Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
5 min of reading 
0 comments 
Discover The Little-Known Details About Suspicious Calls That Invade Your Cell Phone And How Small Actions Can Transform The Way You Deal With These Technological Nuisances.
Amid the growing digitalization and widespread use of smartphones in Brazil, spam calls have become an increasingly common nuisance for millions of users.
The majority of people tend to hang up as soon as they realize that the number is unknown or when they identify that it is an unwanted call.
However, digital security experts warn that this immediate reaction may be one of the main reasons for the increase in the frequency of these calls.
-
A Mercado Livre customer opened their package and found 32 resumes of people looking for jobs crumpled as protective paper inside the box, exposing names, addresses, documents, and phone numbers of dozens of candidates.
-
Iceberg A23a, one of the largest in the world, is undergoing accelerated collapse and may disappear: what explains the end of the ice giant?
-
The simplest swap at home can reduce energy consumption by up to 90% without changing habits, using a technology that lasts up to 25 times longer and consumes only a fraction of the electricity.
-
With over 14 million baskets of earth moved, an ancient North American metropolis built a monumental pyramid of 30 meters and established a city with 20,000 inhabitants nearly a thousand years ago.
This happens because companies, often malicious, use automated systems equipped with artificial intelligence to make mass calls.
These systems can analyze user behavior during the call and adjust their strategies based on these interactions.
If the user simply hangs up quickly, without any response, the technology may interpret this as a temporary absence, classifying the number as active but unavailable.
Consequently, the system schedules new attempts for the near future, which intensifies the problem of unwanted calls.
Why Hanging Up Immediately Can Worsen The Situation
It is important to understand that user behavior when receiving a call is monitored by spam technologies.
Sophisticated systems interpret silence or quick hang-ups as a sign to keep insisting on that number.
In other words, when you hang up without even waiting a few seconds, you are inadvertently telling the robot that your number is active and worth trying again.
Therefore, experts recommend that the ideal action is to leave the call on for a few seconds before ending it, even without saying anything.
This small pause can send a different message to the automated system, indicating that the number is active but unavailable for interaction at the moment.
As a result, the frequency of unwanted calls may decrease over time.
What You Should Never Do On A Suspicious Call
In addition to not hanging up immediately, another crucial point is not to provide any personal information during the call.
Scammers often use fraudulent calls to collect data such as CPF, address, document numbers, bank information, among others.
Even if the interlocutor seems convincing, with professional speeches or veiled threats, do not share any personal or financial information.
By providing this information, you may be confirming the validity of your data for criminals, increasing the risk of future frauds and scams.
Another common mistake is interacting with the interlocutor, answering questions, or affirming that you are present.
This can be used to validate that the number is active, further increasing contact attempts.
Tools To Identify And Block Spam Calls
Fortunately, technology offers various resources to assist users against these unwanted calls.
Most modern smartphones already have native tools capable of identifying suspicious numbers, displaying alerts like “spam number” or “possible fraud”.
Additionally, there are apps dedicated to identifying and blocking automated calls.
Among the most popular are Truecaller and Hiya, which feature collaborative databases and artificial intelligence to recognize and block numbers reported by other users.
These apps also allow for automatic blocking of robocalls, significantly reducing the number of inconvenient calls.
How To Use The ‘Don’t Disturb’ Service To Stop Telemarketing
Another tool available for Brazilian consumers is the ‘Don’t Disturb’ service, maintained by Anatel in partnership with sector entities.
Through free registration on the official website or app, users can request the blocking of telemarketing calls made by telecommunications companies, banks, and financial institutions.
After registration, the blocking of calls is implemented within 30 days.
This measure has been adopted by millions of Brazilians and has contributed to the reduction of nuisance calls.
Identifying Legitimate And Telemarketing Calls
Anatel also dictates that all companies conducting active telemarketing must use the prefix 0303 in their calls.
Thus, whenever a call begins with this number, the user can identify that it is a commercial contact, whether for sales, collections, or service offers.
It is a practical way to differentiate legitimate calls from potential scams or spams.
Care To Avoid Excessive Exposure Of The Number
In addition to measures against spam calls, reducing the exposure of your phone number also helps to minimize the chances of being targeted by these calls.
Avoid providing your phone number to unknown companies and individuals.
Whenever possible, prefer to provide alternative contacts, such as email or secondary numbers that may be used for that type of communication.
Another important care is to review data sharing permissions in registrations and contracts with companies.
Often, consent for marketing and telemarketing is included in the clauses, and it is possible to request the exclusion of this data to reduce the receipt of unwanted calls.
Additional Apps And Device Settings
In addition to the already mentioned apps, some smartphones have settings that allow automatic blocking of calls from unknown numbers or those not saved in your contacts.
This functionality can be useful for filtering spam contacts, although there is a risk of missing legitimate calls from contacts that are not yet saved.
Therefore, it is important to use these tools carefully and adjust the settings according to your routine and needs.
Impact Of Spam Calls On Society And Consumers
Spam calls are not just a nuisance, but also pose a real risk to the security of users’ personal and financial data.
Scams and frauds conducted over the phone have increased in recent years, causing significant losses for victims.
Moreover, the excess of calls can generate stress, anxiety, and even losses in work and social interaction.
Therefore, understanding how this system works and adopting preventive measures is essential to ensure safety and well-being in daily life.
What To Do If You Are A Victim Of A Scam
If you have provided personal information on a suspicious call, it is important to act quickly.
Contact your bank to block cards and accounts, file a police report, and notify consumer protection agencies such as Procon.
Moreover, monitoring your accounts and documents periodically can help detect any suspicious activity.
A Look At The Future: How Technology Can Help
New technological solutions are being developed to combat the problem of automated calls.
Advanced artificial intelligence-based systems, voice recognition, and call authentication through specific protocols promise to further reduce fraud.
However, while these innovations are not fully established, the best defense remains the knowledge and caution of the user.
Have you had issues with spam calls? What strategy did you adopt to minimize this nuisance? Share your experience!
Seja o primeiro a reagir!