"Life Hack to stop telemarketers! don't know if it works, but hey !! its worth a try !! Those pesky pesky people !"
We've all been there: your phone rings, you pick it up expecting someone important, and instead you hear "How much are you paying for cable each month? Would you like to save $100 on your monthly bill?!"
According to this little life hack all you have to do is press 9 and be instantly added to that company's do not call list! Let's get real, chances are if you're on the line with a live telemarketer, all they are going to hear is an annoying press of a button on their line. They aren't going to know what button you are hitting. If it's a robocall, 9 might work, but so might 2. Each system is set up differently, and some don't even have the option of opting out like this.
The only way to really assure you're removed from the annoying call lists is to make sure you file your number with the national "Do Not Call" list (which you can sign up for here). However that only covers legitimate telemarketers - scammers don't seem to care if your number is on the list or not. So how can you prevent scammers from calling you?
If you know your number is on the Do Not Call list, let the telemarketer know and tell them you wish to be removed from the list. If they call again, ask for the company's name, phone number, and location. If they are scammers this is often all it takes for them to remove you from the list, but that information (if they are willing to give it to you) can be filed here to submit a complaint to the FTC. If it's a robocall, you can try to smash buttons until you get to a menu. Sometimes at the end of the call, there will be an option to "opt out" of their calls. It completely depends on the way their systems are set up though.
However, personally, I just don't answer calls from numbers I don't know. You can also Google phone numbers and find out if it's a scam, telemarketer, collections agency, etc. Another great idea is if a number won't leave you alone, and you're using a cell phone, you can simply add the number to a block list directly on your phone. It won't ring through, and instead send the annoying caller straight to voice mail.