What am I looking for????

[AMCer]

I know the main answer is an analog PBX but that's a bit overkill...

We get ALOT of spam calls (mostly robo calls), apparently the Do Not Call list is worthless.

On my VOIP lines, I run calls through a menu telling the person to press a number to complete the call. This works GREAT! All robo-calls are filtered out and apparently it scares some telemarketers.

I need this for our POTS line.  Is there a simple device out there (about an answering machine size) that will receive a call, play a message, then ring an analog phone if the person presses the right number?

I know I can pick up an analog PBX some where but my wife would kill me if I added YET ANOTHER COOL TELEPHONE DEVICE to our home.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

At my house, we use Ooma. For automatic spam calls, the computer will delete any phone numbers that give a digital signal that the spam computer recognizes as a disconnected number. You can enter any number into Ooma's "do not call" list, and it will immediately give that message whenever that number calls you. Whether a person or computer calls you, that message will tell whoever is on the other end that the number doesn't exist. We haven't gotten any spam calls in 2 or so years because of Ooma!

[twocvbloke]

Dunno if they're available over there, but there's a product here called "Truecall" which you plug between the phone and the line and it'll filter calls to your preferences and can even learn who you let through:

http://www.truecall.co.uk/product-p/cb1.htm

Maybe something similar exists on that side of the pond perhaps?

[AMCer]

Your TrueCall post led me to the term "Call Blocker" which is pretty close but, they all block via caller ID.
THIS: http://store.soho-pbx.com/product_info.php?products_id=39

         ...is what I want...  Calls come into an automated attendant and then the caller has to listen to the message and press the correct extension number to have the call completed.

I have blocked 90% of the spam calls on my VOIP lines like this.


UPDATE: I ended up buying this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/SOHO-PBX-SP-208-2-x-8-PABX-Telephone-Switch-System-/260695310187
Since it's 2 Lines in, I guess I need to order another POTS line. 

[Garnie]

If you have a regular modem in your computer that handles caller-id, then buy a copy of CallClerk which has all sorts of features. I use mine to pester to telemarketers by sending out SIT tones. I don't know what programs the knucklheads use to autodial, but we have fewer nuisance calls since implementing the software so their software must delete apparent "no longer in service" numbers. I mainly bought the software to send a message to my smartphone on an incoming calls to the house. This way I see who's calling the house while I'm out. CallClerk has way too many features to describe so just visit their website. I'm not affiliated - just a really happy user. The software can also be set up to send any audio file you want.

Regards,
Garnet

[unbeldi]

UPDATE: I ended up buying this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/SOHO-PBX-SP-208-2-x-8-PABX-Telephone-Switch-System-/260695310187
Since it's 2 Lines in, I guess I need to order another POTS line. 

It never fails to amaze how cheaply things can be made.  $63 shipping (apparently from China) included, for 2 CO lines and 8 station ports.

I couldn't find any information online, or in the manual, whether the station ports decode rotary dialing.
Have you tested this?

[dsk]

We use something called pro call blocker:
You may program or blacklist some numbers pressing a button after received an call from a number. You may block anonymous calls, and calls from numbers starting with ....

Our is like this: http://tinyurl.com/qhpahu4 
Works well for us.

dsk

[NorthernElectric]

Calls come into an automated attendant and then the caller has to listen to the message and press the correct extension number to have the call completed.

So, it's a rotary dial phone blocker then?

[LarryInMichigan]

I have the same problem here, only probably much worse.  I get one to five scam calls every day.  Blocking by caller ID does not help much because most of these criminals generate random caller ID numbers on each call.  Nearly all of these callers are from criminals phishing for credit card numbers, but at least one came from a live scumbag in India who wanted to trick me into installing a computer virus.  I would really like to be able to program something to automatically pass through calls from a set of known numbers (family, friends, business clients, etc.), block calls from another set of numbers, and greet other calls with a message and require some code to be entered.  Furthermore, I would like to be able to program multiple codes so that some will ring though and others will go to voicemail.  Any information of experiences with any devices or services which do these things would be appreciated.  I have only a POTS line.

