LOS ANGELES – We hate all automated calls and unsolicited calls, but there is a simple solution to answer the phone with ease.

Want to know that the person calling is a real person and whom you trust? In fact, these three tips are enough to slow down the growing flood of unwanted phone calls.

You're ready? First, assign them to your contacts and give them a unique ringtone.

For the rest of the time, do not answer the phone and do not block all unassigned callers to your contacts.

If it is important, the caller will leave you a message.

That said, make these changes, and at least you'll know that when the phone rings, you really want to answer it.

Americans were harassed by more than 4 billion automated calls in May, according to data collected by YouMail. In the United States, more than 30 billion automated calls were launched in the first five months of the year, easily representing a record pace. (Photo: Thinkstock)

Assign contacts

It's pretty simple, but not everyone does it. When you receive a call, go to the phone settings, find the number and that's probably all you see, a bunch of digits and the place of the call.

On the iPhone, click Create a new contact and add the name of the caller. Click on "Done".

On Android phones, it's even easier. Under the phone number of the last calls, there is a "+" and "Add to contacts" sign. From there, add the details and click Save.

But for a double protection:

Assign ringtones

Apple iPhones have dozens of free ringtones available. Use them!

You can assign all your contacts the same ringtone, other than the default one, or apply different ringing tones to different people. For example, my mother, my brother and my wife each have a unique one. (Showing that I've never grown up, my brother has the tone of Ms. Pac-Man, the woman becomes Super Mario and I gave Donald Duck to my mom.)

How to assign a tone:

– On an iPhone, open the contact list and click "Edit". You will then get an option for Ringtone, which is now probably listed as DEFAULT.

Click on Default to view a list of other potential free tones, as well as a link to a "Sound Store" to buy new ones. Select the tone of your choice, click Done and it is now assigned to your contact.

– On an Android phone, go to your contacts, find the name, click Edit, and at the bottom of the page, select More. From there you will see ringtones. There are about 25 choices available. Select one, click Save, and you are done.

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Make your own list of excluded phone numbers

So now you have assigned unique tones to your contacts and you are assured that random names are associated with names.

And now, are you blocking all the other callers who arrive after discovering that they were robots?

You can, by going to the bottom of the contact page, and clicking Block this caller. But it is a futile exercise. The number is probably a parody, which associates a name with a local phone number to encourage you to open it. (For example, a savvy spoofer recently wrote me to Evan Spiegel of Santa Monica, Calif., As if the CEO of Snap Inc. had really tried randomly to call me to say hello. This n & # 39; He was not him.)

Now that you have assigned all your contacts, you can be tough on all other callers and ask your phone to only accept calls from people you know. This would send everyone directly to voicemail.

IPhone users do this in the settings by clicking "Do not disturb" and "Allow calls from" and then "All contacts".

For Android, this is in the phone application. Click on the three lines at the top right, select Settings and block numbers. Click on "Block unknown callers" and only the numbers of your contacts will ring.

There are smartphone apps for blocking calls, including Robokiller and Nomorobo, but they charge you a subscription, which you do not necessarily want to pay. Mobile operators all offer services that they say will also stop for a monthly fee, but trust me, I subscribe to T-Mobile and Scam Likely and always get at least 10 unwanted calls every day.

The Federal Communications Commission announced this week that new rules will tackle the avalanche of automated calls we receive, but it does not actually offer anything that is not available at the moment.

He said he would vote on a decision allowing the telephone companies to use the default call blocking. Implement strong call blocking services as a default setting for their customers and facilitate the blocking of unwanted calls by people.

"This means your phone only rings if the call comes from someone in your contact list," said FCC President Ajit Pai.

And readers know that you can already do it today. You do not have to wait for the government's intervention.

Questions about how to assign contacts or manage automated calls? Let me hear you on Twitter, where I am @jeffersongraham

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