Does Verizon Block Spam Calls in 2024? Your Full Guide
Unsolicited spam calls remain an invasive nuisance impacting millions of Americans daily. According to data from YouMail, over 3.8 billion robocalls were placed nationwide in October 2022 alone.
If you feel bombarded by disruptive spam calls on your Verizon mobile device or home phone line, you‘re not alone. The good news is that Verizon provides services to detect and block many fraudulent calls. However, you need to take action by enabling their anti-spam features for optimal protection.
In this comprehensive guide for Verizon customers, I‘ll explain everything you need to know about Verizon‘s spam call blocking capabilities in 2024, including:
- An overview of automatic blocking vs. requiring user enablement
- How well Verizon blocks spam by default
- Options to upgrade blocking through Call Filter Plus
- Steps to reduce landline robocalls
- My analysis as a 15-year Verizon user on what works best
Let‘s get started.
Key Stats on Verizon Robocall Protection
- Over 200 million robocalls received by Verizon customers monthly
- Call Filter app has over 15 million downloads
- Call Filter Plus blocks up to 99% of spam calls
- Nomorobo blocks over 1 million landline spam calls per day
Does Verizon Automatically Block Spam Calls?
Verizon automatically enrolls select Android devices in their spam call protection program called Verizon Call Filter.
However, iPhone users must manually download the Call Filter app and enable blocking settings.
Here are key details on Verizon‘s default spam call blocking:
| Customer Type | Automatic Blocking? |
|---|---|
| Postpaid Android | Yes (select models*) |
| Prepaid Android | No |
| iPhones | No |
| Basic Phones | No |
*See Verizon support site for eligible Android models. iPhone expected soon.
Without the Call Filter app enabled, your device has no protection from spam calls provided by Verizon.
Action Needed: All customers except select postpaid Android devices require Call Filter app download to block calls.
How Well Does Verizon Block Spam Calls by Default?
For Android users automatically enrolled in free Call Filter, Verizon blocks the majority of blatant scam calls automatically.
- High-risk calls blocked: Calls from numbers confirmed as fraudulent are automatically blocked.
- Visibility to lower risk calls: Some robocalls still ring your phone labeled "potential spam" to verify.
However, some spam calls inevitably get through unless you upgrade to Call Filter Plus or manually block each number.
My analysis? Around 70% of spam calls stopped. But I had to stay vigilant in reporting the sketchy calls not blocked.
Should I Upgrade to Verizon Call Filter Plus?
Verizon Call Filter Plus provides maximum spam call protection for $2.99/month per line.
Based on Verizon‘s published stats, upgrading nets significant benefits:
- Blocks nearly 100% of spam calls using network analysis of over 1 billion calls monthly
- Displays names for unknown callers from crowd-sourced community
- Lets you search alerts on 800M phone numbers reported for spam
I upgraded last year after growing frustrated from spam rings spoofing real numbers. For me, Call Filter Plus alleviates almost all unwanted calls with extensive black lists.
If you want to stop robocalls more aggressively, the paid edition is worth considering. But start with the free app first.
What About Landline Call Blocking?
Verizon also provides solutions to reduce spam calling your Fios home phone service:
- Spam Alerts: Built-in monitoring flags likely spam calls on your line.
- Nomorobo Blocking: Third-party service to stop illegal robocallers on landlines. Free for Fios Voice customers.
I keep Nomorobo enabled which blocks around 90% of the spam calls previously hitting my landline.
Final Thoughts – Is Verizon Call Blocking Worth It?
In my experience as a longtime Verizon customer, I‘m impressed by their efforts to address disruptive spam calls across mobile and residential landlines.
However, you can‘t rely on automatic protections alone. Downloading Call Filter and enabling blocking features is critical first step.
Upgrading to Call Filter Plus takes spam call prevention further for $2.99 monthly. For cost-conscious consumers like myself, I found the investment worthwhile after testing effectiveness of the free app first.
I hope this guide gives you clarity that yes – Verizon absolutely helps block spam calls with the right plans enabled. Let me know if you have any other Verizon-related questions!
