WHAT THE TECH? 'YouMail' is App of the Day
News & Politics
WHAT THE TECH? 'YouMail' is App of the Day
Half of all robocalls are beneficial, coming from pharmacists, doctors, and schools with crucial information. The other half are the ones we aim to block. One effective tool for this task is the app called YouMail.
YouMail is a free app and service designed to block robocalls by referencing a library of over a million numbers known to belong to scammers and telemarketers. Normally, unanswered calls remain on your cellular provider’s servers, but with YouMail installed and authorized, these calls are rerouted to YouMail’s servers. When a bad number tries to call, they hear a recorded message saying, "Unblock your phone and try again," which may deter them from calling again.
If the number is someone you know or isn't in the bad number library, the caller hears your primary voicemail greeting. Their voicemail can be reviewed later, and it is transcribed and can be sent to you via email or text.
The free version of YouMail performs all these functions, albeit with some ads. Since the app needs approval from your cellular provider to intercept calls, the setup can be somewhat complicated, but it works effectively.
That’s what the tech. I'm Jamie Tucker.
Keywords
- Robocalls
- YouMail
- Block
- Scammers
- Telemarketers
- Voicemail
- Transcription
- Free App
- Cellular Providers
FAQ
Q: What percentage of robocalls are beneficial? A: Approximately half of all robocalls are beneficial, coming from pharmacists, doctors, and schools with important information.
Q: What does YouMail do? A: YouMail blocks robocalls by checking the number against a library of over a million known scammer and telemarketer numbers.
Q: How does YouMail handle bad number calls? A: YouMail reroutes these calls to its servers and plays a recorded message saying, "Unblock your phone and try again."
Q: What happens if a known number calls? A: If the number is not in the bad number library, the caller hears your primary voicemail greeting, and their message can be transcribed and sent to you via email or text.
Q: Is YouMail free to use? A: Yes, YouMail offers a free version that includes ads.
Q: Is the setup process for YouMail simple? A: The setup can be a bit complicated because the app needs approval from your cellular provider to intercept calls, but it is effective once configured properly.