A Spam Filter for Incoming Calls?A Spam Filter for Incoming Calls?

Nomorobo's service promises to block unwanted calls that slip through the "Do Not Call" filter.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a "Spam Filter" for your incoming calls? Something similar to the spam filter for your email, which captures and blocks most spam messages.

What can be done to reduce the number of irritating telemarketing and robocalls (i.e., a call generated by a computerized auto-dialer to provide a prerecorded message)?

Wasn't This Resolved by the Government a While Ago?
Ten years ago, in June 2003, the National Do Not Call Registry was established. This helps block most but not all telemarketing calls. Ask yourself, are you still getting Telemarketing or robo-calls?

Also, if this was resolved, why did the FTC create a contest last October offering $50,000 for solutions to address robocalls?

The contest
In April, 2013, 2 co-winners were announced for the FTC's contest, Aaron Foss and Sendar Dania each won $25,000. Both had similar proposals: A cloud-based solution using simultaneous ring.

Aaron Foss' solution has now become a company, called Nomorobo.com. On September 30, Nomorobo (a free service) went live.

How Does This Work?
The key feature is the simultaneous ring feature. You add Nomorobo phone to your Simultaneous Ring service. Let's assume that 703-555-1234 is a Verizon FIOS number and is your home landline. You sign up for Nomorobo and they assign you a Nomorobo number, say 516-555-1111. You would log into your Verizon FIOS account for 703-555-1234 and add 516-555-1111 to your Simultaneous Ring feature. Thus when someone calls you at 703-555-1234, it will also ring Nomorobo at 516-555-1111.

Now whenever someone calls 703-555-1234, your landline phone at that number rings, and the Nomorobo number 516-555-1111 rings simultaneously. Nomorobo screens the Caller ID against their Blacklist. If the caller is not on the Blacklist, Nomorobo does nothing, and the call rings on your landline phone, 703-555-1234.

If the caller is on the Blacklist, Nomorobo immediately picks up the call and hangs up. Since this is the first phone to answer the call, the robocall is connected to Nomorobo, and your landline, 703-555-1234 stops ringing. Thus, Nomorobo "screens" calls by intercepting the robocall before you can pick up.

Nomorobo has a database of 1.2 million phone numbers that have been filed with Federal and State agencies and comprise the "Black List."

(Note: the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) receives over 175,000 complaints each month regarding Telemarketers and Robocalls.)

Nomorobo also checks to see if the same incoming number has made calls to different numbers in the past hour--the threshold is at least 5,000 calls must have been made to different numbers. If it reaches this threshold, this calling number also goes on the "Black List"

Will This Work With my Phone Number?
Currently, Nomorobo is available to those who have VOIP services with the following vendors:

* AT&T U-verse
* Cablevision Optimum
* SureWest
* Verizon
* Vonage

The company intends to add other vendors, including traditional landline phone companies, in the future.

Conclusion: Will Nomorobo End All Nuisance Calls?
No, but it should greatly reduce such calls. Just as the Do Not Call Registry list may reduce such calls by 70-80%, the remaining 20-30% still get through. Nomorobo may reduce those calls that get through by another 70-80%. Those who have tested Nomorobo have noticed the difference (i.e., reduction) in calls.

While telemarketers may come up with other countermeasures, Nomorobo intends to identify and address these issues.

Bottom Line: While it will not end all nuisance calls (charities and political calls are exempt from the federal rules), it is a good start and will help.