Introduction
Last year, my phone became a source of constant frustration. Every few minutes, it would buzz or ring. A new number would appear on my screen. Someone I did not know. Someone who wanted something from me.
The callers had different voices but similar scripts. One would say he was calling from a well-known bank. He would tell me I qualified for a credit card with a very high limit. Another would say he represented a real estate company. He had a fantastic deal on a plot in a new housing society. A third would congratulate me. I had won a lottery worth millions of rupees. I just needed to pay a small processing fee first.
I counted the calls on a particularly bad day. Fifteen spam calls. Fifteen interruptions. Fifteen times, I lost my focus.
I tried to ignore them. I stopped answering calls from numbers I did not recognize. But that created another problem. My voicemail box filled up within days. Soon, my own mother could not leave me a message. My friends could not reach me. Important calls from delivery drivers and doctors' offices went unanswered.
I tried blocking each spam number as it called me. I would get a call from a number. I would block it. But the next day, a different number would call. The same scammer. The same script. A new phone number. It felt like playing a game I could never win.
I thought about changing my phone number completely. I would get a new SIM card with a new number. The spam calls would stop. But then I would have to tell every person I know my new number. I would have to update my bank accounts, my delivery apps like Daraz and Foodpanda, my social media profiles, and my government records. The hassle would take weeks.
Then I decided to find a better way. I searched online. I asked friends. I called my network provider. I tried many different solutions. Some worked. Some did nothing. Some made the problem worse. But several methods worked very well.
In this article, I will share the methods that actually helped me. I will explain exactly how to set up each one. I will tell you what worked best for me. These methods are free. They work on Android phones and iPhones. They work for Jazz, Zong, Telenor, and Ufone customers in Pakistan.
Why Spam Calls Are So Common in Pakistan
Before I share the solutions, let me explain why this problem exists. Understanding the cause helps you fight it.
Your phone number is valuable to telemarketers and scammers. They buy lists of phone numbers from various sources. These lists are compiled from data breaches, from websites that sell customer information, from public directories, and from social media.
When you sign up for an online service, your number may be collected. When you fill out a form at a store, your number may be added to a database. When you post your number on a classified website, automated software can capture it. When a company you trust gets hacked, your number can end up on the dark web.
These lists are bought and sold many times. A list with fifty thousand numbers might cost twenty thousand rupees. A list with one million numbers might cost one hundred fifty thousand rupees. Telemarketers and scammers buy these lists and start dialing.
Some callers are just annoying. They work for legitimate companies trying to sell legitimate products. Banks offering credit cards. Real estate agents selling property. Insurance companies are selling health plans. These calls are unwanted, but they are not dangerous.
Other callers are criminals. They pretend to be from your bank. They pretend to be from the police or the FIA. They pretend to be from a tech support company. They try to frighten you. They try to trick you. They want your money or your personal information.
Your phone company has systems to block these calls. But most people never activate them. The government has a do-not-call registry. But most people have never heard of it.
You need to take action yourself. The tools are available. You just need to know where to find them and how to use them.
Method One: Use Your Phone's Built-In Spam Protection
Your phone already has spam-blocking features built into its operating system. Most people never turn them on. Here is how to find and activate them.
For Android users:
Open the Phone app on your Android device. This is the app you use to make calls. It usually has a green phone icon.
Look at the top right corner of the screen. You will see three dots arranged vertically. Tap those dots. A menu will appear.
Tap "Settings" from the menu. This takes you to the settings page for your Phone app.
Scroll down until you see an option called "Caller ID and spam." Tap it.
You will see two switches on this screen. The first switch might be labeled "See caller ID and spam." Turn it on. The second switch might be labeled "Filter spam calls." Turn it on as well.
When both switches are on, two things happen. First, when an incoming call is suspected to be spam, your phone will display a warning on the screen. You will see a red label. Second, your phone will automatically send suspected spam calls directly to voicemail. Your phone will not ring. Your phone will not vibrate. You will not be interrupted.
