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon announced an agreement with attorneys general from every state and Washington, D.C., to crack down on robocalls.
As we reported at the time, the carriers agreed to:
- Implement call-blocking technology.
- Offer anti-robocall tools for free to customers.
- Deploy a system that labels calls as real or spam.
The agreement did not set a deadline for such changes.
How to stop robocalls
If you are not a T-Mobile customer — or simply want to add more fire to the fight against robocalls — there are steps you can take to end spam calls.
Your phone may have some built-in anti-robocall technology. As we report in “8 Steps to Put an End to Robocalls“:
“For example, certain Android devices offer caller ID and spam protection, and some Apple iOS devices offer a relatively new feature called “Silence Unknown Callers,” which enables you to send spam calls directly to voicemail.”
You can also turn to a third-party app that helps block robocalls. Last year, we highlighted some of the best based on their Google Play and App Store ratings, and because of their Federal Trade Commission recognition and privacy policies. Learn more in “5 Apps That Block Robocalls.”
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