The Cat and Mouse Game: How Technology Battles Spam Callers

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Remember the last time you went a day without receiving a spam call? It feels like going back in time when spam or robocalls weren’t a thing. With the advancements in technology, these annoying disruptions have increased and can come at the most inconvenient times. Moreover, spam callers have gotten smarter in their attempts to deceive recipients.

Thankfully, technology has also stepped up to the challenge of combating spam callers.

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What is a Spam Call?

A spam call is an unsolicited call, which is usually made by a telemarketer, scammer, or an automated system with the intent of promoting a product, or service, or perpetuating fraudulent activities. These calls are often made without the permission of the user, making them invasive to the recipient’s peace and privacy.

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How do Spammers Operate?

One of the most common ways that spam callers deceive recipients is by using caller ID spoofing. This is a technique that allows callers to display a fake caller ID on the recipient's phone, making it look like the call is coming from a legitimate source, such as a government agency or a well-known company. Even if you block spam call numbers, the same person can call you using another spoofed number. Another common tactic used by spam callers is to make robocalls. Robocalls are automated calls that are made without the intervention of a human operator. Spammers use robocalls to efficiently reach a broad audience with their marketing messages or scams without having to manually dial each number.

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Can Technology Help Us Win the Battle Against Spam Callers?

The rise in spam calls has led to several technological solutions that can help us combat the problem. These include the following

methods:

‍Verify Call Authenticity:

A promising measure to block spam calls is the use of call authentication protocols. These protocols help to verify the authenticity of incoming calls by identifying the callers. One of the most popular methods in this category is the STIR / SHAKEN protocol, which stands for Secure Telephone Identity Revisited/Signature-based Handling of Asserted information using Tokens. This works by adding a digital signature to caller ID information which can be used to verify the authenticity of the incoming call.

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Machine Learning and AI:

Machine learning and AI technologies are also being used extensively to combat spam callers. These technologies are employed to analyse the call patterns and flag potential spam calls. They can also be used to block spam calls and thus, protect the user's phone. As spam callers constantly evolve their tactics, AI-powered systems can adapt and improve their identification methods over time, making it harder for spam calls to go undetected.

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Crowd-Sourcing and User Feedback:

There are a number of websites and apps that allow users to report spam calls. This collected data is used to block numbers that have been reported by crowds and improve call authentication protocols.

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Legal and Regulatory Efforts:

Legal and regulatory efforts are being made and updated to combat spam callers. In India, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued new guidelines that require all telecom operators to employ AI spam filters in their call and message services. Additionally, it is also working on a Call ID function that will display the caller’s identity and image, allowing customers to recognise the caller.

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Protect Your Privacy With the Technology of a Doosra SIM

Apart from the combat options mentioned above, eSIM is an effective way to prevent deceptive calls. With a virtual number in India like Doosra, all incoming calls are blocked to your number by default and go straight to voicemail.

Doosra is an innovative virtual number provider that helps you keep your number private and maintain control over your personal information. It also provides the option to whitelist contacts so that you get only relevant calls.

Plus, the app allows you to call back without revealing your real number, ensuring that your personal details and number are never exposed.

So, stay vigilant, informed and leverage the technology to combat spam calls.

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