Ask HN: How can I stop receiving spam phone calls?

Hi HN!

I get between 2-5 spam phone calls every day. Often, the callers' numbers have the same area code as my own number. I believe the calls are automated there are many identical messages and on the occasion that I do answer, it's usually a recording.

I've blocked dozens of phone numbers but the calls and voicemails don't stop. I keep my phone perpetually on "Do Not Disturb" excepting calls from favorites and repeat callers. Sometimes I pick up the phone and repeat "Put me on your do-not-call list" a couple times. Sometimes the recording says to press a number to stop receiving calls, and I do that as well. I've also added my number to https://www.donotcall.gov/

Nothing seems to do the trick. It's really annoying and time-consuming to check my voicemails for real messages. The red notification badge is no longer a useful way to know if I've missed a call from someone I care about.

I don't want to get a new phone number either, and I don't know if that would even solve the issue.

What can I do?

Make sure your number isn’t listed on the Whois information for any domains you own.

I had the same types of calls. Changed the phone number on my domains to an old number of mine and the spam calls stopped a few weeks later.

Sometimes, it's repeated calls from the same number. In those cases, both Android and IOS have some solution to block it. If it's truly random incoming numbers, then, yeah, you're stuck.

Have you tried Google Voice? It has this call screening feature that requires the person calling you to give their name before it forwards the call to you like a secretary. This will block the recorded calls and you can choose to skip the screening for your friends and family.

I don't know how to stop it, but I think someone should go to jail for doing this.