How to (Finally!) Stop Getting All of Those Annoying Calls

Your name is on the Do Not Call list, but you're still getting robocalls? Here's how to stop them for good. 

1

Just Hang Up. 

no-call-list
Photo by rikota/Getty Images

If you press any button—say, in response to an offer to be removed from the call list—it’s an indicator that your number works and the calling company will prioritize your number on the next round, says Bikram Bandy, a coordinator of the Do Not Call program of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Note the name and the number on your caller ID, file a report at donotcall.gov, and call your carrier to have the number blocked. This is your right. According to the FTC, robocalls that attempt to sell goods or services are illegal unless you’ve given the company permission to send you a robocall.

2

Contact Your Carrier. 

“If you’re getting a lot of robocalls you can contact your carrier (landline or cell phone) and see if they can offer you solutions to prevent calls from getting through,” says Bandy. There may be a service charge involved. Before paying extra, just remember that telemarketers change caller ID information easily and often, so it may not be worth the fee.

3

Try Nomorobo.

It's a free service for those who have a VIOP landline that connects through the internet instead of a phone jack (Time Warner Cable and Verizon Fios, for example). “Nomorobo analyzes your incoming calls and, if a particular number has received a high number of complaints, it blocks the call from getting through,” says Bandy.

4

Don't Buy Things Over the Phone. 

“If a business is using robocalls they’re not considerate of complying with the law or are pitching something fraudulent,” says Bandy. More often than not, a phone sales pitch is a scam.

5

Know What the Do Not Call Registry Covers.

The Do Not Call program only prohibits sales-related calls. So you may still receive political calls, charitable calls, debt collection calls, informational calls, and telephone survey calls, according to donotcall.gov.

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