Stop smart phone aggravations (Page 13)

By Mike DuBose

In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, unwanted phone calls, texts, and emails have become more than just nuisances — they’re serious threats.

From relentless telemarketers to cunning scammers, cyber thieves, robot callers, and criminals are constantly devising skillful ways to invade our privacy, steal money, and exploit personal information. The FBI Internet Crime Division reported that in 2024, nearly 900,000 cybercrimes occurred resulting in $16 billion stolen on-line from Americans. The criminal activity has increased more than 33 percent annually and average individual losses are $20,000. The division has received 2,000 “daily” complaints for the past five years and 85 percent of the cybercrimes go unreported. Data documents most victims were aged 60 and older.

While government agencies and phone carriers battle these intruders, individuals must protect themselves. Fortunately, with a little knowledge and the right tools, you can defend against these aggravating schemers but also frustrate their efforts to reach you in the first place. The following free or low-cost strategies are practical and effective. They’re designed to help block scammers, safeguard your identity, and restore trust when answering most communications.

Install “NoMoRobo” app on your cellphone or landline — This software screens and blocks 12+ million spammers, marketers, and undesired callers before penetrating your phone. The Top-rated Wall Street Journal, remarkably successful spam app, costs $20 annually.

Install free Carrier-Spam-Filters — Companies like Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile offer protection for cellphones and landlines. Using your Internet browser, type “How to install (Carrier’s name) spam filter on my phone?”

Avoid using your real voice and name on voicemails — Install manufacturer’s generic options. Sophisticated thieves can employ artificial intelligence to copy your speech, create a full dictionary to sound exactly like you, and then call your banker, friends, and relatives to solicit money. I engaged with one of these human-like machines and it was fascinating that it could execute an intelligent conversation with me.

Activate phone-manufacturer’s filters— You can prevent spam callers and select desired protection levels. While all smartphones contain them, for Apple users, go to Settings, Phone, and pick “Silence Unknown Callers.” Individuals calling who aren’t in your address book will be forwarded to your voicemail.

Employ facial recognition or two-factor authentication — It’s great account-access protections where your phone identifies unique facial features or receives codes on your phone or computer before accessing important on-line assets.

Avoid answering unknown sources—Accepting suspicious calls labels you a “prime target.” Intruders will keep calling you and sell your number on the illegal market for profits. If callers are valid, they’ll leave voice, e-mail, or text messages. You can press your phone’s voicemail button when an unknown caller appears. Then, touch the “listen feature” to secretly determine if it’s legitimate. This is a unique way to screen unknown callers without their knowledge. Don’t click on links, respond to unknown communications, transfer monies, or share personal and financial information over the phone. If you follow the thieves’ links, they maliciously plant malware on your phone, send e-mails to friends and relatives, steal your information, or worse, lock your device and destroy its data.

Block unwanted numbers, e-mails, and texts — Deleting aggravating messages won’t stop scammers. For Apple users, look under “Recent calls” or “Voicemails” and seek the circled “I” on the right side of the number, scroll down, and press “Block caller.” For e-mails, examine the sender’s address to view true identities. You’ll often be surprised at hidden, legitimate-looking e-mail addresses. Scroll down and block it. For text messages, click on senders, choose the “info” icon, and block numbers.

Ensure your cellphone address book is updated — Include relatives, friends, people who occasionally communicate with you, and professionals. Update contacts as individuals call, text, and email to aid spam filters recognize safe callers whose names appear in your Caller-ID. Be leery of friends’ e-mails or texts with links or suspicious information since their address book could be hacked. Never call telephone numbers listed in on-line communications which appear to be one of your credit cards or legitimate vendors. Instead, call the official-listed-number on your account card or website contact information.

10 - Update your passwords — Create 10 password characters in length, including upper- and lower-case letters, misspelled words, numbers, and symbols that are nearly impossible to decipher. Avoid using similar passwords for different accounts. If you remember access codes, thieves can decipher them using advanced-password technology (3,000 password guesses per second.).

Purchase a low-cost shredder — Destroy all mail, bills, and correspondence containing personal or financial information versus trashing items for criminals to find.

Freeze Your Credit Bureaus — To prevent conspirators from applying for unauthorized credit cards and loans in your name, visit the three major credit bureaus (www.Experian.com, www.Transunion.com, and www.Equifax.com. Log-in, establish free accounts, and pursue “Account Freeze.” If needed for credit checks, it’s easy to temporarily unfreeze them. Ask bankers to block any money transfers, other than ongoing auto-pays, unless requested with a verified identity. Request and monitor your free credit bureau reports located on the government-approved website www.AnnualCreditReport.com.

The Bottom Line: Devious crooks have learned to use computers to steal your money from the convenience of their homes versus robbing banks with guns. I often quote Ben Franklin: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Implement these proactive actions and within six weeks, most undesirable solicitations should silently disappear. While a few scoundrels still invade my protections, it’s nice to have peaceful cellphones again.

Mike voluntarily authors these articles for 5 newspapers to fulfill his purpose “Creating opportunities to improve lives.” Visit his nonprofit website www.mikedubose.com and register to receive his monthly articles or Daily Thoughts plus free access to his books, including “The Art of Building Great Businesses.” The website includes 100+ published articles he has written on business, travel, and personal topics, in addition to health research with Surb Guram, MD,
Allison Cashman, MD, and David Hurst, DMV

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Stop smart phone aggravations (Page 13)

Stop smart phone aggravations

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