If you do not have Google's Phone app, your phone might have a different dialer app from the manufacturer. Look for similar settings. Look for words like "Spam protection," "Call blocking," or "Caller ID."
For iPhone users:
Open the Settings app on your iPhone. This is the gray icon with gears.
Scroll down until you see "Phone." Tap it.
Scroll down again until you see "Silence Unknown Callers." Tap the switch to turn it on. The switch will turn green.
When this feature is active, your iPhone will only ring for people in your contact list. It will also ring for numbers you have recently called or texted. Everyone else will be sent directly to voicemail without ringing.
This feature stopped about ninety percent of my spam calls. My phone became peaceful again.
The only downside is that a delivery driver might call from a personal number not in your contacts. A doctor's office might call from an unknown line. These calls will not ring. But they can leave a voicemail. You can call them back. In my experience, most legitimate callers leave a message or send a text.
Method Two: Install a Dedicated Call Blocking App
If your phone's built-in features are not catching enough spam calls, you can install a third-party app that specializes in spam blocking.
Truecaller is the most popular call-blocking app in Pakistan. Millions of people use it. It has a massive database of spam numbers that is constantly updated by users reporting spam calls.
Here is how to set up Truecaller.
First, go to the Google Play Store if you have an Android phone, or the Apple App Store if you have an iPhone. Search for "Truecaller." Download and install the app.
Open the Truecaller app. It will ask for your phone number. Enter your number. You will receive a text message with a verification code. Enter that code into the app.
The app will ask for permission to access your contacts. It needs this permission to show you who is calling. The app will also ask for permission to access your phone calls. Grant these permissions.
Once you are set up, go to the settings menu inside Truecaller. The settings icon is usually in the bottom right corner or the top left corner.
Look for an option called "Block spam calls." Turn it on. You can also turn on "Block spam SMS" if you want to block spam text messages.
Truecaller has a free version that includes advertisements. You can pay a subscription fee to remove the ads, but the free version blocks spam calls just as effectively.
A note about privacy:
Truecaller uploads your contact list to its servers. This is how it builds its spam database. Some people are uncomfortable with this. If privacy is a concern for you, stick with the built-in features on your phone instead of using Truecaller.
A note for iPhone users:
Apple does not allow third-party apps to block calls as effectively as on Android. On iPhone, the built-in "Silence Unknown Callers" feature is actually more effective than Truecaller. If you have an iPhone, use the built-in feature first.
Method Three: Activate Your Network Provider's Spam Filter
Every mobile network in Pakistan offers a free spam-blocking service. They do not advertise it. You have to know how to activate it.
If you are a Jazz customer:
There are two ways to activate spam blocking on Jazz.
First way: Dial *789# from your Jazz SIM card. A menu will appear on your screen. Select the option for "Value Added Services." Then select "Block Spam Calls." Follow the instructions on the screen.
Second way: Call Jazz customer service at 111-124-444. Tell the representative that you want to activate spam filtering on your number. They will do it for free.
If you are a Zong customer:
Dial *789# from your Zong SIM card. Look for an option called "Spam Filter" or "Call Blocking." Select it and follow the instructions.
You can also download the Zong World app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Once installed, log in with your Zong number. Go to the settings and enable spam blocking.
Or call Zong customer service at 310 from your Zong number. Ask them to activate spam filtering.
If you are a Telenor customer:
Dial *789# from your Telenor SIM card. Navigate to "Value Added Services." Then select "Block Spam." Follow the instructions.
Or call Telenor customer service at 345 from your Telenor number. Ask them to enable spam filtering on your line.
If you are a Ufone customer:
Dial *789# from your Ufone SIM card. Look for an option called "Call Blocking" or "Spam Filter." Select it.
Or call Ufone customer service at 333 from your Ufone number. Ask them to enable spam blocking.
These network-level spam filters work differently from phone-based filters. They block spam calls before the calls even reach your phone. The call never rings. The call never goes to voicemail. The call simply never arrives at your device.
