nuisance calls and text messages on the iPhoneIt happens to all of us, your phone rings, you don’t recognize the number. But, wait a minute, it just might be a client calling…. or the national lottery wondering why you didn’t pick up your winnings yet! 😉

The temptation is too great… You answer………. Pause………
it’s a recorded message:
“Did you know you may be entitled to a PPI refund….”
or worse: “Have you been injured in an accident recently???”

These nuisance calls and text messages on the iPhone have become more and more common and are a waste of our precious time and money.

I for one am sick of rushing to the phone only to find it was a call center trying to sell you something you didn’t want or need.

I also had enough of text messages offering thousands of pounds in compensation for an injury I haven’t even suffered.

Nuisance calls and messages come in a variety of different shapes and sizes and can be inconvenient and annoying at the best of times.

For more vulnerable consumers they can also cause considerable distress and anxiety.

If you’re fed up receiving these calls and messages there is something you can do about it.

 

Solution for dealing with nuisance calls and text messages on the iPhone

Phone calls – next time you get a nuisance call on your iPhone

  1. After hanging up, select the Phone icon.
  2. go to the “Recents” call list  select the “info” icon iPhone info imagenext to the phone number
  3. add the number to your address book by scrolling down to “Create new contact”
  4. title the contact “Junk call – do not answer!” or any other name you wish – this will be your junk call contact that represents all future nuisance calls and texts.

Now each time the number you created the contact with rings you, you’ll see the name of your junk call contact (e.g. “Junk call – do not answer!”) appear on your screen. You can safely ignore the call or better still touch the power button on the top right of  the iPhone to stop the call from ringing any further.

Text messages – next time you get a nuisance text message on your iPhone

  1. Click on the messages app
  2. Select the nuisance text message that you wish to flag as junk
  3. select “details” on the top right
  4. select the “info” icon iPhone info imagenext to the phone number
  5. add the number to your junk call contact by scrolling down to “Add to existing contact”
  6. select the junk call contact.
  7. Finally select “Done” on the top right of your screen.

Final optional step for dealing with nuisance calls and text messages on the iPhone

Once you are happy that your phone is correctly attributing unwanted nuisance calls and texts to your junk call contact. You can take one additional step to deal with the nuisance call pests. Block all nuisance calls and text messages saved in the Junk call contact from ringing your iPhone:

  1. Select “Contacts”
  2. locate your Junk call contact.
  3. scroll down past your growing list of junk call numbers ( I currently have 18!)
  4. select “Block this Caller”

From this point forward the iPhone will reject nuisance calls and text messages on the list and the iPhone will not ring. MAKE SURE YOU DIDN’T ACCIDENTALLY ADD ANY LEGITIMATE NUMBERS TO THIS CONTACT ELSE YOU WILL NEVER HEAR FROM THEM AGAIN!

Other resources to avoid nuisance calls and text messages on the iPhone:

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/problem/i-keep-getting-unwanted-calls-and-text-messages-what-can-i-do- 

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/stop-spam-texts

https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/iphone/how-block-number-any-iphone-ios-7-ios-6-3457215/