How to Stop Robocalls for Good: A Senior's Guide to Blocking Spam Calls

Bottom line: Most robocalls can be stopped in about 10 minutes using settings already built into your phone — no new app or subscription required. Start by enabling "Silence Unknown Callers" (iPhone) or "Caller ID & Spam" protection (Android), then register your number with the National Do Not Call Registry. If the calls keep coming after that, a dedicated call-blocking and identity protection service like Aura can filter spam calls automatically and watch for identity misuse if a scammer ever gets through.

Americans over 60 receive more robocalls, on average, than any other age group — and scammers know it. The FTC received over 2.6 million robocall complaints in 2025, and phone scams tied to those calls cost older adults an estimated $1.9 billion. The good news: you don't need to be a tech expert to make most of them stop. This guide walks through exactly what to do, in order, starting with the free options.

Last updated: 2026-07-05

Why You're Getting So Many Robocalls

Robocalls are automated calls placed by computers, often thousands per minute, using software that can dial random numbers or numbers pulled from data breaches and public records. Many scammers also use "neighbor spoofing" — making the call appear to come from a local number with your area code, sometimes even one close to your own, so you're more likely to answer.

Once you answer, one of two things usually happens: a recorded message tries to scare or excite you into pressing a button (which confirms your number is "live" and leads to even more calls), or a live scammer takes over the call to try to get money, gift cards, or personal information directly.

The single most damaging thing you can do is answer and interact — even just to say "stop calling me" or press a number to be removed. That confirms a real person answers at your number, and your number often gets sold to other scam operations as a "verified lead."

Step 1: Turn On Your Phone's Built-In Call Filtering (Free, 5 Minutes)

Both iPhone and Android now include free spam-filtering tools. These won't stop every call, but they eliminate a large share of the worst offenders immediately.

On an iPhone:

Open Settings
Scroll down and tap Phone
Tap Silence Unknown Callers
Turn it on

With this on, calls from numbers not in your contacts, recent calls, or Siri Suggestions go straight to voicemail instead of ringing. Legitimate callers — your doctor's office, pharmacy, a family member's new number — can still leave a message, and you'll see it in your call log.

On an Android phone:

Open the Phone app
Tap the three dots (or your profile icon) in the top corner
Tap Settings, then Caller ID & Spam
Turn on See caller and spam ID and Filter spam calls

Android's system, powered by Google, actively identifies known scam and telemarketing numbers and can silence or flag them before you even see the call come in.

Step 2: Register With the National Do Not Call Registry (Free, 2 Minutes)

The National Do Not Call Registry is a free, official government list that legitimate telemarketers are legally required to check before calling you.

Go to donotcall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222 from the phone number you want to register
Registration is free and, once added, it does not expire

Here's the honest limitation: scammers running illegal robocall operations ignore the registry entirely, since they were never going to follow the law anyway. But it does stop legitimate telemarketers, which for many people is a large chunk of the unwanted calls. It's free and takes two minutes, so there's no reason to skip it.

Step 3: Ask Your Carrier About Free Call-Blocking Tools

All four major U.S. carriers now offer free spam-blocking as part of your existing plan:

AT&T: ActiveArmor (free tier built into the AT&T app)
Verizon: Call Filter (free tier, paid tier adds a spam risk meter)
T-Mobile: Scam Shield (free for all customers, including caller ID)
US Cellular / others: Ask your carrier directly — most participate in the industry-wide STIR/SHAKEN call authentication system

STIR/SHAKEN is a technology standard, required by federal law since 2021, that verifies whether a call's caller ID has been spoofed. When you see "Scam Likely" or a red flag next to an incoming call, that's this system at work. It's not perfect, but it's a meaningful layer that's already running in the background on most modern phone plans.

Step 4: When Free Tools Aren't Enough

Built-in filtering and carrier tools stop a lot of robocalls, but sophisticated scam operations rotate through thousands of fresh numbers daily, which lets some slip past basic filters. If you're still getting several unwanted calls a week after Steps 1–3, a dedicated protection service adds another layer — and importantly, most of these bundle call protection with the identity monitoring that catches the damage if a scam call ever succeeds.

Aura is built around this exact scenario. It combines spam and scam call blocking with 24/7 monitoring of your credit, bank accounts, and Social Security number, so if a robocall scam ever does get through and a scammer obtains any of your information, you get alerted the moment something looks wrong — a new account opened, your SSN appearing on the dark web, or unusual account activity — rather than finding out months later. Aura backs the service with up to $1 million in identity theft insurance, and setup takes about 15 minutes with support available if you get stuck.

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What to Do If You Already Answered a Robocall

If you picked up and heard a recording, or spoke briefly before hanging up, here's what actually matters:

Don't call back any number left in a voicemail from an unfamiliar robocall — even if it claims to be your bank, Medicare, or the Social Security Administration. Look up the official number yourself and call that instead.
Don't press any numbers if a future call asks you to "press 1 to speak to a representative" or "press 2 to be removed from our list." Both confirm your number is active.
If you gave out any information — your Social Security number, a credit card number, or a one-time login code — treat it as a real risk, not an embarrassment. Contact your bank immediately, and consider a credit freeze (our guide to freezing your credit walks through exactly how).
Report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to your carrier by forwarding the text or call details to 7726 (SPAM).

None of this means you did anything wrong. These operations are professional, well-funded, and specifically designed to catch people off guard — reporting the call helps regulators shut down the numbers involved.

A Quick Reference: What to Turn On Today

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Most people who complete just the first three free steps see a real, noticeable drop in unwanted calls within a few days. Add a dedicated service if the calls keep slipping through, or if you want the added peace of mind of identity monitoring running in the background.

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