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Finally silence those dangerous scam calls – for free
Robocalls are obnoxious and seem to always come in right when we’re in the middle of something important like family dinner or a work presentation. But they’re more than just annoying: Many of them pose serious threats.
Last year alone, over 58 billion scam calls and robocalls cost Americans more than $10 billion. And things aren’t getting much better in 2020. Scammers are using the pandemic to take advantage of health and financial fears with ploys like fake treatments and work-from-home schemes.
That’s where our sponsor, T-Mobile, comes in. The Un-carrier’s new Scam Shield is a massive set of free solutions designed to stop scammers in their tracks. Let’s dive into how it works and how to get it.
A simple way to get fewer scam calls
Scam calls are big business, and criminals have a lot of tools at their disposal to fool you into passing along your credit card details or worse.
Older Americans are especially at risk, losing an estimated $2.9 billion a year to financial exploitation. Phone scams — like those “grandkid schemes” and bogus calls from the “IRS” or other government agencies — inflict the most financial damage.
The good news? T-Mobile has your back. Scam and unwanted robocalls are the No. 1 complaint to the FCC. And the Un-carrier’s new Scam Shield initiative introduces even more ways to protect T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile and Sprint customers for free.
If you use another wireless company, you’re probably thinking, “Huh, I’m out of luck.” Well, now is the perfect time to consider switching.
T-Mobile makes it easy, and its discounted plans for customers 55 and up are a seriously good deal. Wondering how much you can save? Tap or click here to see which plan is right for you.
What is Scam Shield?
Scam Shield attacks the problem of scams and unwanted robocalls with a suite of free solutions designed to stop scammers in their tracks.
It all starts at the network level. T-Mobile’s network analyzes every call using A.I., machine learning and patented technologies. And its defenses update every six minutes to stay ahead of scammers. Plus, T-Mobile customers are protected by anti-spam text solutions that have been in place since 2014.
T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers get advanced network-level protection and can turn on Scam Block through the new Scam Shield app. The app is the central spot to activate these new protections and, for an extra charge, unlock more advanced call controls.
Sprint customers now get free protections — previously an added charge — in the upgraded Call Screener app. Keep reading for direct links to download.
Scam Shield offers even more tools to take control over the calls you receive, including:
Know who’s really calling: With free caller ID, see who is calling when a real person or business is trying to reach you, even if they are not in your contact list. With Scam Shield, free, enhanced Caller ID is automatically included.
Keep your personal number personal: Scam Shield gives T-Mobile customers a free second number, called PROXY, to use when you don’t want to give out your private number. The more you share your number, the more spam calls you’ll probably receive. Use this for things like signing up for an online account and keep yourself off potential robocall lists.
When you need a clean slate: With Scam Shield, change your number for free. You can change your phone number — for any reason, including scam calls that just won’t quit — up to one time per year, for free.
How can I get Scam Shield?
Some of the powerful features are already on. T-Mobile’s network-level protections guard against scam calls before they ever get to your phone.
With the Scam Shield App, you can easily manage anti-scam features, including Scam Block, Scam Reporting and a handy Scam Counter that shows the number of likely scam calls blocked and kept off your phone when Scam Block is turned on, and the number received when it’s turned off. You can also mark your favorite the calls you do want to come through.
Plus, everything is saved on T-Mobile’s network, so your settings will stay, even if you remove the app or get a new phone.
Scam Shield is available for all T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers on the App Store or Google Play store. Download it now while you’re thinking about it!
Sprint customers get scam identification and scam blocking through the upgraded Call Screener app for free, previously $2.99 per month.
For Android, open the Sprint Caller Screen app. It comes pre-installed on your phone. Follow the prompts to set it up.
Qualifying service & capable device required. Turning on Scam Block might block calls you want; disable any time. 1 PROXY line per qualifying account; may be canceled for non-use (In some circumstances, access to 911 may be limited. See DIGITS Terms of Use for additional 911 information). See details at https://www.t-mobile.com/customers/scam-shield.
Tags: Apple iPhone, caller ID, Google, phone scams, robocalls, scam calls, Scam Shield, scammers, Sprint, T-Mobile
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