Last week I was in the middle of lunch when my phone rang from an unknown number. “Assalam-o-Alaikum, aap ne 5 lakh ka inaam jeeta hai,” the voice said, followed by a request for my bank details to “release” the prize. I hung up, blocked the number, and went back to my daal — but the next day a different number called with the same script. If this sounds familiar, this guide is for you.
Why spam calls keep finding your number
Your number is out there in more places than you realise. Every time you share it on a classified ad, a lucky-draw form at a shopping mall, or a random website’s contact page, it can end up in a marketer’s database. SIM registration leaks happen too. And scammers don’t even need your real number — auto-diallers call thousands of random numbers a day, hoping a few people pick up.
There is no magic switch that stops every spam call forever. But a combination of blocking, reporting, and a few careful habits cuts them down to almost nothing. Here is what actually works.
Block the number right on your phone
The fastest fix is also the simplest. When a spam call comes in, don’t just decline it — block it, so it never rings again.
On Android: open the Phone app, tap Recents, find the spam number, tap it, then tap Block / Report spam. On most phones you can also tick “Report call as spam” before blocking, which helps Google warn other users about that number.
On iPhone: open the Phone app, tap the Recents tab, tap the i icon next to the number, scroll down and tap Block This Caller, then confirm. The number can no longer call, text, or FaceTime you.
Blocking one number takes ten seconds. Scammers rotate numbers, so you will repeat this a few times in the first week — but most people find the volume drops noticeably after that. If text spam is part of the problem too, check our guide on blocking promotional SMS and this one on stopping flash SMS pop-ups on your Telenor SIM.
Silence calls from numbers you don’t know
If the calls are coming daily and blocking each one feels like whack-a-mole, both Android and iPhone have a stronger option: silence unknown callers.
On iPhone, go to Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers and switch it on. Calls from numbers not in your contacts go straight to voicemail and show up silently in Recents.
On most Android phones, open the Phone app, tap the three dots, go to Settings > Blocked numbers, and turn on Block calls from unidentified callers (the exact name varies by brand — Samsung, Xiaomi and Infinix all have it under slightly different menus). Some Android diallers also offer verified-call screening that labels suspected spam before you pick up. Turn that on too if you see it.
One honest warning: with unknown numbers silenced, a courier or a doctor’s clinic calling from a new number won’t ring either. Check your missed calls once a day for the first week until you get a feel for it.
Report the number so it gets shut down
Blocking protects you. Reporting protects everyone else, and it is the only way the worst offenders actually lose their numbers.
Report to Telenor. Call 345 from your Telenor SIM and tell the agent you want to report a spam/fraud number. Give them the caller’s number, the date, and roughly what was said. Telenor can warn or block numbers that are misusing the network, especially ones running prize or bank scams. If you are not sure how to reach them, our guide on contacting Telenor customer care walks through every channel.
Report to PTA. For persistent spam — especially calls that feel like fraud — PTA’s complaint system is the right escalation. You can file a complaint through the PTA CMS portal or app, or call their toll-free line 0800-55055 (9 AM to 9 PM, seven days a week). Have the spam number and a couple of call dates ready. It takes a few minutes, and PTA does act on volumes of complaints against the same number.
Screenshots help. If a spam call is followed by a WhatsApp message or SMS from the same number, screenshot it before you block — it strengthens your complaint.
Habits that quietly reduce spam calls
Blocking and reporting clean up the present. These habits stop your number from landing in new databases:
- Never call back an unknown number that rang once and hung up. That “missed call” trick (sometimes called Wangiri) is designed to get you to dial a premium-rate number. If it was important, they will call again or text.
- Don’t share your real number on public forms. For classified ads and one-time signups, consider whether you really need to give your main number. A second cheap SIM for public listings is a common Pakistani workaround.
- Never give personal details to an inbound caller. No real bank, no prize scheme, and no government office asks for your CNIC, bank account, or OTP over a cold call. The moment someone asks, hang up.
- Ask Telenor about Do-Not-Disturb options. Marketing calls from legitimate companies are different from scams, and operators have mechanisms to reduce them. Call 345 and ask what DND or marketing-opt-out options exist on your SIM — the current process is quick to confirm with them.
- Keep your phone’s spam protection updated. Google’s Phone app and Samsung’s dialler update their spam databases through app updates. Let them update.
When a spam call is actually a scam
Most spam calls are just annoying — loan offers, plot files, “investment opportunities.” But some are outright fraud, and they follow a pattern: urgency (“your account will be blocked today”), a prize you never entered, or a request for an OTP, bank details, or an Easypaisa/JazzCash transfer.
The rule is simple and absolute: never transfer money or share an OTP because of a phone call. Not to a “bank officer,” not to a “PTA representative,” not to someone claiming your SIM will be blocked. Real institutions don’t operate this way. If a call ever makes you doubt, hang up and call the official helpline yourself — 345 for Telenor matters.
And if you already shared something sensitive in a moment of panic, don’t sit on it. Call 345 immediately, and consider reporting to PTA as well. Speed matters more than embarrassment.
The quiet-phone summary
You can’t stop your number from ever being dialled, but you can make spam calls a non-event: block numbers as they come, silence unknown callers if the volume is high, report the persistent ones to Telenor on 345 and to PTA on 0800-55055, and guard your number a little more carefully going forward.
Now that your phone will stay quiet through lunch — why not use the peace for something fun? Play today’s Telenor quiz and see if you can grab some free MBs while you’re at it.
