Robocalls are becoming an increasing nusicense as technology makes is easier for marketers to place these annoying calls. Also, because it’s so easy and cheap to make calls from overseas, many of these robocalls originate from abroad where marketers do not abide by federal regulations. So, what can you do to reduce this invasive intrusion into your home?
Stop Robocalls on Landline Phones
To reduce or eliminate robocalls on a landline phones, start by registering your number with the National Do‑Not‑Call Registry (or the equivalent in your country). This will block most legitimate telemarketers, though scammers may still slip through.
Next, contact your phone company and ask about any call‑blocking or robocall‑filter services they offer—many carriers provide free or low‑cost add‑ons.
If your landline supports it, enable built‑in screening features such as “Do Not Disturb” or “Call Screening” by dialing the appropriate code (often *77 or *78) or through your provider’s settings.
For an extra layer of protection, consider a hardware call‑blocking device that plugs between the wall jack and your phone; these devices use frequency filtering and caller‑ID checks to screen unwanted calls. I
f you continue to receive robocalls, report them to the relevant authorities—such as the FTC in the U.S. or your local consumer protection agency—to help shut down scam operations.
Use a phone with the “automated call block” feature. It allows you to recorde a welcome message that request callers to enter a number on their keypad to connect the call (which makes the phone ring). Automated robocaller bots cannot do this, so the calls are dropped before your phone rings.
Finally, keep any VoIP or smart landline firmware up to date, as updates may improve call‑filtering algorithms, and educate family members to avoid answering unknown numbers, which reduces the data scammers can gather.