How to Block Phones From Telemarketers

Telemarketers can be extremely annoying.

After a long day at work, most people hate being bothered by telemarketers. If you feel the same way, there are a few resources you can use to block those annoying phone calls at home and on your cell phone. For example, in 1991 the government implemented the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which created rules for telemarketers and a way to block them from calling your phones.

Things You'll Need

• Caller ID

Instructions

1. Get the phone numbers of the telemarketers that you want to block. If you have caller ID, write down the telemarketer's number when he calls.

2. Create an account at the National Do Not Call Registry (see Resources), which is a government agency. Register all the telemarketer phone numbers that you want blocked. If the telemarketer still calls, you can report him; his company may be subject to penalties.

3. Sign up for a landline call-screening service, which is offered by your telephone service provider. This service screens calls. Give the operator the number of the offending telemarketer so that it can be registered in the "block" section.

4. Set your cell phone to block the telemarketer's call. If your cell phone has the capability to assign different ring tones to different numbers, set the telemarketer's number to the "No Ringtone" mode. If he still calls you using a private number, tell your cell phone service provider to block all private calls.

    

References

• Consumer Fraud Reporting: How to Block Telemarketers
• Home and Office Phone Depot: Telemarketing FAQ