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How to Stop Telemarketers, Robocalls, Spoofed Calls and Spam Texts

Unwanted calls and texts are more than annoying — they waste your time and can put your business at risk. Here’s a simple guide to the most common threats and what you can do about them.

Telemarketers

These are live salespeople calling to sell you something.

A quick note for business owners: the National Do Not Call Registry only covers personal phone numbers — business lines aren’t eligible, and most business-to-business sales calls are exempt from Do Not Call rules anyway. So registering a business number won’t stop legitimate B2B telemarketing.

What actually helps:

• If you ask a telemarketer to stop calling, they’re required to honor that request and add you to their internal do-not-call list.
• Ask your phone provider about call-blocking or call-labeling tools for your business line — these work regardless of whether the number is “registered.”
• If a caller won’t identify themselves, is pressuring you, or the call feels like a scam rather than an ordinary sales pitch, report it (see the Quick Reference table below) — the do-not-call rules against deceptive or abusive telemarketing still apply.

Caller ID Spoofing

Scammers can make any name or number show up on your caller ID — even a number that looks local, or one that looks like it’s your own company calling. This means you can’t trust caller ID alone to know who’s really calling.

What to do:

• Don’t assume a call is legitimate just because the name or number looks familiar.
• If you’re unsure, hang up and call the person or company back using a number you already know is correct — not the number that called you.
• Never give out passwords, account numbers, or payment information to an unexpected caller, even if they claim to be your bank, the IRS, or a vendor you work with.

Robocalls

These are automated, pre-recorded calls. Some are legal (like appointment reminders), but most unsolicited sales robocalls are illegal, especially if your number is on the Do Not Call Registry.

What to do:

• Don’t press any numbers or respond, even if the recording says “press 1 to be removed.” This often just confirms your number is active and leads to more calls.
• Just hang up.
• Report illegal robocalls to the FCC at fcc.gov/complaints or the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
• Ask your phone provider about call-blocking or call-filtering tools. Most carriers now offer these at no extra cost.

Spam Texts

Scam texts try to get you to click a link or share personal information.

What to do:

• Don’t click links in texts from numbers or senders you don’t recognize.
• Don’t reply, even to say “STOP” — this can confirm your number is real.
• Forward the spam text to 7726 (SPAM) to report it to your carrier.
• Check with your phone provider about spam-text filtering options.

Quick Reference

The Bottom Line

You can’t stop every unwanted call or text, but using your carrier’s blocking and labeling tools, never trusting caller ID alone, and reporting abusive or illegal calls will cut down on most of them — and protect your business from scams.

Have questions about call blocking or spam protection on your Fireline Communications service? Contact our support team — we’re happy to help.

Last Updated on July 28, 2026