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ConsumerWatch: Getting Rid Of Robocallers Getting Easier

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) -- It'll soon be easier to get the last word when a Robocaller dials your phone. Starting September 30, a new free service will be available that promises to stop the dreaded calls, but it'll only work with some carriers.

New York-based software developer Aaron Foss developed Nomorobo while vying for a prize in a government-sponsored competition to stop the recorded calls.

"I like to think of it as a mute button for robocalls," Foss explained.

Foss says his system uses a feature of the phone system called "simultaneous ring," to foil Robocallers.

"What it does is – it lets one phone number ring on multiple devices," he told ConsumerWatch. Foss says that enables Nomorobo to intercept every call and determine if it's a robocaller or a real caller. If it's a real person, the call goes through. If it's a machine, the call is disconnected.

And Foss says it all happens before the recipient even realizes they have a phone call. "As soon as you hear that ring, the call has already been picked up," he explained.

For now, Foss's system will only work for customers with Fios, Optimum and Vonnage, companies that offer the simultaneous ring feature. But Foss is hoping consumer demand will soon convince larger companies to get on board.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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