Telemarketing calls
To ensure campus communication can function efficiently and properly, OTS is unable
to block telemarketer numbers.
Why not?
It's common for telemarketers to “spoof” their telephone number. This means the number
you see is usually not their real number, it’s a fake one chosen at random, and that
can be changed often to work around blocks. These are the challenges posed by blocking
a phone number:
- Disruptive to business: the number could belong to an individual that has legitimate business with the University
- Ineffective: it won’t prevent the telemarketer from calling, since they can switch to another
number
- Costly: there are administrative costs to build and maintain lists of blocked numbers
What can I do?
There is no way to eliminate all telemarketing calls, but here’s what you can do to
help reduce them:
- End the call. If the call is a robocall, simply hang up. Do not press buttons to be taken off their
call list or to speak with a live person. This signals you are willing to interact
with them and will likely lead to more calls.
- Request do-not-call status. If the call is from a live person, ask them to stop calling you and to put your number
on their do-not-call list.
- Do not answer. If you receive repeated unwanted calls from the same number, do not answer.
.