Unfortunately I do not have $60 to get something to get the calls to stop. These people are calling from several different numbers. I called one and got a recording saying they were from some breast cancer fundraising thing. I put to have my number removed but of course they say it can take up to 30 days to do so. I am going to continue to call them as much as they have called me and keep pushing 1 to have my number removed until it is removed. I called 3 of their other numbers and it either rings only once then you get dead air or call and it just rings and rings and rings. I let it ring for 2 min and it was not even answered by an automated recording. As for government people calling (right now it's those that want to be elected into some office) i have told them in previous years to remove me from their list.....i see how well that worked. It didn't. For the ones that are not answering, I can't tell them to take me off their list to get them in trouble if they keep calling. Like I said though, I spoke with someone directly at the DNCR and they specifically told me that numbers are sold by companies that we deal with whether a site you order something from or even your electricity carrier. I have a few of the numbers blocked, they still show up as calling but my phone does not ring. It is so annoying that these people can't get the hint after all the calls that they have made almost on a daily basis, sometimes 2-3 times a day, that I am not answering so they should give up.
These are scammers and crooks. You'll never get rid of these calls. The government is useless, unless they want to spy on us, and it requires an investment of at least $60 for a call blocker device which entails some work to ensure that, the calls you want to come through, will. There is no optimal solution other than a site like this to satisfy one curiosity about a call that shouldn't be answered. If we all refuse to answer these calls, maybe they'll diminish in number, but I tend to doubt it!
The DNC registry does not stop scammers from calling, it's just another law that they're breaking...they could careless Also, why do people call these numbers back, by doing that you're just verifying that your number is a working number. Simply don't answer the calls that are "unknown", "unavailable" or are any type of 800 number, and turn off all voicemail or answering machines so the phone just rings off the hook. That's what I do and the calls will eventually stop. It may take some time for them to stop calling but they will.