Remember landline phones? I miss my corded beige AT&T Trimline phone. Well, not so much, come to think of it. I had a landline for the longest time, just in case the power went out - so I could still make calls. Until the marketers and spammers found my number. Spam is inevitable, like winter...gravity...and taxes. And moving to smart phones hasn't deterred con artists and snake oil salesmen intent on selling us stuff we don't need. Last year it got so bad that I installed a $3.99/month spam filter on my phone, a safety net that lets my contacts through, but screens out unknown phone numbers and treats spammers to a taste of their own medicine. Which is a ton of fun!

Credit: Paul Douglas and RoboKiller
Credit: Paul Douglas and RoboKiller
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RoboKiller identifies known spammers, printing out a transcript of their calls, and even giving you the ability to choose a voice to answer the call with. You can choose from a fake Donald Trump, a kind but annoying grandmother, and a little girl hiding from her parents. It's amazing how these telemarketers engage with these "bots" and STILL try to sell them stuff! You can permanently ban certain phone numbers and tailor the spam filter to your own specific needs.

In short, it's the best money I've spent in a long time. I don't miss the calls I really want and need to take, and I don't miss the crank calls for spammers, marketers and con artists trying to shake me down.

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Photo by Marija Zaric on Unsplash
Photo by Marija Zaric on Unsplash
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According to the FBI, online scammers cost Americans over $10 billion in 2022, much of that ransomware, phishing attempts and marketing scams, which are slowly but surely migrating to smart phone calls. RoboKiller works on texts as well as phone calls, but there are many other options to choose from. YouMail has a free, basic plan. Other great phone spam filters include True Caller and Call Control. Shop around and find the right solution for you.

We spend more time than ever on our phones. Bottom line: you don't have to be at the mercy of persistent and even aggressive spammers and marketers. Fight back by installing a spam filter on your IOS or Android device. You too can get the last laugh!

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