Which Call Blocker (if any) Do You Use?

I hacked my own using a Banana Pi (http://www.bananapi.org/p/product.html) and a USB modem (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16825104006).  I don't have any limit to the amount of numbers I can block and I can use wild card characters.  For example, I noticed that all the calls with a caller ID of just a city and state were spam. I blacklisted any calls that ended with a space and a state.  I was also blocking anything with "unavailable" in it.  I had to take that out though.  It turned out our kid's school councilor's caller id was "unavailable".

I can also white list numbers. A white listed number takes precedence over a black listed one. I can block all 800 numbers except for specific ones or specific patterns or caller ID names.

I also log all calls for analysis. Right now I've got 329 calls since August 21st. The log is stored in an SQLite database so I can generate reports. I can see what phone numbers are calling the most.

I've been really happy with the results but it's probably not something most people could use. I haven't written a user friendly front end for it. If you're familiar with Linux, SQLite and Python, I'd be happy to send more details of my setup.

I have been using the Digitone call blocker for a little over 3 years.  It definitely blocks the numbers, or even the entire  area code, that you program in.  Phone doesn't even ring. Only problem is, seems like they keep coming up with new numbers and area codes to call from.  I already have 50 area codes blocked, and several individual numbers. I have started blocking only the numbers/area codes that call more than once.  

A lot of these unwanted calls are generated from specific areas, like New York, New Jersey, Washington DC, Washington state, Oregon, and California.  I even got a call from myself last month. Seriously, my name, my number showed on the caller ID.

I've used YouMail on my smartphone, and it does a pretty good job. Mr. Number is another good app, but doesn't have as many features. YouMail allows you to customize messages to individual numbers or a specified group of numbers (area codes, blocked CID, etc). You can record a personal greeting or use one of their stock greetings, some of which are pretty humorous. You can also specify whether you want to allow the caller to leave a message, or just hang up. Mr. Number offers an online database to report spam numbers. Both apps are free and available for Android and iPhone.

Verizon Wireless offers a service called Family Base for $5/month. It allows you to block up to 20 numbers per line indefinitely, plus private/no CID numbers. Their free service allows you to block up to 5 numbers for 90 days per number (the block can be renewed after 90 days), but the private number block isn't included. I'm sure the other major cell providers offer similar services.

There's a version 2.0 of the Sentry Call Blocker with the added feature of creating a Whitelist directly via the device and not having to wait for an accepted number to call as in the first version.

Check out Pluginblock for a short demo on how adding numbers directly works:

http://www.plugnblock.com/pages/sentry-version-2

For years I've been using a device called InteleScreener. Unfortunately, they went out of business years ago. The reason that I mention it is that it also lets you screen/block calls based on the caller ID *text* which is fantastic. So if the caller ID says XYZ TELEMARKETING you can block all such calls regardless of what the phone number is.

As it stands, many telemarketers just show their city name (that being the setup default for cheap VOIP devices) in their caller ID. Anytime I get one of those, I just add the city name to my blocking device and any other such caller IDs get blocked as well.

I hope that future blocking systems will also allow caller ID text blocking including based on partial caller ID text.

I have a uverse phone line, so I can block some using their service.  I also use www.nomorobo.com to block robo calls.  It works at least 90% of the time.  It requires that you have a forwarding service on your phone so all calls get passed through a toll-free number to determine if they might be robo calls.

If they are identified as robo calls, my phone rings once and I can see the originating callerid.  Most are hacked or obscured anyway.  The call is forwarded to an automated response that gives the caller a code to use to see if it is really a human on the line.  This has only been used once on my phone that I know of, when my pest control service was trying to call.

For copper wire land line home phones.

Google "Panasonic call block".  The Panasonic KX-TG684xB and KX=TG787xS series phones can block 250 calls.  They can also suppress the first ring so a blocked call is totally silent.  On Amazon look for "Panasonic KXTG6844B Dect 6.0".  Beware some "other brand" Dect 6 phones 'look' like them but they do NOT have call block!

When a call comes in it waits without ringing* for the caller ID.  If it is on your blocked list it picks up the call, waits 1 second, and then hangs up.  You never hear a thing.  The call is recorded on the caller ID and the light comes on but never makes any noise.  If you get a bad call you just got to the caller ID menu and add it to the list right from the cordless handsets.  Then they are gone from you life forever.  You can also block number ranges and area codes.

I tried a few of those add-on boxes at first but they did not work well for me.  The whole phone system is 100X better.  When others here say they blocked them with their Panasonic phone, these are the ones they are talking about.

They go for about $80 on Amazon and are excellent phones too.  I totally love mine!!  Get a lot of the handsets since they are super nice to have all around and adding them later is expensive.  They also verbally announce callers and have a million other features (full answering system, selective ring, phone book...).

I am retired and I don't work for Panasonic or anybody.

*You do have to program it to silence the first ring but that is easy.  Of course, your phone service also has to have caller ID.

I use Ooma VOIP service (Costco usually sells it).   http://ooma.com/

It's $100. a year paid upfront for the Premium package (I get an extra line, 3-way calling, all that yadda yadda), and they bill me taxes (about $3.50 a month) every month on the dot.

Unlimited blocked numbers.  Didn't even realize it had that feature.  When I learned about it, the heavens opened up.

Won't stop calling for "Person who doesn't live here"?   So long!   BLOCKED
No, I'm not interested in your magazine offers.   Later!  BLOCKED
Oh, Mr. Collections guy, you want to get mouthy?  Tell your boss my number changed.  BLOCKED

In fact, please sell my account to another collection agency so I can block ALL of the numbers.  Fine with me!   And as time goes on, the calls become less and less.   In 6 months, I went from 28 calls a week... to almost NONE.

And you can choose "eternal ring" or "Number has changed" message, or just send them straight to voicemail.   Sometimes I switch it up a bit, just to keep it interesting.

I'd pay $100 a year for just that service, but I get VOIP calling.   Love it, and best of all, it works.

On my Android cell, I installed Whoscall, a free app.So far it's worked really well and seems to get some of its blocked caller info from this site.

" I consider ANY uninvited call a scam call."

I do too.  I know that many telemarketers are legitimate charities and businesses, but best to treat every single one of them as a scam.  That way you know you won't get taken.  A good rule of thumb is to NEVER do any business with any unsolicited caller, whether they sound legit or not.

I don't mean to be paranoid, but there are just way too many scammers out there.  If you don't know 100% who it is on the other end, do you really want to take a chance?

I have said on 800notes that I treat any caller that  I am not familiar with as a potential scam. On a rare occasion I will get somebody that takes issue with how I handle such calls.

I use bt call minder it's brilliant the no comes up you don't need to answer it when it stops just scroll to block that call they won't get through again.

"On a rare occasion I will get somebody that takes issue with how I handle such calls."

Usually it's the scammers, right? Actually, I've found that if you call the obvious scammers out on their scam, they tend not to call back.  With that scam at least.

That I am sure of.

I downloaded the app "whitepages caller ID. You can block any number once they call or type in a number to block and then your phone does not even ring. It also provide a caller id, if you are linked to Facebook or Likinden or other business groups. It also track your a count on your most frequent calls  and a list of  recent calls.