How do I stop robocalls?
Hang up without pressing any key or saying a word, block the number, turn on your phone company’s free spam filter and your phone’s own spam setting, add your number at DoNotCall.gov, and report the calls that still get through at DoNotCall.gov or ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Some robocalls still ring, because scammers can show any number. Vicem is an AI on its own number that answers the calls you miss, says it’s an AI, and turns robocalls and scam callers away, so you never have to pick up to find out.
Updated Checked on October 14, 2026
What is a robocall, and which ones are legal?
- The FTC: “If you answer the phone and hear a recorded message instead of a live person, it’s a robocall.”FTC, Robocalls
- A recorded sales call is illegal unless the company has your written permission, directly from you.FTC, Robocalls
- A company can’t make you agree to robocalls to buy something from it.FTC, Robocalls
- Purely informational messages and debt collection calls aren’t illegal.FTC, Robocalls
- Robocalls offering to lower your debt are illegal and almost always scams, the FTC says.FTC, Robocalls
Why shouldn’t I press 1 or talk?
Hang up. Any reaction tells the robocaller the number works.
- The FTC: “Pressing numbers to speak to someone or remove you from the list will probably only lead to more robocalls.”FTC, Robocalls
- Don’t trust the caller ID: scammers can make any name or number show up.FTC, Robocalls
- The FCC: for illegal robocallers, the goal sometimes isn’t getting you to answer but getting you to call back.FCC, ‘One Ring’ Phone Scam
Are AI-voice robocalls legal?
Not without your consent, in the US.
- On February 8, 2024, the FCC ruled that AI-generated voices in calls are “artificial” under the TCPA, the US robocall law.FCC, FCC makes AI-generated voices in robocalls illegal (February 8, 2024)
- So AI-voice robocalls follow the same rules as recordings: telemarketers need your prior express written consent.FCC, FCC makes AI-generated voices in robocalls illegal (February 8, 2024)
- The FCC says the ruling targets voice cloning used to imitate family members, celebrities and candidates.FCC, FCC makes AI-generated voices in robocalls illegal (February 8, 2024)
What does a “verified” call mean?
- Phone companies check caller ID with a system called STIR/SHAKEN, which the FCC requires.FCC, Combating Spoofed Robocalls with Caller ID Authentication
- It checks that the call really comes from the number on your screen.FCC, Combating Spoofed Robocalls with Caller ID Authentication
- It says nothing about what the caller wants: a real number can still be a sales or scam call.
- It works only on internet-based phone networks, so some calls arrive with no check at all.FCC, Combating Spoofed Robocalls with Caller ID Authentication
What about calls that ring once?
- The FCC: if a number you don’t recognize rings once and stops, don’t call back.FCC, ‘One Ring’ Phone Scam
- Calling back can connect you abroad, with a connection fee and high per-minute charges.FCC, ‘One Ring’ Phone Scam
- Codes like 232 (Sierra Leone) and 809 (the Dominican Republic) look like US area codes.FCC, ‘One Ring’ Phone Scam
- If you never call abroad, ask your phone company to block outgoing international calls.FCC, ‘One Ring’ Phone Scam
What can I turn on today?
- Your phone company’s free spam filter: many block or label robocalls before your phone rings.FCC, Call Blocking Tools and Resources
- Your phone’s own setting, on iPhone and Android, can silence or filter calls from unknown and suspected spam numbers.
- Block a number that keeps calling, and the FTC suggests call-blocking tools too.FTC, Robocalls
- Star codes switch some phone-company features on from the dial pad.
Every iPhone setting, step by step
Every Android setting, step by step
Where do I report robocalls?
- DoNotCall.gov: report the number that called, the caller ID shown, any callback number, and the date and time.FTC, Robocalls
- ReportFraud.ftc.gov: report a phone scam, above all if you lost money or know who called.FTC, National Do Not Call Registry FAQs
- Add your number free at DoNotCall.gov; it stops sales calls from companies that follow the law, not scammers.FTC, National Do Not Call Registry FAQs
- The FCC takes complaints about unwanted calls at fcc.gov/complaints, at no cost.FCC, Filing an Informal Complaint
Where does Vicem fit?
Vicem is an AI on its own number that answers the calls you miss, so you never pick up a robocall to find out who it was. It says it’s an AI on every call.
- Spam calls it turns away never count against your minutes.
- Junk calls and texts are handled without interrupting you.
- Works when your phone is off.
What do people ask?
How do I stop robocalls for free?
Hang up without pressing anything, turn on your phone company’s free spam filter and your phone’s own spam setting, add your number to DoNotCall.gov, and report the calls that still come.
Why am I getting so many robocalls?
Scammers can show any number on your caller ID, so blocking one number rarely stops them, and the FTC says pressing a key to be taken off the list will probably only lead to more robocalls.
Does the Do Not Call list stop robocalls?
No. The FTC says it won’t stop scammers making illegal calls. It stops sales calls from companies that follow the law, so it still cuts some of the noise.
Is there an app that stops robocalls?
Yes: several apps block or label calls from known robocall numbers, and your phone company’s free filter does much the same. The side-by-side table of spam and robocall apps shows what each does, with sources.
Do robocalls use my Vicem minutes?
No. Spam calls it turns away never count against your minutes.