Major cell phone carriers tend to offer some sort of spam detection service, and some will even block such calls for you. Generally, pay-as-you-go customers don't have access to these programs, though that does vary by carrier. 



Here's a roundup of the four major carriers in the USA:

  • AT&T offers Call Protect, which offers a free version. The plus version, which offers caller ID with location data, starts at $3.99 a month.

  • Sprint offers a Premium Caller ID for $2.99 a month, but it cannot block spam calls. Gah.

  • T-Mobile identifies spam calls for you without the need to download anything. You can also activate Scam Block, free, to stop spam calls from even ringing on your phone.

  • Verizon offers Call Filter, which is included on Android phones and is a free download for iPhones. This app filters out spam calls. The premium version, which offers caller ID and a personal spam list, starts at $2.99 a month.


Stop Spam Calls on iPhone and Android Using Third-Party Apps


A variety of third-party apps can identify and even block spam calls. Here are a few popular options:

  • Truecaller runs on Android and iPhone, is free, and is generally well-reviewed. It asks for access to your contacts, which is used by the company to build a phone directory.

  • Hiya runs on Android and iPhone, is free, and is also generally well-reviewed.

  • RoboKiller runs on Android and iPhone, requires a monthly subscription starting at $2 a month, and also hilariously wastes the time of spam callers using a combination of AI and pre-recorded messages. You can even listen to the recordings of spammers being trolled if you want a little bit of payback. RoboKiller offers a seven-day free trial.

  • Nomorobo is free for some landlines and costs $2 a month on Android and iPhone.