How to block unwanted calls on landline free? It is nearly impossible to stop all spam calls on your home phone. However, there are a few technology methods that can help you reduce the likelihood of receiving such calls. And, while it won’t have the same results as blocking annoying calls on iOS or Android cellphones, it’s worth a shot.
There are steps you can do to block unwanted calls, whether you have a home phone that uses the internet (VoIP) or a classic landline.
How to Block Unwanted Calls on Landline Free
1. Make Contact with your Landline Service Provider
Most major home phone service providers can help you fight unwanted calls. They usually provide a free or paid service to help with this problem. Each provider has a different set of solutions for its consumers.
It is available to all BT customers at no cost. It will shield you from spammers by automatically forwarding their calls to voicemail. Because the corporation has its own database of nuisance callers, when someone calls you from an unknown number, they will run it through that list to see if it should be routed to garbage voicemail.
2. Purchase a Call-Blocking Device
If you have a copper phone line, this is the tool to use to prevent robocalls, spam calls, and other types of nuisance calls. There are numerous call blocking gadgets available on the market. They usually come preloaded with spam phone numbers.
The issue is that scammers constantly alter their phone numbers, which means that the most recent scam numbers may not be in your device’s list. Some call-blocking systems, however, allow you to manually enter a phone number that you want to block. However, because scammers frequently fake real phone numbers, such as bank phone lines or tech support, you should use caution while blocking them.
3. Block Unwanted Phone Numbers Manually on Your Landline
Call blocking technology is included into many current home phones. It can be used to restrict access to specific phone numbers. As a result, you’ll be able to stop a spam caller only after the call has been placed, leaving you with little options.
Some landline phone models additionally include more sophisticated technologies for truly blocking nuisance calls. If your house phone banned an unknown caller who was actually a buddy calling from a borrowed phone, the message will be routed to the answering machine. As a result, actual individuals will still be able to contact you.
Other Methods to Avoid Annoying Phone Calls
You can also attempt some additional strategies to avoid receiving nuisance phone calls on your home phone. However, they will not work for all types of calls and are a little more complicated than the ones stated before.
Here are some other options:
- Install an interactive voice response (IVR) system: This will only work with VoIP home phones and specifically for robocalls. Even though it is a failsafe solution to eliminate robocalls on your smartphone, it will take up to two hours to set up and is extremely complicated.
- Make use of a third-party service: Nomorobo is a good example of such a service. It tries to eliminate telemarketing and robocalls to your landline phone. However, because this service only works with VoIP carriers, it is not an option if you have a copper-based phone connection.
How to Report Unwanted Calls
You can help the authorities track down scammers by reporting them. They make available the reported phone numbers, thereby assisting service providers with their call-blocking solutions. Depending on whatever nation you are in,
Here is where you should report nuisance calls:
- The Federal Trade Commission in the United States: You should notify this government agency if you receive a robocall or spam call. In addition, if you frequently receive bothersome telemarketing calls, you can add your phone number to the National Do Not Call Registry to cease receiving sales calls from authorized businesses.
- Canada has the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: If you receive a questionable call that appears to be part of a scam operation, please report it to this agency.
- National Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting Centre in the United Kingdom: This agency is also known as Action Fraud. If you receive a questionable call and suspect it is a scam operation, you should report it to this agency.
How to Stop Robocalls on a Landline
Robocalls have the potential to become the world’s most serious technology swindle. According to reports, around 85 billion robocalls were made in 2018. Even more disturbing is the fact that over $10 billion was lost in phone scams in the United States alone. Even if you haven’t been a victim of a phone scam, you’ve definitely lost your cool when dealing with these irritating automated calls. Robocalls can occur at any time of day or night, therefore it’s safe to say that they border on harassment.
Although you can’t completely avoid robocalls, there are techniques to limit the number of calls you receive. Because robocallers make no distinction between devices, you may anticipate them to contact you on both your mobile phone and your landline.
What Exactly is a Robocall
A robocall is not the same as a standard telemarketing call. The technique makes thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of calls at the same time using an automatic dialing service. Telemarketers employ people to make calls, whereas robocalls utilize pre-recorded messages or robot messages.
A robocall can be identified since it is not a conversation but rather an instructive voice message pushing you to do something. Some national authorities, such as the IRS, sometimes utilize robocalls, but they normally send a letter or an email with the same information as the call.
It can be difficult to distinguish between genuine robocalls and scam calls, and the problem is growing as technology progresses, allowing criminals to seem as official or even recognized phone numbers. There is a national campaign to combat robocalls and phone frauds.
How can you Avoid Robocalls
Before we go into how details, there is some informations to be looked into. Because these calls are almost certainly scams, don’t take them lightly and try to stick to the following:
- Don’t pick up: If the address or timing of the call seems suspicious, ignore it.
- Don’t talk: Even if you receive a robocall, avoid engaging because scammers may capture your voice and use it as voice consent for something (the word yes is a big no during robocalls)
- Don’t provide any personally identifiable information: How authentic the call appears to you, you should never reveal any personal details.
