How to block telemarketing calls

PhoneTray blocks incoming calls by answering the call and playing a message to the caller. We call it 'zapping'. PhoneTray comes with several useful zap messages plus you can record your own messages or use any audio files from the Internet.

You can block incoming calls:

• by configuring the Call Blocking screen to block different types of phone numbers
• by adding a specific number to your black list
• by manually quick-zapping a call when it comes in.

Configuring the Call Blocking screen

To access the Call Blocking screen, click Privacy on the left navigation panel and then click the Call Blocking button.

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Call Blocking Screen

The Call Blocking screen configures how PhoneTray blocks specific caller types, for example, calls that are displayed as Out of Area instead of the caller's number or calls from toll-free numbers. You can block calls from numbers on your black list, block calls from telemarketers in PhoneTray online anti-spam database, block calls from private/blocked numbers, block calls that show 'Out of Area' instead of caller's number, block calls from toll-free numbers, block long-distance or local calls.

Adding a caller to your black list

To add a number to your black list, go to the Calls screen, select a call from the number you want to block and click the Block Number button on the Calls ribbon menu or right-click on a number you want to block and select Block Number from the Calls context menu.

Alternatively, you can add a number to your black list by going to the Privacy - Black List screen and clicking the Add Number button on the top ribbon menu. To access the Black List screen, click Privacy on the left navigation panel and then click the Black List button.

Black list contains a list of specific numbers or names that you decided to block. 

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Black List Screen

You can block incoming calls by number or by name. You can also use ? (if blocking by number) or * (if blocking by name) to indicate a wildcard. For example, '888-123-45??' matches all numbers in 888 area code that start with 123-45 and have any last 2 digits, such as 888-123-4500, 888-123-4501 and so on to 888-123-4599. When blocking by name, 'ABC*' will block all names that start with 'Abc', such as 'Abc Cleaning' or 'Abc Marketing'.

Manually quick-zapping a call

In addition you can manually block any incoming call by clicking the Zap button on the tray call alert in the bottom-right corner of the screen:  

You can hold the Ctrl key while clicking the Zap  button to zap this call and add the caller's number to your black list automatically.