How To Stop Getting Scam Calls

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The age-old problem of annoying telemarketing calls isn't foreign to anyone with a phone. However, thanks to the technological advancements with Caller ID equipment, bothersome calls like unsolicited telemarketers, wrong numbers and even junk faxes while you're trying to have family time or a peaceful night at home are becoming a thing of the past.

Rather than subscribing to extremely expensive call blocking features, you can easily purchase call filtering as well as blocking devices. Such devices are becoming increasingly popular because they are cheaper than monthly call blocking subscriptions and are much more reliable.

Caller ID Manager

The Caller ID manager is a multipurpose call blocking and filtering device that can primarily be used for blocking anonymous and unsolicited numbers. It has database storing capacity of up to 174 numbers. Thus, by saving your own list of "invited" numbers into its database, you can easily completely block other numbers or send them directly to voicemail or your answering machine. Your phone will only ring if somebody from your "invited" numbers list is calling and every other phone call will be screened in accordance with your instructions--including telemarketing calls. You can block or divert complete area codes as well as prefixes.

The Caller ID manager also provides you with the ability to add four phones to it, which means that you can easily divert phone calls to these extensions according to per-determined conditions. There is also a standby mode feature that, if turned on, allows every call to pass through without being screened. You can even set a timer dictating the duration for which the device should place the phone on standby mode then automatically switch back to filtering calls.

TeleZapper

TeleZapper is a useful device because it allows you to get rid of irritating telemarketing calls throughout the day. Normally, you receive telemarketing calls because your number has been fed into a computer list. The computer automatically dials your number then connects you to a telemarketing representative. But if you've connected your phone to a TeleZapper, every time a computer calls and you or your answering machine picks up, the TeleZapper produces a distinctive tone which informs the computer that your number has been disconnected. Therefore, the computer automatically removes you from its dialing list and you will never receive a call from that particular telemarketer again. This device has the potential to sooner or later remove you from every company's cold call list.

Private TIME PT1000

Private TIME PT1000 is a top-of-the-line telephone and digital answering machine device that primarily allows you to screen for unwanted calls. This device has two modes that you can use: normal and privacy mode. Privacy mode employs the PrivateTIME feature during which only people who possess your special ring-through code will be able to get through to you and every other call will be diverted to the built-in answering machine feature. You can record any message on the answering machine, but you have to instruct the caller to punch in your unique ring-through code or leave a message. This will deter all sorts of telemarketing calls as well.

On the other hand, under the normal mode, the phone operates like any other telephone device connected to an answering machine. You also have the option of setting a timer which establishes a specific duration for the time during which privacy mode will operate. Alternatively, you can manually turn the privacy mode on or off.