Cutting Down Nuisance and Scam Calls: Two Free Tools That Actually Work
What you'll learn Two free, official tools that between them cut down a large share of unwanted phone calls: the UK's Telephone Preference Service, and a newer AI-based protection built into Android phones that spots faked bank calls. Neither costs anything, and neither needs any technical skill to set up.
Software for Seniors
9/5/20262 min read
Two different problems, two different tools
Unwanted calls generally fall into two camps. There are legitimate companies cold-calling to sell you something — annoying, but technically legal unless you've opted out. And there are scammers deliberately faking who's calling to trick you — illegal, and far more serious. Different tools handle each.
1. Stopping legitimate marketing calls: the Telephone Preference Service
The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is a free, official UK register. Once you're on it, it becomes illegal for most companies to call you for sales or marketing purposes without your specific permission.
Visit www.tpsonline.org.uk, or call 0345 070 0707 (the call is free)
Register your landline and/or mobile number — you can do both
Allow around 28 days for it to take full effect
It's worth knowing this won't stop every call — scammers ignoring the law entirely won't care that you're registered — but it does meaningfully cut down the volume of legitimate sales calls, which for many people is the bulk of the daily nuisance.
2. Stopping faked bank calls: Android's spoofing protection
"Spoofing" is when a scammer makes their call display as if it's coming from a number you trust — your bank, for instance — when it isn't. Google has been building AI-powered protections directly into Android that are designed to recognise the patterns behind these spoofed calls and warn you before you pick up.
No setup is generally required — it's part of Android's ongoing security updates
To make sure you're covered, check Settings > System > System Update and install anything pending
It works alongside, not instead of, your own judgement — always hang up and call your bank back on a number you've looked up yourself if anything feels off
Used together
Registering with TPS and keeping your Android phone updated between them tackle both the annoying and the dangerous ends of unwanted calls — and neither costs a penny or requires any ongoing effort once set up.
A gentle reminder
No tool catches everything. If a call ever asks you to move money, buy gift cards, or give away banking details, the safest move is always to hang up and ring the organisation back yourself, using a number you've found independently — not one given to you during the call.
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