We live in an age where everyone is connected. Our phones are our constant companions and we can sometimes receive more than a couple of dozen calls per day. Not all of these are made with good intentions. At least twice a day, I have to deal with pushy telemarketers, robocalls, scammers from overseas, and a number of other pests that plague my phone. My line of work prevents me from simply switching off my device and living in peace. I was gradually becoming desperate. I had to find a way to deal with this problem.
Install a caller ID app & regain your privacy
Keeping my privacy intact is important to me - for my own sake as well as for the sake of my family. In order to prevent intrusions, phishing and being buried in spam, I made a decision to find the best way to protect myself from all sorts of digital pests. The biggest problem I was facing was unsolicited calls from salespeople, scammers and other perfect strangers who were trying to trick me into all sorts of crazy scenarios. I was not interested in dealing with them anymore and wished to receive calls only from friends, family and business associates. Installing a piece of software that would allow me to see the source of any call, no matter how well hidden, gave me the freedom to only answer those calls that were perfectly legitimate.
Block all unknown numbers
While on holiday, I wanted to take it a step further and only be available to a small number of close friends and relatives. No business-related stuff, no boring acquaintances - none of that. I needed to rest and unwind. I managed to find an app that would let me filter all unknown callers and only let those that I knew and trusted contact me. Everything else was marked as spam and I felt better knowing that my time off was reserved for no one but my family and myself. A bit of digital safety can really save your sanity.
Filter text messages to avoid an overflowing inbox
Calls, however, are not the only source of grievance. Text messages too can turn into a nightmare. Nowadays we all get buried in adverts for dodgy dating sites, medication that does not work, as well as an endless string of messages from that Nigerian prince. It is definitely better to avoid him and every other snake oil seller there is. Some online protection is sorely needed. I had the good fortune of finding a couple of apps that have made my goal to get rid of spam perfectly achievable. You might want to check them out too.
Safe Apps for Protecting Against Spam When OnlineHere's a pro tip. Some apps may even allow you total protection from every single unwanted email, including the Nigerian prince as well as all those obnoxious pharmacy ads.
Conclusion
We take our phones with us everywhere but with them, we also bring a lot of unwanted messages and obnoxious calls into our everyday life. Being able to detect each calling number can help you decide whether you want to answer or not. If things get particularly obnoxious, you can always turn on a filter that will allow only trusted callers to contact you. Getting rid of ads, text messages and even emails also isn't too difficult with the right apps. Setting all this up will consume only a bit of your time but will keep you protected for a long while.