To block calls from call centers, there are several tools: enrolling in the Register of Oppositions or installing ad hoc apps. Here's how they work
Telemarketing never sleeps: call centers have continued to storm Italians with phone calls throughout 2019, despite the tools put in place at the Privacy Guarantor and the presence of dozens of apps that allow you to block unwanted calls. This is said in the 2019 Annual Report published by the Privacy Guarantor, which devotes a substantial part of the work to the topic of telemarketing and call center calls.
The Guarantor Authority has received throughout the year thousands of reports from people who have been contacted by call centers even if they are registered in the Register of Oppositions, or if their phone number is not present on the official registers. A clear violation of Italian law that the Guarantor wants in every way to block or at least keep in check. And to do so, it is necessary to learn about the tools that allow you to defend yourself from the calls of the call centers.
What are they? The registration to the Register of Oppositions (even if in some cases it is not effective), the installation of some ad hoc apps on your smartphone and more attention when filling in some online forms. Here are all the tools to block telemarketing and unwanted calls.
How to subscribe to the Public Opposition Register
The Public Opposition Register is a free service offered to Italian citizens that allows them to eliminate their phone number from the public lists used by telemarketing platforms to bombard people with offers, promotions and market surveys. L’iscrizione sul Registro permette di bloccare il tracciamento dei propri dati personali presenti negli elenchi dei telefoni pubblici e nei database dei call center.
Come ci si iscrive al Registro delle Opposizioni? Le modalità sono più d’una: si può inviare una lettera, un’e-mail oppure (il più semplice) compilare un modulo online. Ecco come fare:
- Numero verde: 800 265 265 (servizio gratuito, nella chiamata bisogna comunicare i propri dati)
- e-mail: [email protected] (allegare questo modulo compilato in ogni spazio)
- Fax: 06 54 22 48 22 (insieme ai dati personali e a una copia del documento di identità)
- Raccomandata: da inviare a "Gestore del Registro pubblico delle opposizioni – Abbonati, Ufficio Roma-Nomentano, Casella postale 7211, 00162 Roma".
Esiste anche un quinto metodo che è anche il più semplice: compilare un modulo online dal sito del Registro Pubblico delle Opposizioni. Basta accedere al sito web, inserire i propri dati personali e inviarlo. You will immediately be added to the Registry and you should no longer receive calls from call centers.
Install an application on your smartphone
While enrollment in the Public Objections Registry is designed primarily for those who have a landline number, there are other equally effective tools for smartphones. This doesn't mean that you can't enter your SIM card number in the Registry: the service is free and open to all.
If call centers continue to storm us with phone calls, you can install ad hoc apps that alert you when the call comes from a call center. One of the best is True Caller that uses a proprietary database that contains all the numbers of the nuisance callers. The dataset is updated by the users themselves who can also report the nature of the number (telemarketing, market research). How does the app work? Very simple, after installing it, every time we receive a call from a call center, it will report it on the screen.
Block phone numbers on your smartphone
If you don't want to install an ad hoc app, there is also a native function present on all devices: block the phone number. If we continuously receive calls from the same number, all we have to do is put it on a black list and it will be blocked: when it tries to call us, our smartphone won't ring. The feature is available on both Android and iOS and doing it is very simple.
If you have an Android smartphone, just enter the call dialer, click on the three dots next to the number and select "Block".
If you have an iPhone, enter the call dialer, click on the "i" icon next to the number and a new tab will open. Select "Block Number" and you're done.
Be careful what you accept
More than a tool, this is a piece of advice. It happens very often that in spite of being registered in the Register of Oppositions, the call centers continue to call us. For what reason? Because probably we have given them our phone number, signing some online petition or answering to some survey. When you fill out some online form requesting your phone number, always read the small print carefully: it may be hiding some form of disclaimer.