# Killing, forever, a built in "perk" on my phone **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 19, 2025, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killing-forever-a-built-in-perk-on-my-phone/1025874 "2025-12-19T23:43:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killing-forever-a-built-in-perk-on-my-phone/1025874/21 "2025-12-20T22:08:14Z")
yeah, that’s the main source of 'em. people trying to call whoever had the number before you. much fewer misdials and such. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killing-forever-a-built-in-perk-on-my-phone/1025874/22 "2025-12-20T22:08:50Z")
Exactly 2 persons have the phone number. Neither would be trying to make a call to me. They don’t I don’t speak. My sister is visiting and I’ve lain the seekrit phone aside. (mostly cause it ain’t none of her business) I have to nap a minute so I picked the phone up. 17 voicemail since last night. Just junk and spam. It’s got to go. I see the little symbol. I unlock the phone and see the text notifications. This is not a perk I need. It’s difficult for me to call a customer service person without help. So I have to figure this out, alone. Cause, you know, seekrit reasons. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killing-forever-a-built-in-perk-on-my-phone/1025874/23 "2025-12-20T22:14:14Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > This is not a perk I need. It’s difficult for me to call a customer service person without help. So I have to figure this out, alone. Cause, you know, seekrit reasons. 😉 But you’ve got enough instructions to turn the voicemail off in this thread, so you’re not alone. Have you tried any of them? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killing-forever-a-built-in-perk-on-my-phone/1025874/24 "2025-12-20T22:22:46Z")
I’m working on it. Gotta nap first. I will try each and everyone. Thank you all for the suggestions. Surely something will work. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2025, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killing-forever-a-built-in-perk-on-my-phone/1025874/25 "2025-12-21T00:55:16Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Exactly 2 persons have the phone number. What’s it worth to you to keep it that way?? 🤑 ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2025, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killing-forever-a-built-in-perk-on-my-phone/1025874/26 "2025-12-21T01:21:39Z")
There are apps which will only allow calls to ring through if they are in your contacts. If an incoming number isn’t in your contacts, then the app will block it from ringing your phone. By default, the call will go to voicemail. But some apps have the ability to hang up on the spam call so it doesn’t even go to voicemail. Something like this would be good for your use. The two people with your number could ring through and everyone else would get hung up on. Unfortunately, I don’t have any experience with apps that hang up on callers. I use a filter app ([Call Filter](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=callfilter.app)), but I have the unknown callers go to voicemail since they may be mechanics, doctors office, etc. Does anyone have experience with call filter apps that will actually hang up on the spam callers rather than have them go to voicemail? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2025, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killing-forever-a-built-in-perk-on-my-phone/1025874/27 "2025-12-21T03:17:01Z")
I get real calls on my phone, so no. But i did have an issue with a fax machine repeatedly calling my phone. I blocked the number, and the phone didn’t ring, but i, too, got voicemail. (From the fax machine. I listened to a few of them.) A friend showed me how to block the voicemails, too, which i had to do in a different app. I forget what i did. But if Beck is just getting calls from a handful of numbers, i could look it up. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2025, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killing-forever-a-built-in-perk-on-my-phone/1025874/28 "2025-12-21T03:22:39Z")
Don’t trouble yourself. Unless it’s very easy. I actually think I have one number blocked. One to go. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2025, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killing-forever-a-built-in-perk-on-my-phone/1025874/29 "2025-12-21T03:28:12Z")
NVM; **puzzlegal** beat me to it. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2025, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killing-forever-a-built-in-perk-on-my-phone/1025874/30 "2025-12-21T03:36:19Z")
There’s really no reason I could or would record any greeting. Nobody I know would call me at that line. Anyone else is phone fodder, I do not want. I think I have it. Unless I get a new one. I’m still looking for a way to shit can the whole thing. I’m still trying the advice given here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killing-forever-a-built-in-perk-on-my-phone/1025874.md?page=1)