Preventing Unwanted FaceTime Spam Calls: Easy Tips

The rise of easy calling through FaceTime has also unlocked a new era of spam calls from random numbers. With over 1 billion Apple devices now active on FaceTime, understanding why these callers have targeted you helps you block them better. Let us walk you through how to shut out spam FaceTime callers in this article.

What Does It Mean To Spam FaceTime Calls?

Ever pick up your phone expecting to see your BFF but instead, you get a random stranger pulling pranks on FaceTime? Unfortunately, that’s called “spam FaceTiming”. Scammers and harassers abuse easy internet calling to bother people they don’t know by spamming them. Cheap tricks like jumpscares, speaking gibberish, and offensive content are used to get reactions while hiding behind fake numbers. Long story short, you need to stay secure by learning to stop spam calls.

How To Stop Random Spam Facetime Calls

Apparently, there’s a TikTok trend where people FaceTime random numbers to see if anyone picks up. This can be annoying, and even though iOS 14 has call-blocking features, they don’t apply to FaceTime. But, here’s how you can protect your space with these simple hacks.

Block The Contact In The Facetime App

Blocking spam callers in every native app of your phone:

i) Phone App – Settings > Blocked Contacts > adds to a blacklist

ii) Messages App – info icon > Block this Caller > stops iMessages

iii) FaceTime App – Profile > Block this Caller > prevents video calls

iv) Mail App – Pull down in inbox > Block Contact > cuts off emails

Disable FaceTime For Them

On a spam caller’s FaceTime profile page, select Block this Caller then tap Block to ensure they stay banned. This prevents new call attempts.

Let An App Screen Your Calls

Third-party spam call and text blockers identify known “spam numbers” and automatically block them.

Choose ‘My Contacts Only’

To stop getting notifications for iMessages from unknown contacts, head to Settings > Notifications > Messages and select “My Contacts Only.” Even though iOS 13 introduced “Silence Unknown Callers” for regular calls, it still doesn’t apply to FaceTime. Surprisingly, iOS 14 faces the same limitation. With that said, Apple really needs to fix this and enhance its call-blocking features.

Turn On Do Not Disturb Mode

Do Not Disturb lets you silence alerts for set times so you aren’t bothered by random FaceTime calls at night. Toggle it on under iOS Settings > Focus. Customize allowed contacts. All you need to do is enable a schedule overnight or during work hours through Settings.

Enable “Silence Unknown Callers”

iOS now lets you route all unknown and private callers directly to voicemail. Under Phone Settings > turn on Silence Unknown Callers. You can easily decline spam calls with this hack.

Remove Your Number From Facetime

Completely deleting your phone number from FaceTime strips the ability for callers to connect. Go to Settings > FaceTime > disable options for iPhone Cellular Calls and iPhone Mobile Data. This blocks ALL FaceTimes. Re-enable whenever you’re ready.

Add A New Email Address

Create a new iCloud email > Turn off FaceTime for older AppleID email > Switch iPhone FaceTime to a new email. Now spam callers connecting through the old address will fail since that email lacks FaceTime connectivity. This trick maintains continuity for your contacts reaching to you through the correct address.

Scroll Until You Find “Filter Unknown Messages”

To stop spam group FaceTime calls, you need to prevent unknown contacts from adding you. In iPhone Settings > Messages > Filter Unknown Senders toggled ON gives you full control over who can group FaceTime message you. This tech-savvy feature automatically filters out strangers. 

How To Block Calls Or Texts With Your Carrier

Carriers allow you to request complete blocks of unwanted calls and texts beyond your iPhone’s tools. But heads up – they often charge monthly fees for total blocking. Here’s the pricing:

AT&T Call Protect – $7.99/month
Verizon Call Filter Plus – $2.99/month
T-Mobile Scam Shield Premium -$4/month

You can check if your carrier offers limited free call blocking. But for 100% assurance against harassment, you need to pay for premium protection. Understanding your options to secure your number can provide top-notch peace of mind.

What About Third-Party Apps?

Beyond the iPhone’s built-in features, third-party call-blocking apps also provide advanced protection against spam FaceTimes.

Where To Get Them From

Leading options like RoboKiller, Hiya, and Nomorobo are available on the App Store. You can download it for free, but you need to subscribe to unlock their premium features.

How Much Is The Subscription

RoboKiller – $3.99 monthly
Hiya  – $2.99 monthly

Nomorobo – $1.99 monthly

What Are The Benefits

The benefits include: 

• Blocking known spam numbers automatically
• Crowdsourced blacklists are constantly updated
• Identifies spoofed calls and scams with advanced reverse lookup
• Customizable whitelist of allowed contacts
• Available on iOS and Android devices