How to permanently get rid of spam and unwanted emails, texts and phone calls
More than 114,000 nuisance calls and texts were reported to the Information Commissioner last year
MILLIONS of consumers are wasting time and energy dealing with nuisance calls and texts as well spam emails clogging up their inbox.
More than 114,000 nuisance calls and texts were reported to the Information Commissioner last year – but the total number may runs into tens of millions.
Whether it’s picking up the phone to an unwanted sales calls, being bombarded by text messages or spending your evening erasing spam emails – the experience can be infuriating and in some cases costly.
Here’s what you can do to stop the madness:
How to stop nuisance calls
The best way to stop getting nuisance calls is to register your phone number with the , according to the Citizens Advice Bureau.
TPS is free to use and is a register which records your preference not to receive unsolicited sales or marketing calls. Once registered, it will be illegal for companies to make unsolicited calls to your number.
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Mobile users who want to sign up to the service can do so by followed by their email address to 85095. They should receive a text reply from TPS confirming their number has now been successfully added to its database.
According to consumer group Which?, people have had mixed experience with the service with some noticing a reduction in unwanted calls and other saying they are still receiving them.
Alternatively, a number of phone companies also offer services that can help block nuisance calls, but prices may vary depending on what package you signed up for.
You can find out more on the different types of services available, on .
How you can block nuisance calls
1. Register your phone with the Telephone Preference Service, which adds your number to a list that don't want to receive sales and marketing calls
2. Buy a call-blocking product from your phone provider or install one yourself
3. To stop nuisance texts, forward it to 7726 - this spells ‘SPAM’ on your phone keypad. This will report the sender to your mobile network company
4. Always make sure you report the calls to the Telephone Preference Service or the Information Commissioners' Office so the company can hopefully be fined
The consumer group also has tool for users .
Although using the tool will not make the calls stop, it will automatically issue a complaint on your behalf, subject to your approval.
And if you think that reporting nuisance call is useless remember that last year, Glasgow-based Home Energy & Lifestyle Management made . The company was later fined £200,000 for making "people’s lives a misery”.
In 2014, star of TV show The Call Centre "Big Nev" Wilshire was also fined £225,000 for making nuisance calls.
How to stop unwanted texts
If you’re receiving spam text messages, such as PPI claims handlers, the first thing you can do is to report it to your network provider.
Major networks have a simple and free method to do it. You just need to forward the spam message to 7726 and make sure it includes the number of the person who send it to you in the first place.
Mobile users can also report it to the Information Commissioner's Office, which can fine companies up to £500,000 for the most serious breaches.
Just today, a credit company based in Bradford was fined £80,000 for sending nearly one million nuisance texts in six months.
How stop unwanted spam emails
The first golden rule is never to reply or open a spam email.
Spammers will often guess your email addresses, so replying or clicking on a link only confirms that you are a real person. Instead, block the email altogether.
If you have already opened the email before realising it’s spam – it’s not too late, just don’t open any of the links.
This includes the button to “unsubscribe” from the mailing list – again clicking on the link will only confirm your email address is actually active
If you get regularly spammed you can block specific email addresses, so everything sent from that address will go to your spam folder.
Finally, it’s also good practice to keep your anti-virus software up to date, this will ensure you have a final line of defence if you realise you’ve opened a scam email too late.
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