AT&T Annoyance Call Bureau

Overview

Customer Support for Annoyance Call Problems

The AT&T Annoyance Call Bureau provides customer support in the investigation of repetitive/illegal harassing, threatening, or obscene telephone calls.

The Annoyance Call Bureau does not investigate telemarketing, collection, or other types of electronically generated calls. These calls are not illegal and there are products and services available to assist customers in managing these types of unwanted or annoying phone calls.

Annoyance Call Types

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Beep Tones, Data, FAX, High Pitch Tone Calls

1.	Infrequent Beep or Data Calls

	Generally, calls that beep when answered are unintentional and are frequently misdirected faxes but may include other sources such as computers, pagers, alarms, etc. These types of calls are common and can be very annoying but are not illegal. Most of the time these types of misdirected calls are just mistakes and they will usually stop as soon as the person sending the fax or data realizes they are dialing the wrong number.

	• Managing Misdirected Data Calls

2.	Frequent or Persistent FAX Calls or other Data Calls (More than 10 calls per hour or persisting over 2 or 3 days)

	• Managing Frequent or Persistent FAX Calls
	• Managing Junk FAX Calls
	• Managing Misdirected FAX Calls

Bomb Threats

1.	Activate Call Trace / Call Tracing (*57)

	Call Trace / Call Tracing may be an effective and immediate method in which to capture the telephone number last received.

2.	Contact your local law enforcement and obtain a police case number. Obtain the following information:

	• The police case number
	• Law enforcement agency name
	• Name of the law enforcement person you spoke with
	• Law enforcement agency's FAX number
	• Law enforcement agency's telephone number

3.	Note the date and time of the bomb threat.

4.	Report the above information to the AT&T Annoyance Call Bureau. Click here to enter information.

Collect Calls

Collect Calls can be refused on a per call basis or these calls can be blocked. Most Collect Calls can be blocked through AT&T by adding Billed Number Screening.

	• Managing Collect Calls

Debt Collection Agency Calls

1.	The agency is asking for someone else:

	And the number is new.

	Keep in mind that collection calls are not illegal. You may tell the collector that you would like the collection calls to stop. If the calls continue, you may want to ask to speak to a supervisor or compliance manager. If you have requested that the collection calls stop and the collectors continue to call, you may contact the Federal Trade Commission to file a complaint. Contact the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-382-4357 or file online.

	And the number is not new.

	The collection agency is probably trying to reach whoever previously had this number. The best way to handle it is to explain to the collector that this number is a new number and that you would like the calls to stop. If the calls continue, you may want to ask to speak to a supervisor or compliance manager. If you've made this request before and you feel the calls are abusive, you may contact the Federal Trade Commission to file a complaint. Contact the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-382-4357 or file online.

2.	If you are getting calls from a collection agency and the agency is asking for someone else and the number is not new:

	Explain to the collector that the number they are calling does not belong to the debtor and that you want the collection calls to stop. If the calls continue, you may want to ask to speak to a supervisor or compliance manager. If you have given the collector this information and the collectors continue to call, you may contact the Federal Trade Commission to file a complaint. Contact the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-382-4357 or file online.

Life Threatening Calls

Life threatening calls are illegal and should be reported to local law enforcement. This does not include silent calls unless you have reason to suspect these calls are intentionally harassing you. If you are receiving silent calls, please review the section on "Silent, Hang up Calls".

	• Managing Life Threatening Calls

Obscene Calls

Obscene calls are illegal and should be reported to local law enforcement.

	• Managing Obscene Calls

Political / Campaign calls

Although these calls can become a nuisance, they are not illegal. Most political calls are received during the political / election season. You may try asking the caller to remove your name/phone number from the calling list. Some states have specific laws regarding campaign calls. Check with your state attorney general for state law information.

Certain calls are exempt from the National Do Not Call List. For example; political organizations, charities, telephone surveyors or companies with which you have an existing business relationship can legally call you even if you have registered on the National Do Not Call List. For more information contact the FTC.

Silent Hang Up Calls

The management of silent, hang up calls differs based on the time of day and/or frequency of the calls received.

1.	If you are receiving silent or hang up calls between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m., these calls are usually from telemarketers, collection agencies, or other types of business calls using automated dialers. Many of these calls will display on Caller ID as "UNKNOWN", "OUT OF AREA" or "800 SERVICES." Companies use automatic-dialers to continuously call a list of numbers. The reason there is no one on the other line when you answer the call is because the companies may not have enough operators to answer every call the computer dials. These calls may be annoying but most are legal and legitimate attempts for companies to sell their products or to make contact to customers for other business purposes.

	• Managing Telemarketing Calls

2.	Calls in the middle of the night generally fall into 2 categories: unintentional and intentional. Please read the explanation of both to determine appropriate course of action.

	• Unintentional
	• Intentional

3.	Frequent or Chronic Calls (10 calls per day and persisting over 2 or 3 weeks)

	• Managing Frequent or Chronic Calls

Telemarketing Calls, Charity and Survey Calls

Telemarketing calls are generally legal. Law enforcement does not normally investigate these types of calls. If the frequency of these calls becomes a nuisance, there are several tools available to help you manage these types of calls.

	• Managing Telemarketing Calls

Annoyance Call Products

Availability and charges for these products and services varies; please check our web site or contact your business office for information about availability, charges and ordering. The number is on your telephone bill.

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AT&T Products and Benefits

Anonymous Call Rejection

Anonymous Call Rejection (ACR) is a service that rejects incoming calls from anonymous callers who have blocked their numbers. Callers will hear a message stating that the party they are calling does not accept anonymous calls. This feature would help manage your calls if the person making the annoyance calls is blocking their number before they call you.