spam calls
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T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon have taken steps to reduce spoofed scam calls
All three major US carriers have met the deadline to implement the FCC's new anti-spoofing protocol designed to protect users from scam caller impersonation.
T-Mobile's 'Scam Shield' offers free caller ID and spam call blocking features
T-Mobile completed its purchase of Sprint earlier this year, and with those regulatory hurdles out of the way the company is once again announcing some new features for its expanded customer base. The focus is on spam and robocalls, something that T-Mobile says is the number one complaint right now to the FCC. Starting today, T-Mobile is offering its customers a variety of free services to make identifying and avoiding spam calls easier, a program called Scam Shield.
Android 11 developer preview offers more control over robocalls
Android 11 might make life considerably easier if you're tired of fighting robocalls. Google has released a second Developer Preview for Pixel phones with frameworks that let call-screening apps not only verify calls, but tell you whether it's in your contacts and provide a reason for rejecting a call. Your carrier might know whether you feel a call is spam or something more innocuous.
FCC asks telecom companies to help trace international robocalls
Last year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) banned robocalls from international numbers. Now, it's calling on phone companies to help trace international robocalls back to their "fraudster" sources. Today, the FCC sent letters to seven gateway service providers asking them to help track down robocall sources, prevent apparently illegal traffic originating outside the US and provide more info on how they may be facilitating illegal calls.
Google Fi will warn you about spam calls
Google has been extending its cell carrier service, Fi, by offering an unlimited calling and data plan and expanding to cover the iPhone as well as Android devices. However, there were issues with the Fi experience, with some customers complaining about the number of spam calls they received. Google aims to address that problem with an update to Fi which rolled out this weekend.
AT&T will automatically block fraud calls for new customers
AT&T is making quick use of FCC rules explicitly allowing carriers to block robocalls by default. The network will start automatically blocking fraud calls (and issuing suspected spam call alerts) for new phone customers as a matter course, at no extra charge. You'll have to opt out if you don't want the company to screen calls this way. Existing customers, meanwhile, will see the feature automatically reach their accounts in the "coming months."
