How to block someone

How, in an age of self- driving cars, are phone scams making a comeback? There were 30 billion fake calls last year alone. It’s time to take back your number.

BE STINGY

The next time a cashier asks you for your phone number, just refuse it. Retailers say they take your number to process returns or rewards, but you can usually do both without handing over your info. And when you sign up for an online service, look for a fine-print check box to say that you don’t have a phone. If it says “field required,” keep reading.

DISGUISE YOUR DIGITS

A new dry cleaner asked me for my address and phone number, in case I lost my ticket. Plausible situation. So I gave him my cell number, but reversed the last two numbers – my apologies to whomever really owns that number. I can recite my fake number and get my shirts back, no problem. A more sustainable option: sign up for Google Voice, a free service that gives you a new number that works like a second phone line. Go to

voice.google.com to set it up. Voice offers built-in scamblocking software, and you can get calls to that number forwarded to your real cell. If it gets overrun, delete it.

GO PRIVATE

Android phones and iphones allow you to block specific numbers with two taps, but that won’t stop people who use fake numbers or, worse, those who set their caller ID to show up on your phone as “Blocked” or “Private.” (Anyone can do this in a few seconds by simply going into their phone settings.) Frustratingly, your phone service has to honour this, according to the legitimate allowance for caller privacy. Solution: turn on Do Not Disturb mode, and set it so only your Contacts or Favourites can get through. The rest will go to Missed Calls. It works for texts, too.