- Avoid pressing any keys or numbers: If the robocaller advises you to press a number or a key to be removed from the calling list, don’t do it because it will merely confirm that your phone number is real and that they can continue calling.
It’s important to hang up as soon as you recognize you’re talking to a robocaller. If you believe the call is from a legitimate source, such as the IRS or one of your utility providers, do not dial the number provided in the call. Find the number and investigate the potential problem by speaking directly with the agency or supplier.
How can you Stop Robocalls on a Landline
It is far easier to avoid robocalls on a mobile phone than it is on a landline. Technological advancements have focused on smartphones, leaving landlines open to several unpleasant phone scams. What tools you use to combat robocallers on your home phone are primarily determined by the sort of phone service you have. Most Americans have no idea if they are using a traditional landline phone or a VoIP phone (Voice over Internet Protocol).
VoIP phones seem to users as conventional house phones, so if you’re not sure what you have, check with your service provider. You are most likely using VoIP technology if you have the same service provider for Internet or cable, and phone. Internet-connected phones have far more options for blocking nuisance callers than traditional landlines. We’ll go over both options and offer advice on how to avoid robocalls and other potential phone scams.
The first step is to see what your service provider can do to assist you in blocking unsolicited calls. All major carriers provide some form of service that can help you screen calls before they reach you. You can also utilize other web-based call blocking services to triage phone calls before they are routed to your phone line. They examine the call and determine whether it is authentic.
The services handle such calls in a variety of ways. If you desire, you can typically select:
- Completely obstruct the call.
- Send it to a specific voicemail box.
- Send it to the spam folder.
- Allow it to ring silently so you can see whether it is a missed call.
- Allow it to ring while displaying a message indicating that it is a potential robocall.
Because most robocalls are scams, they tend to occur at specific times.
1. Stop Robocalls Using Standard Phone Wires
Robocalls on your home phone appear to be even more bothersome, owing to their difficulty in blocking. While there are various and rather effective ways to block such calls on mobile phones, landlines are more difficult to block and so preferred by robocallers. Apart from the broad advice we previously given, there are a few things you can take to safeguard yourself. If you are having trouble with spam calls, you can:
- Check with your carrier to see if they have a service that can assist you.
- Install a phone call-blocking gadget.
While they will be able to filter and block some calls, none of the above techniques are completely efficient. You should not expect to receive no calls, but you can considerably minimize the quantity.
2. Devices that Block Calls
Installing a call-blocking device is one of the most common and effective solutions to reduce robocalls on your landlines. They are often in the form of a little box that you connect to your home phone via a connection. Call-blocking devices include a listing of known scam numbers. You can also add numbers to that list that you do not wish to answer.
Others ask you to create a whitelist of phone numbers from which you want to accept calls. A call-blocker would allow you to avoid many unsolicited calls. When the device detects a suspicious phone number, it does the following:
- The call is terminated.
- A blinking LED alerts you that the call is suspicious.
- The call is routed to voicemail.
- Calls are routed to a recorded message with numerous options, preventing robocalls from being received.
Can you Find the National Do Not Call List on the Internet
There is a national Do Not Call list for landlines and wireless phone numbers. To be added to the national Do Not Call list for free, dial 1-888-382-1222 (voice) or 1-866-290-4236 (TTY). Be sure to use the phone number you wish to add. Visit donotcall.gov to register. In 31 days from the date you register, telemarketers must remove your number from their call lists and cease calling you. There is no need to re-register numbers. Your numbers will remain on the list until you remove them or discontinue service.
In accordance with FCC regulations, telemarketers who call your home must provide their name, telephone number, and address where their employer or contractor can be reached. You are not permitted to receive telemarketing calls before or after 8 am or 9 pm, and telemarketers must follow any do-not-call request you make during a call.
If you are not on the National Do Not Call Registry, tell unwanted callers that you do not consent to the call. Ask them to place you on their internal do not call list. If the caller does not respect your request not to be disturbed, keep a record of the caller’s number and when you requested not to be bothered. Then, file a complaint with the FCC.
How to Stop Unwanted Phone Calls on a Landline
You can stop unwanted phone calls on a landline in a number of ways. You can do the following:
- Make use of call blocking software, such as Community Phone’s robocall blocker. By requiring all callers to press a button to connect, you can block all types of malicious phone calls you may receive on a daily basis.
- You can register your number with the National Do Not Call Registry.
- To stop unwanted calls from a specific number, dial *60 on your landline phone.
- You will hear three beeps once you have activated Anonymous Call Rejection on your landline after dialing *77. All dialed calls will be blocked, regardless of whether they come in as Private, Blocked, or Anonymous.
Conclusion
Even while it is very impossible to totally ban all spam callers on your landline, you can take steps to reduce the amount of unwanted calls. Request a solution from your service provider, purchase a call-blocking gadget, or manually block any irritating calls. Always be cautious about who you speak with on the phone, and never give out personal information to strangers.