Yes, they can do so, although this mainly applies to landline phones. Unfortunately, blocking these calls on mobile phones is slightly more challenging, unless you contact your network carrier.
Robocalls are a growing financial scam in the US, with several reports showing that between 59 and 65 million robocalls were made in the country in 2019. Although there are instances when robocalls are legitimate, most are illegal, and most network operators are coming up with strategies to deal with the issue on both landline and mobile phones.
At times, you may need to take additional measures to block these calls, as CenturyLink may not handle all cases immediately. We delve into some methods you can take, as well as understanding what robocalls are.
What are robocalls?
These are pre-recorded voice messages, which you get when you receive phone calls. A robocaller will tend to use automated dialers to access your number, and when you answer the call you never hear a living person on the other end – instead, you are ‘talking’ to a robot or machine.
The technology behind these ‘spam’ creations is widely available and quite cheap, so many businesses tend to use them to save time and money, regardless of whether they are fraudulent or legitimate enterprises. These automated dialers can do much more compared to human callers, as they make thousands of calls per day without forcing a business to employ employees for a call center.
It is also easy to make calls to anywhere in the world, thanks to internet-based phones, without worrying that you will pay high phone bills. This results in many spam calls originating from outside the US, as US jurisdiction does not apply in other countries, so preventing these international spam calls is very difficult.
Is it illegal to make robocalls?
The main issue with trying to solve the problem is recognizing that robocalls are not illegal, so you cannot use the method of stopping them completely. However, the content and intention of the call may be illegal, although it is difficult to distinguish the intention of the calls and know which ones are scams or those that are legitimate.
What you need to remember is that you are under no obligation to receive the robocalls, even if the institution making the call is an official one. If you want to block these calls, you can use robocall blockers.
Additionally, any telemarketing company must get your written consent to put you on calling lists, and inform you that they may use robocalls during their marketing campaigns. In some cases, robocalls are legitimate, and they may originate from these organizations or institutions:
- Medical institutions like hospitals, which use robocalls to remind patients of their medical appointments
- Pharmacies that use robocalls to alert their customers of when you can pick a prescription
- Educational institutions using robocalls to inform current and potential students of changes in opening times or sudden closures
- IRS (Internal Revenue Service) using them to inform citizens of important changes or tax filing deadlines
- Charities and NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) using them to raise funds in more cost-effective ways
- Political parties using them when conducting surveys or voting
How will you know if a robocall is fraudulent?
All robocalls from legitimate sources will always aim to give you information, not attempt to extract it – this is the easiest method to know a fraudulent robocall. An honest organization or business will also rely on other communication tools to pass the message, such as text messages, snail-mail, and emails, in addition to robocalls.
However, scams are improving in their elaborate execution, so it may be tricky to spot them. Caller ID systems can be misleading as well, as the caller may be spoofing another account, such as a local one. For instance, you may see the phone number is an area code number, which may make you think a local business or neighbor is calling you, only to find out later that it is fraudulent.
Therefore, some additional things to keep in mind when spotting a fraudulent robocall, with the common goal being that they intend to steal your information or take your money. Some hints are:
- They ask for sensitive information, such as your credit card number or bank account details over the phone
- The information they present sounds urgent, like a debt you must settle immediately or a reward you must collect immediately
- The caller is pressing you for an immediate response, like paying for something as the call is happening
- They do not give you written proof of their offers or claims. For instance, they will not send their information through snail mail, emails, or text messages, which you can use to verify their deals.
Is it possible for CenturyLink to block robocalls?
Yes, as the company seeks to solve the issue, mainly through directing their attention to landline phones (an often neglected segment) through developing various tools. Some of the features you can use include:
Method for blocking | How it works | Where it works best |
|---|---|---|
No Solicitation | Guards users from solicitation calls, and works between 8 am and 9 pm every day. When getting calls, the callers will first hear recorded messages that tell them to press 1 to continue the call. | Works best for calls made by machines like robocalls. However, it is not as effective if the spam call is from real people |
Security screen | Works similar to a non-stop screening service that filters out all unknown or suspicious phone numbers. It asks your callers to give their phone number before it connects the caller. | Works well for toll-free numbers, long-distance numbers, blocked numbers, and unidentified numbers |
Caller ID with Privacy+ | This blocks out all calls from numbers without an active Caller ID. It will request the callers to record their name, then sends the message to you to decide if you want to take the call or not. | Robocalls and Telemarketing calls |
Anonymous Call Rejection | This blocks any call that appears to be anonymous or private | Significant numbers of spam calls. However, it will not work if the number is spoofed, unavailable, not provided, unknown, or out of area |
Call Rejection | Prompts you to create a block list, which it will use to block numbers. | Familiar numbers you want to avoid, although it will not work as well if you do not list a number for blocking, neither does it work for robocalls. |
Robocall blocking on Digital home phones | This is in partnership with Nomorobo and blocks unwanted calls | Works if you use a digital home phone, as it blocks robocalls and spam calls |
Conclusion
CenturyLink can help you block robocalls through various tools, many which are easy to implement and use. Blocking robocalls on mobile phones is a different issue though, and will require you to talk to your cellphone network carrier.
FAQs
How do I block robocalls on my CenturyLink landline?
The easiest method is to call 888-(your area code)-8052, except in Iowa, Oregon, Minnesota, and Arizona. The other method is to dial *78 and follow the prompts.
How much does call rejection cost with CenturyLink?
You can sign up for the service for a $2.95 monthly cost.