I recommend activating your network provider's spam filter even if you use other methods. Multiple layers of protection are better than one.
Method Four: Register on the Government Do Not Call List
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) maintains a "Do Not Call" registry. If you register your phone number on this registry, telemarketers are legally prohibited from calling you. They can be fined if they violate this rule.
Here is how to register your number.
Open the messaging app on your phone. This is the app you use to send text messages.
Create a new message. In the message body, type the word "REG" in capital letters. Nothing else. Just REG.
Send this message to the number 7899.
Within a few seconds, you will receive a confirmation message from PTA. Your number is now registered on the Do Not Call list.
Does this actually work? Legitimate telemarketing companies check this list before making calls. If your number is on the list, they skip you. They do not want to pay fines.
However, scammers do not care about the law. They are already breaking the law by trying to steal your money. They will continue calling regardless of whether you are on the Do Not Call list.
I registered my number on the Do Not Call list. I noticed a significant decrease in calls from banks, real estate companies, and insurance agents. But scam calls from fake lotteries and fake tech support continued.
Still, the process takes ten seconds. There is no reason not to do it.
If you ever want to remove your number from the Do Not Call list, send "UNREG" to 7899.
Method Five: Block Spam Calls on WhatsApp
In the last two years, scammers have started using WhatsApp to make spam calls. These calls usually come from international numbers. The caller often has a foreign accent. They pretend to be from a company offering a job, a prize, or an investment opportunity.
These calls are always scams. Do not answer them. Do not call back. Do not engage with the caller.
Here is how to stop these WhatsApp spam calls.
Open WhatsApp on your phone. If you have an Android phone, tap the three dots in the top right corner. If you have an iPhone, tap the settings tab at the bottom.
Tap "Settings." Then tap "Privacy." Then tap "Calls."
Look for an option called "Silence unknown callers." Turn it on.
When this setting is active, calls from numbers not in your contacts will not ring your phone. They will appear silently in your call log. Your phone will not vibrate. Your phone will not make any sound. You will not be interrupted.
You can also block individual numbers. Open the chat with the spam caller. Tap the number at the top of the screen. Scroll down and tap "Block." You will never receive calls or messages from that number again.
Method Six: Block Numbers by Prefix
Spam callers often use numbers that start with the same few digits. They might buy a block of numbers from a specific area or a specific network.
If you notice a pattern, you can block all numbers with that prefix at once. For example, if you keep getting calls from numbers starting with 0300, you can block all 0300 numbers. If you keep getting calls from numbers starting with 0213 and you do not live in that area, you can block all 0213 numbers.
This feature is available in some call-blocking apps. In Truecaller, go to Settings, then Block, then Block by prefix. Add the prefixes you want to block.
Be careful with this method. Blocking a prefix means you will not receive any calls from any number starting with those digits. That includes legitimate calls from friends, family, or businesses that happen to have that prefix. Only use this method for prefixes that you are absolutely certain are only used by spammers.
Method Seven: Report Every Spam Call You Receive
Every spam call you receive is an opportunity to help other people.
If you are using Truecaller, after a spam call ends, the app will ask you whether the call was spam. Tap "Yes" and select the appropriate category. Truecaller will add that number to its global spam database. Millions of other users around the world will now be protected from that number.
If you are using the Google Phone app on Android, after a spam call ends, you can tap "Block and report spam." Google will add the number to its spam database. This helps all Android users who use Google's Phone app.
If you have the time and energy, you can also report spam numbers to PTA through their website. The process is slower and requires more effort, but every report helps the government understand the scale of the problem.
Reporting a spam call takes only a few seconds. But those few seconds can protect someone else from falling victim to the same scammer.
What To Do If You Accidentally Answer a Spam Call
If you pick up your phone and realize it is a spam call, follow these steps.
First, do not speak. Do not say hello. Do not say your name. Do not confirm anything. Just stay silent.
Second, hang up immediately. Do not wait. Do not listen to what the caller has to say. Just end the call.
