How to stop telemarketers' calls with concealed caller ID's?

What can be done in order to stop unwanted phone calls?

• I have recently been issued a new phone # by Verizon(1 1/2 years ago) and have been receiving numerous phone calls from telemarketers and bill collection agencies. It seems that the person that previously held this #(I have his name and local address) had financial problems and now I am receiving numerous calls regarding his credit problems and calls from his business associates and friends. I am on the National and State(Massachusetts) do not call registries and use *77 to block unwanted calls that show up as "unknown" on the caller ID but this method keeps resetting to "off" on a regular basis. I have called many numbers back requesting that my number be removed from the lists but some are really persistant in calling back. Some calls have stopped and others stop for a period of time and then resume again. The calls are sometimes received before 8am and some well after 8pm. I am disabled,housebound and a day sleeper and find these calls to be very intrusive. Since I have COPD emphasema I cannot spend extended periods of time talking on the phone with these callers. Any suggestions as to how I can alleviate this situation? Since none of these calls are of a threating nature the police and Verizon can do nothing. Tony Z III

• Answer:

  Verizon will change your phone number for a $10 or $15 fee, which they should waive anyway since the calls are not threatening, but they're definitely harassing