Recently, the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) launched a free smartphone app, called TPS Protect. The app, available on both Apple and Android phones, enables its users to register their mobile phone numbers with the TPS, and file complaints about spam calls.
How it works
The usability of the app is determined by its users’ response. When someone complains about a certain number, its trust score drops. Therefore, other people who receive calls from the same number, will be able to assess its trustworthiness, based on how fellow users have reacted to it.
The app information is updated every 6 minutes which means there is no risk of new scammers flying under the radar at all, as they will be detected immediately.
How much does it cost?
The TPS Protect app is free to download, however for additional 99p per month users can block any unwanted calls by diverting them straight to voicemail. Free users, on the other hand, will still receive incoming calls but they will be able to see the Trust score of the calling number and decide for themselves whether they want to answer the call. It is good to know that every new user gets a 60-day free trial, during which they can make the most of the full capacity of the app.
The paid subscription offers more customised call filtering, such as the creation of “Approved” and “Blocked” lists, and the setting of a “personal trust level”. The latter allows the users to select what their tolerable trust score is on the scale from 1 to 5. If they select 4, all calls from numbers below this score, go straight to voicemail, which eliminates the immediate need to deal with unwanted calls.
Why does it matter?
The new TPS Protect app looks like a serious statement made by the DMA to lead the battle with call scammers to a winning end. We welcome the step taken by the association, as we understand very well how pestering nuisance calls are. Not only do they cause distress to the victims, but they also cost them time and money. We will monitor the success of the app in the years to come. and we hope it will bring the desired results.
