Spam callers that ring and hang up — or anonymous "no caller ID" calls — can flood your lines and bury real leads. Direct REI has a per-account block list that shuts them out.
Where to block a number
- Settings → Blocked numbers — its own tab in Settings. Type the number, add an optional note ("keeps calling and hanging up"), and click Block.
- Any contact card — every phone number on a buyer or seller card has a Block link next to it. Blocked numbers show a ⛔ chip with an Unblock link.
- Anonymous calls — flip on "Block anonymous / no-caller-ID calls" at the top of the Blocked numbers card. That covers withheld, restricted, and unavailable caller IDs.
- Everyone not in your CRM — flip on "Block calls from numbers not in your CRM". Spammers rotate numbers, so blocking one at a time is whack-a-mole; this only lets callers who match one of your contacts through. Use with care: a brand-new lead calling from a number you don't have yet is cut off too. Calls only — texts still arrive, and unknown texters keep landing in the Inbox ❓ Unknown lane.
Owners, admins, and members can manage the block list — so a VA answering your lines can block a spammer on the spot. Viewers can see the list but not change it.
What blocking does
- Calls answered by Direct REI (a Telnyx number with voicemail on, or Twilio in-browser calling): blocked and anonymous callers are cut off before anything rings — no ring, no voicemail, no missed-call entry, no red attention flag.
- Telnyx browser ringing without voicemail: the ring pop-up is silenced and nothing is logged, though the caller may still reach a forward-to-cell fallback if you configured one.
- Quo numbers: Quo controls its own ringing, so its apps may still ring — also block the number inside the Quo app. Either way, Direct REI stops logging and flagging those calls, so your CRM stays clean.
- Texts from blocked numbers are ignored on every provider — no conversation entry, no Inbox item, and the AI never replies to them.
Good to know
- Blocking is an inbound shield, not an opt-out. If a blocked contact is enrolled in a campaign, scheduled follow-ups still send to them. To stop messaging someone, pause them or record an opt-out — blocking only stops what they send you.
- Compliance still wins: if a blocked contact texts STOP, their SMS opt-out is recorded and pending texts are cancelled, exactly as if they weren't blocked.
- Blocking a number also cancels any AI auto-reply that was queued for it, so the bot can't text a spammer back and invite more calls.
- Unblocking takes one click from the Settings card or the contact card — everything returns to normal immediately.