# How Do I Get A Dumb-ass To Stop Calling/Texting Me? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 14, 2012, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dumb-ass-to-stop-calling-texting-me/609502 "2012-01-14T14:27:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dumb-ass-to-stop-calling-texting-me/609502/21 "2012-01-18T19:53:28Z")
As far as unwanted calls from other mobile phones are concerned, one thing you can do is add the person’s number to your own address book. Then you assign them a silent ringtone, and they’ll never bother you again. They might leave voice messages, but you can just delete them. And if you don’t usually exceed your plan limits, a few extra incoming calls with voicemails isn’t a problem. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dumb-ass-to-stop-calling-texting-me/609502/22 "2012-01-18T19:56:57Z")
I just used ATT’s Manage Features \> Smart Limits to block calls on my iPhone. I believe I get up to 30. It’s $4.99 a month. I thought they told me it was unlimited so the 30 may just be for this first partial month and then unlimited after that. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dumb-ass-to-stop-calling-texting-me/609502/23 "2012-01-18T20:01:48Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > As far as unwanted calls from other mobile phones are concerned, one thing you can do is add the person’s number to your own address book. Then you assign them a silent ringtone, and they’ll never bother you again. They might leave voice messages, but you can just delete them. And if you don’t usually exceed your plan limits, a few extra incoming calls with voicemails isn’t a problem. On postview… **Joey P** already mentioned this, so never mind. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dumb-ass-to-stop-calling-texting-me/609502/24 "2012-01-19T16:46:07Z")
You should ignore the guy and/or set his number to a silent ringtone, like many have suggested. But you should also do this: > [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Give him a taste of his own medicine. Fill out a Scientology “personality test” and put his number as the contact. It might not stop the calls, but revenge is sweet! ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dumb-ass-to-stop-calling-texting-me/609502/25 "2012-01-19T16:55:27Z")
Blow a whistle into the phone when he calls. Hard. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dumb-ass-to-stop-calling-texting-me/609502/26 "2012-01-19T16:59:35Z")
Call the guy up and act sexually aroused, describe in graphic detail what his sultry voice is doing to your body, slowly with many moans descibe how you are pleasuring yourself with various tools and vegtables(this will probably only work if you’re a guy). Guessing that will solve the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dumb-ass-to-stop-calling-texting-me/609502/27 "2012-01-19T17:03:34Z")
Okay. I’m not really advocating this because of the work involved. But just indulge the fantasy and modify it to suit your tastes/energy. 1. Do a back listing and locate his address 2. Get an airproof box about the size of a shoe box 3. Take a dump in the box or fill it with hog guts 4. Wrap it in plain brown paper 5. Drive to a nearby (50 mile radius) post office 6. Mail the box to the address you found 7. Ad Lib your next response to his call but – by all means – do not even hint anything about the box 8. If he calls again, escalate the box’s contents to suit your taste. Fun to think about, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dumb-ass-to-stop-calling-texting-me/609502/28 "2012-01-19T17:08:04Z")
> [@Toucanna](#): > > Unfortunately, firms that conduct telephone surveys are exempt from DNC requests. Not exactly. A pure telephone survey call is exempt from DNC requirements. However, if the call starts as a survey and eventually leads to a sales pitch during the call, or requires an additional contact (during the call or later), those calls are prohibited by DNC regulations. If you receive an unsolicited “survey” call, ask them up front who they are, who is sponsoring the call, and the purpose of the survey. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dumb-ass-to-stop-calling-texting-me/609502/29 "2012-01-19T22:25:37Z")
“Dave speaking, who is this?” ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dumb-ass-to-stop-calling-texting-me/609502/30 "2012-01-19T22:36:41Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > “Dave speaking, who is this?” Exactly, be Dave for a whole conversation and see how it goes. You’ll at least learn if he’s been pranking you or or if he really thought you were Dave. ---
**Author:** ![Upsurd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/71e660/32.png) [@Upsurd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Upsurd)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dumb-ass-to-stop-calling-texting-me/609502/31 "2012-01-27T18:46:45Z")
Get yourself a ringback tone that advertises fish food or wheelchairs, like [with ect or so](http://www.ect-ringback.com/Products/Corporate_Ring_Back.html). And don’t forget to add some extra whacky music to it. Inform your friends beforehand, though, otherwise they won’t be calling you again either 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dumb-ass-to-stop-calling-texting-me/609502/32 "2012-01-29T00:15:05Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Okay. I’m not really advocating this because of the work involved. But just indulge the fantasy and modify it to suit your tastes/energy. > > 1. Do a back listing and locate his address > 2. Get an airproof box about the size of a shoe box > 3. Take a dump in the box or fill it with hog guts > 4. Wrap it in plain brown paper > 5. Drive to a nearby (50 mile radius) post office > 6. Mail the box to the address you found > 7. Ad Lib your next response to his call but – by all means – do not even hint anything about the box > 8. If he calls again, escalate the box’s contents to suit your taste. > > Fun to think about, eh? I thought about mailing him a dead skunk in one of those “If it fits, it ships” boxes, but we decided to just block him again. Our carrier lets us block for free but we have to renew the block every three months. The silent ringtone idea is great, but he likes to text us and on our plan it costs $0.20 a message. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dumb-ass-to-stop-calling-texting-me/609502.md?page=1)