If you speak, the scammer knows that your number is active and that a real person answers calls. They will mark your number as "live" and sell it to other scammers. You will receive even more spam calls.
Also, do not press any buttons. Some automated spam calls say "press 1 to be removed from our list" or "press 2 to speak to a representative." This is a trick. When you press a button, it confirms that your number is active. You will receive more calls.
Just hang up. That is all you need to do.
Do not argue with the caller. They are criminals. They do not care what you say. Do not call the number back. Some spam calls ring once and stop. This is a "one ring" scam. They want you to call back out of curiosity. If you call back, you will be charged high international rates. Do not share any information. Not your name. Not your CNIC number. Not your bank account details. Not your address. Do not send money. No legitimate company asks for money over the phone.
My Personal Results
Before I started using these methods, I was receiving fifteen spam calls every single day. My phone was almost unusable. I dreaded every ring.
After implementing these methods, I receive one or two spam calls per month. My phone is peaceful again. It only rings for people I actually know.
Here is exactly what I did, in order.
First, I turned on the built-in spam blocking on my phone. I have an iPhone, so I turned on Silence Unknown Callers.
Second, I registered my number on the PTA Do Not Call list by sending REG to 7899.
Third, I called my network provider. I am a Jazz customer, so I called 111-124-444 and asked them to activate spam filtering.
Fourth, I installed Truecaller for an extra layer of protection.
I did not need to use the prefix blocking method or report every call manually. The first four methods were enough.
You may not need all of these layers. Start with the built-in features on your phone. If you still get spam calls, add your network provider's filter. If calls continue, add Truecaller. The PTA list is worth doing regardless because it takes ten seconds.
Common Questions About Spam Calls
Question one: What if a caller says they are from my bank?
Hang up immediately. Do not engage. Then call your bank using the official phone number printed on the back of your debit card. Ask them if there is any issue with your account. There will not be.
Question two: Can answering a spam call hack my phone?
No. Simply answering a phone call cannot hack your phone. This is a common myth. The scammer needs you to do something else. Press numbers. Call back. Visit a website. Download an app. Share personal information. Just hanging up keeps you completely safe.
Question three: How do scammers know my name when they call me?
They bought a list of phone numbers that includes names. These lists come from data breaches at companies, from websites that sold your information, from public directories, and from social media.
Question four: What if the caller says they are from the police or the FIA?
It is a scam. Government agencies in Pakistan do not call citizens to ask for money or personal information. They do not threaten to arrest you over the phone. Hang up immediately.
Question five: What about delivery drivers calling from unknown numbers?
They will send a text message. Or they will leave a voicemail. Or they will try again later. One missed call from a delivery driver is not a disaster. You can always call them back if they leave a message.
Question six: My elderly parent keeps falling for these calls. What can I do?
Install an app on their phone. Set it to only allow calls from numbers in their contacts. This is the safest option for elderly people who have a small contact list. Also, talk to them about the most common scams. Write down a list of rules for them. Tell them to never share personal information over the phone. Tell them to call you before taking any action in response to a phone call.
Question seven: How long does it take for these methods to start working?
The built-in phone features work immediately. The network provider's spam filter takes a few hours to activate. The PTA Do Not Call list takes about one week to become fully effective. Truecaller works immediately after installation.
Final Advice
You do not have to live with constant spam calls. I was getting fifteen per day. Now I get almost none.
The solutions I have shared in this article are free. They take a few minutes to set up. They work on Android and iPhone. They work for all Pakistani networks.
Start with the built-in features on your phone. That single change will stop most spam calls.
Then register on the PTA Do Not Call list by sending REG to 7899. That takes ten seconds.
Then call your network provider and ask them to activate their spam filter. That takes five minutes.
If you still get spam calls after doing all of that, install Truecaller.
Take these steps today. You deserve a phone that does not torment you. You deserve to answer calls without anxiety. You deserve peace.
Related Articles
0 Comments