There are a number of resources to help you block telemarketers and other annoying callers at home and on your cell phone. The government implemented the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 to establish rules for telemarketers to follow and later implemented a registry list to further protect consumers from bothersome telemarketing calls.
Instructions
1. Sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry, which is run by the government. When you add your number to this registry, telemarketers are required to stop calling you after 31 days. If they don't, they face fines and penalties. You must register each phone number that you want to block from telemarketer calls individually. You can register for the National Do Not Call Registry online (see the link below, in Resources) or by calling 888.382-1222 (866-290-4236 for TTY callers) from the number you want to register. When you process the application online, you are required to verify your registry through email within 72 hours else the application will be ignored. The Do Not Call list does not protect business lines, only residential and personal cell phones.
2. Use your cell phone ring tone to help block telemarketers. Some cell phones have a feature in which you can change the ring tone for specific callers. So if a specific telemarketer is calling you from a number that you can view on your phone, save the number to your address book. Go back in to edit the entry and select "No Ring" for the default tone. If the telemarketer calls are coming from an unavailable or private number, call your cell phone company and ask it to block all private calls (you may also have a call restriction feature under your cell phone settings).
3. On a land line number, call your phone company and ask it to sign you up for call screening services. With this service, you will probably pay an additional fee each month so that you can add certain numbers to a "block list." Whenever the telemarketer calls, she will hear a message that "this message is out of service" or something similar. You can also buy a call screening machine (see Resources for suggestions) that will allow you to block all calls at a certain time of day, except for your family and close friends.
Tags: cell phone, your cell, your cell phone, telemarketer calls, Call Registry, call screening