Larry

[unbeldi]

I have the same problem here, only probably much worse.  I get one to five scam calls every day.  Blocking by caller ID does not help much because most of these criminals generate random caller ID numbers on each call.  Nearly all of these callers are from criminals phishing for credit card numbers, but at least one came from a live scumbag in India who wanted to trick me into installing a computer virus.  I would really like to be able to program something to automatically pass through calls from a set of known numbers (family, friends, business clients, etc.), block calls from another set of numbers, and greet other calls with a message and require some code to be entered.  Furthermore, I would like to be able to program multiple codes so that some will ring though and others will go to voicemail.  Any information of experiences with any devices or services which do these things would be appreciated.  I have only a POTS line.

Larry

As a service:  Google Voice.  It has all of that, including individual greetings for specific numbers.  I have been using Google Voice as main telephone service ever since they started some years ago, and it has been totally free, except for overseas calls.

As a device: Setup an Asterisk system.  The features don't come out of the box, but have to be implemented in the so-called dial plan.

[LarryInMichigan]

As far as I can tell, Google Voice provides a number which will forward calls to an existing number.  I might be able to block calls made to the google number, but not calls made to my existing number.  I expect that most or all of the criminals making these calls are trying every possible number in all of the exchanges, so as long as there is a way to ring my phones by dialing a direct number, the scam calls will continue.

I have thought about setting up an Asterisk system, but that would require getting a dedicated computer and finding somewhere to keep it.


Larry

[unbeldi]

As far as I can tell, Google Voice provides a number which will forward calls to an existing number.  I might be able to block calls made to the google number, but not calls made to my existing number.  I expect that most or all of the criminals making these calls are trying every possible number in all of the exchanges, so as long as there is a way to ring my phones by dialing a direct number, the scam calls will continue.

I have thought about setting up an Asterisk system, but that would require getting a dedicated computer and finding somewhere to keep it.


Larry

That's true, you would have to port your existing number to Google Voice and use a cell phone to receive wanted calls. Or use permanent call forwarding.

An Asterisk system can be as small as this and uses perhaps 5 watts:
Currently it also serves as elevation of my desk lamp.

[compubit]

Is that a Raspberry Pi PBX? In my spare time, I want to get my Pi running a PBX for home.  Of course I need to finish "finishing" my backlog of phones needing cleaning, de-yellowing, etc.

Jim

[AMCer]

Asterisk CO: That's AWESOME! I might have to build me one of those.  I wonder how I could incorporate some SxS Switches into that design.... hmm

Rotary Phone Blocker:  Yes, I guess so but no one who calls me uses rotary phones.  (you guys haven't called me once, my 551 is just idle)

Caller ID Blocker: Won't work, the spammers I see all send valid IN STATE phone numbers.  I assume they are (as someone said) spoofing their number (which should be illegal).

Google Voice/VOIP: I have 4 VOIP numbers (one in the UK).   This is for our POTS line (that we want to keep for emergencies).

CallClerk: That's pretty cool, I'll have to look into that.

Have you tested this? : No I haven't received it yet.

1/2 of our calls are people selling crap, it's gotten so bad that I now answer the phone "Hello, if you're selling something, we're not interested" and most of the time they just hang up.  (This will be the FIRST part of the auto-attendent message).

The other 1/2 of our calls are robo calls which the "Press 4 to continue" will eliminate.

Either way, MOST of the crap calls have valid [looking] caller ID numbers.

Only a small fraction of calls we get are from people we want to hear/talk to.

The SIT idea is GREAT!  I think that if the robo call doesn't press 4, I'll have it send a SIT. 

[unbeldi]

Is that a Raspberry Pi PBX?

Jim

Yes, of course.

The power arrangement in this is a bit overkill and not so awesome. There is no need really for the internal power socket and two supplies. The RPI needs 5 V and the ATA 12 V, but this can easily be consolidated with a DC-DC buck converter, which is only thumb-size.