Technologies

Protect Yourself From Sketchy Calls: Unknown Caller vs. No Caller ID

Here’s the key difference between these two anonymous calls on iPhone.

Like most of us, you’re probably getting a lot of unsolicited calls that show up as either No Caller ID or Unknown Caller on your iPhone. Reflexively answering either one could lead to a scam — or perhaps a call you’ve been waiting for. What are the differences between these two anonymous labels?

Here’s what to know about each type of call and how to keep yourself safe from potential scams.

No Caller ID vs. Unknown Caller

A call labeled «No Caller ID» means the caller has blocked their number from appearing on your screen. In other words, they want to keep their identity under wraps. This can be a privacy measure, but it’s also a tool used by scammers — if you can’t quickly verify who the caller is based on their number, it can be easier to fall for their trap.

«Unknown Caller,» on the other hand, is the message that appears when your phone service provider doesn’t recognize who’s calling. This can come down to several factors, including network or technical issues, or receiving calls from foreign numbers. Oftentimes, these callers aren’t intentionally trying to hide their identity, but it’s still a good idea to be cautious. Scammers can also use this method to hide their identity by using a phone that isn’t registered with the phone company, for instance.

What to do if you get anonymous calls

You should always proceed with caution if you can’t identify a caller. This is especially important if someone rings you and «No Caller ID» appears on the screen, as they have intentionally kept their number hidden. But an Unknown Caller is also something to be wary of, since it becomes harder to truly identify who’s at the other end of the line.

Letting the call go to voicemail is often a good idea. Answering a call signals to scammers that your number is active, which could lead to more similar calls in the future. The Live Voicemail feature is particularly helpful for these situations because it allows you to pick up the call if the voicemail transcript indicates it’s someone you want to speak with.

Silence unknown callers on your iPhone

You can even go a step further and silence unknown callers on your iPhone. That way, those mystery callers won’t disturb you, and they can just leave a voicemail for you to check later.

In your iPhone, go to Settings, then tap Apps followed by Phone and go to Silence Unknown Callers. Hit the toggle to turn it on.

Use apps to block unidentified calls

Though there isn’t a way to block these anonymous calls within your iPhone’s settings, your wireless carrier may offer apps to help with this.

AT&T ActiveArmor, for instance, has a free version that blocks spam and fraud calls, and also lets you block all unknown callers. The advanced version, which costs $4 a month, includes tools like reverse number lookup and caller ID for unknown numbers. ActiveArmor is available for iOS and Android.

Verizon’s Call Filter app also offers spam detection, a spam filter and the option to report numbers, all for free. For an additional $4 a month, you’ll also get caller ID, spam lookup, a personal block list and a spam risk meter. Call Filter is automatically enabled for Android users on a postpaid plan, and is available in the App Store for iPhone.

T-Mobile’s Scam Shield has a free option that includes full caller ID, scam reporting and scam blocking. There’s also a premium option for $4 a month per line, which offers reverse phone number lookup and voicemail transcriptions that are automatically texted to you. You can download the Scam Shield app in the App Store or Google Play.

Be sure to check with other wireless carriers to see if they offer something similar. Some wireless carrier plans may include access to the premium features as well.

For more third-party apps to help limit robocalls and general tips, check out our guide on stopping spam calls.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Oct. 23 #599

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Oct. 23, No. 599.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle might be Halloween-themed, as the answers are all rather dangerous. Some of them are a bit tough to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: Please don’t eat me!

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Remember Mr. Yuk?

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

POND, NOON, NODE, BALE, SOCK, LOVE, LOCK, MOCK, LEER, REEL, GLOVE, DAIS, LEAN, LEAD, REEL

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

AZALEA, HEMLOCK, FOXGLOVE, OLEANDER, BELLADONNA

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is POISONOUS. To find it, look for the P that is the first letter on the far left of the top row, and wind down and across.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Oct. 23, #395

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Oct. 23, No. 395.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition has one of those crazy purple categories, where you wonder if anyone saw the connection, or if people just put that grouping together because only those four words were left. If you’re struggling but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Fan noise.

Green group hint: Strategies for hoops.

Blue group hint: Minor league.

Purple group hint: Look for a connection to hoops.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Sounds from the crowd.

Green group: Basketball offenses.

Blue group: Triple-A baseball teams.

Purple group: Ends with a basketball stat.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is sounds from the crowd. The four answers are boo, cheer, clap and whistle.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is basketball offenses. The four answers are motion, pick and roll, Princeton and triangle.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is triple-A baseball teams. The four answers are Aces, Jumbo Shrimp, Sounds and Storm Chasers.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ends with a basketball stat. The four answers are afoul, bassist, counterpoint and sunblock.

Technologies

Amazon’s Delivery Drivers Will Soon Wear AI Smart Glasses to Work

The goal is to streamline the delivery process while keeping drivers safe.

Amazon announced on Wednesday that it is developing new AI-powered smart glasses to simplify the delivery experience for its drivers. CNET smart glasses expert Scott Stein mentioned this wearable rollout last month, and now the plan is in its final testing stages.

The goal is to simplify package delivery by reducing the need for drivers to look at their phones, the label on the package they’re delivering and their surroundings to find the correct address.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

A heads-up display will activate as soon as the driver parks, pointing out potential hazards and tasks that must be completed. From there, drivers can locate and scan packages, follow turn-by-turn directions and snap a photograph to prove delivery completion without needing to take out their phone.

The company is testing the glasses in select North American markets.

Watch: See our Instagram post with a video showing the glasses

A representative for Amazon didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

To fight battery drain, the glasses pair with a controller attached to the employee’s delivery vest, allowing them to replace depleted batteries and access operational controls. The glasses will support an employee’s eyeglass prescription. An emergency button will be within reach to ensure the driver’s safety.

Amazon is already planning future versions of the glasses, which will feature «real-time defect detection,» notifying the driver if a package was delivered to the incorrect address. They plan to add features to the glasses to detect if pets are in the yard and adjust to low light.