Movistar declares war on spam calls, blocking 190 million

Spain's largest telecommunications provider, Movistar, is escalating its fight against fraudulent calls and spam, announcing it has blocked over 190 million unwanted calls since March 2025 – a staggering figure that represents a 97% success rate according to the Ministry for Digital Transformation.

A proactive approach to a persistent problem

For years, Spanish consumers have been bombarded with relentless spam calls, a phenomenon that has eroded trust and caused significant distress. While the issue remains pervasive, Movistar’s recent initiatives, unveiled today, demonstrate a serious commitment to disrupting these nuisance communications. The company is framing this effort as a key component of its broader security ecosystem, aiming to attract new subscribers who prioritize call protection.

The statistics are compelling. Daily, Movistar neutralizes approximately 500,000 calls, translating to over 15 million fraudulent calls blocked monthly. This proactive blocking extends to sophisticated techniques like manipulated numbers and “spoofing,” where callers disguise their identity to appear legitimate. The company’s involvement in the government’s Anti-Scam Plan has been instrumental in achieving these results.

Campaign aims to empower users

Beyond the technological advancements, Movistar is launching a public awareness campaign, “Vuelve a contestar ¿sí?” (Answer Again, Yes?)—first appearing on a large display in Madrid’s Plaza de Castilla—to encourage users to engage with their phones again without fear. The campaign, slated for rollout across various media channels, seeks to educate the public and reinforce Movistar’s dedication to combating unwanted calls at their source.

Users already have access to a “spam call alert” feature, which flags potentially fraudulent calls on their screens. For more robust protection, a “root blocking” option is available, allowing users to block all fraudulent and unwanted calls directly through the Mi Movistar app, or via phone at 1004 or at a Movistar store. This level of control puts the onus on the consumer, empowering them to safeguard their own communications.

The sheer volume of calls being blocked—nearly 200 million in just under a year—underscores both the scale of the problem and the potential for technological solutions to mitigate it. While the battle against spam is far from over, Movistar’s aggressive stance and commitment to user security are setting a new standard in the Spanish telecommunications landscape.