How to shop for insurance without getting spam calls?

A sudden increase in spam calls usually happens because your phone number was recently added to a new robocall list, leaked in a data breach, or sold by a data broker.

Common Reasons for a Sudden Surge

• Answering previous calls: If you pick up an unknown number—even just to say "stop calling"—automated systems flag your number as active and valuable, then share it with other scammers.
• Data leaks or breaches: If a company, website, or app where you provided your phone number suffers a cyberattack, your data can end up on lists sold on the dark web.
• Bulk robocall campaigns: Scammers frequently launch automated dialing bursts that target specific area codes or prefixes for a few days before moving on.
• Public records or political lists: Voter registration files and public records often contain phone numbers that legitimate political campaigns or independent groups can legally access and trade.

How to Stop the Calls

• Silence unknown callers: Turn on built-in spam filters on your device. On iPhone, go to Settings > Phone and enable Silence Unknown Callers. On Android, open your Phone app settings and enable Caller ID and Spam protection.
• Use carrier tools: Enable free call-blocking and labeling features provided by your mobile network, such as AT&T ActiveArmor or Verizon Call Filter.
• Add your number to the registry: Register for free on the National Do Not Call Registry to cut down on legal telemarketers, which makes illegal scams easier to spot.
• Never interact: Do not press buttons, speak, or call back, and hang up immediately if you answer an unexpected recording.

Yes, dialing #662# really does stop scam calls, but it only works if you are a T-Mobile or Metro by T-Mobile customer.

How #662# Works

• Network-level blocking: When you dial #662# and press call, it activates T-Mobile's free Scam Block feature.
• Stops the ring: Instead of just labeling an incoming call as "Scam Likely" on your caller ID, the network intercepts and blocks the call entirely before your phone ever rings.
• Easy controls: You can turn it off anytime by dialing #632#.

Important Limitations

• Carrier restriction: This code does not work for AT&T, Verizon, or other major carriers outside the T-Mobile network.
• Not 100% foolproof: It blocks numbers flagged in T-Mobile's database as high-risk scams ("Scam Likely"). Brand-new or spoofed numbers that haven't been reported or detected yet might still slip through.
• Learn more about managing unwanted communications through the official T-Mobile Scam Shield.

To shop for car insurance without getting spam calls, use The Zebra to compare rates anonymously or use a secondary phone number and email address to protect your personal contact info.

Avoid Lead-Generation Sites

• Watch out for lead generators: Sites like QuoteWizard, EverQuote, and aggressive social media ads do not sell insurance. They capture your phone number and email, then sell your data instantly to dozens of marketers.
• Read the fine print: Submitting a form on these sites often signs you away to receive automated calls and texts.

Use Privacy-First Strategies

• Use a burner number: Set up a free Google Voice number or use a secondary line on your phone for quotes.
• Make a separate email: Create a dedicated, temporary email address just for insurance shopping so your main inbox stays clean.
• Block data-sharing: Stick to trusted brokers or direct carrier sites with a strict no-spam privacy policy.

Compare Safely

• Get anonymous estimates: Use comparison tools that provide ballpark pricing without requiring a phone number upfront.
• Go direct: Visit major insurance providers directly online once you narrow down your choices rather than filling out generalized aggregator forms.

There is no single "worst" auto insurance company, but major carriers like Allstate, Liberty Mutual, and Progressive frequently rank poorly in customer satisfaction and claim-handling reviews.

Major Insurers with Frequent Complaints

• Allstate: Often criticized by consumer advocates and attorneys for using strict claim-evaluation software (like Colossus) that can delay or lower payout offers.
• Liberty Mutual: Frequently scores low in consumer satisfaction surveys due to high rates of disputed claims and sudden rate increases.
• Progressive: Regularly cited by customers and repair shops for lowball vehicle damage evaluations and pushing for cheaper or repaired parts over replacements.
• State Farm: While massive in market share, it often lands in lower consumer tiers for aggressive claim-denial strategies.

Budget and Regional Insurers to Watch

• Low-Cost Non-Standard Insurers: Companies like Ocean Harbor, Direct General, and United Auto often rank lowest among personal injury attorneys because they offer very cheap rates but aggressively deny or contest valid claims.
• Bottom-Scoring Regional Brands: In annual satisfaction studies like J.D. Power's Auto Insurance Shopping Study, brands like Safeco and Mercury routinely score at the bottom.

Blocking spam numbers is generally better than just deleting them from your call log, though individual manual blocking has limitations because scammers frequently change or "spoof" numbers.

Blocking vs. Deleting

• Blocking: Stops that specific number from ringing your phone again and keeps a record in your blocked list. While scammers use new numbers constantly, blocking helps cut down on repeat offenders who use the same line.
• Deleting (from Recents): Only removes the entry from your history log; it does not stop the number from calling you again.

Better Ways to Stop Spam Calls

Because manual blocking is a game of whack-a-mole, use these built-in tools for better results:

• Silence Unknown Callers: Turn on this feature in your iPhone Settings (Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers) or Android spam filter settings. It sends callers not in your contacts straight to voicemail without ringing your phone.
• Carrier Protection: Turn on free network-level tools like AT&T ActiveArmor, Verizon Call Filter, or T-Mobile Scam Shield to automatically intercept fraudulent numbers.
• Do Not Register: Add your number to the National Do Not Call Registry to stop legal telemarketers.