In today’s digital age, receiving unwanted calls has become a common occurrence. Among them, you may have noticed calls labeled as “Potential Spam” on your caller ID. These calls can be annoying and potentially harmful.
In this article, you will find out what “Potential Spam” calls mean, why they occur, and most importantly, what steps you can take to deal with them effectively.
What Does “Potential Spam” Calling Mean?
For clarification, it’s important to understand that if the caller ID displays “Potential Spam,” it does not imply that your iPhone has been hacked or any similar concerns.
Rather, this label serves as a cautionary indication that the incoming call might be a robocall, spam, or fraudulent in nature.
Verizon has implemented measures to recognize and flag scams, telemarketing, and robocalls as unwanted, and consequently, when calls originate from such numbers, this notification appears as a reminder to exercise caution when answering them.
Potential Spam” calls are flagged by your phone’s caller ID or spam detection system as suspected spam or unwanted calls. These calls often come from telemarketers, scammers, or automated systems that try to deceive or defraud you.
Why Do “Potential Spam” Calls Happen?
There are several reasons why you might receive “Potential Spam” calls:
Telemarketing is a factor of “potential spam” calling. Companies may use automated systems to make unsolicited sales calls, hoping to reach a large audience.
Also, fraudsters employ various tactics, such as impersonating government agencies, banks, or legitimate businesses, to trick you into revealing personal information or making payments.
It could also be robocalls. Automated systems can generate and dial numbers at random, including yours, without any specific targeting.
What To Do About “Potential Spam” Calls
If you receive a Potential Spam call, the initial step is to refrain from answering it. However, it’s worth noting that automated systems can occasionally make errors, leading Verizon to mistakenly label a valid call as spam.
Although rare, such instances can occur. In this case, it is recommended to allow the call to go to voicemail. Later, you can check your voicemail messages to determine whether the call was legitimate or not.
To further address spam calls, you have the option to activate the Silence Unknown Callers feature. This feature will block incoming spam calls.
When enabled, calls from unknown numbers or contacts with whom you have not previously communicated will be directly sent to voicemail.
The number will still be visible in your Recent Calls list. To activate this feature, navigate to Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers.
If you frequently receive calls from a specific number, you can easily block that number. Once blocked, you will no longer receive any call notifications from it, and those calls will not appear in your recent call list. However, it’s important to note that blocked numbers can still leave voicemails.
To further enhance your call-blocking capabilities, you can enable the Silence Junk Callers feature, which is specific to Verizon.
Please note that this option may not be available in the Settings menu if you are using a different carrier. Since “Potential Spam” is a Verizon notification, you can assume this feature is already enabled by default.
Nonetheless, it’s advisable to verify its status. To do so, navigate to Settings > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification, and ensure that Silence Junk Callers is turned on. With this feature activated, calls from questionable sources will be silenced and will appear in your recent calls list.
Another useful feature is Business ID, which allows you to filter calls based on the displayed company name.
To enable Business ID, go to Settings > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification, and toggle the switch next to Business ID. Once activated, you will be able to identify incoming calls associated with specific businesses.
Conclusion
While “Potential Spam” calls can be bothersome, understanding what they are and how to handle them empowers you to protect yourself.
By implementing the strategies outlined above, you can minimize the impact of spam calls and reduce the risk of falling victim to scams or fraud.
Stay vigilant, stay informed, and take the necessary steps to safeguard your privacy and security in an increasingly connected world.
Further Reading
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- How To Fix “iPhone Making A Static Noise” [USE This GUIDE]