Nuisance call from automatic dialler

[#1]

I have started to get calls from International Number Withheld and when I pick it up there is nobody there.
It is a bit of a nuisance. Is there any way of stopping this.

[#2]

At least once a week I get a recorded call from the USA telling me I have won a holiday in Florida. I only have to dial a premium number to claim it. Fat chance

[#3]

You cant do I won that competition - never claimed the prize though

[#4]

If the calls are coming in as "INTERNATIONAL", there's nothing you can do to stop them but if they're coming in as "WITHELD" then you can have Anonymous Caller Reject put on your line which will stop them. The most likely reason why there's nobody there is that the calls are more than likely originating from a dialing 'bot and the call centre staff won't be able to keep up with the 'bot. Best way to deal with them is not to lift the receiver.
Regards .....

[#5]

Both answer OK but
A) my mother in law and and the doctor, and the local hospital all use with held - so cant block that.
B) I have a friend in France who phone, A cousin in Perth Australia and a Son in Airlie Beach Ausralia, so cant block international
C) but I can leave phone off hook when Florida calls, ties up line for about 5 mins.

[#6]

I'm rather amazed that there is still no technical solution to this problem.
Maybe we should petition ETSI or the ITU?

[#7]

They're a real pain. Even when you put the phone down straight away they can sometimes tie the line up and you can't dial out till they've finished. 

[#8]

I am surprised that there are not devices on sale everywhere to block unwanted calls. Even where telephone service providers offer services to block calls under certain circumstances they are not very flexible and are expensive.
I see that a device has just been launched but at c £100 it is very expensive and details are sketchy. I am hopeful that eventually prices will come down and that there will be a choice of such devices available from retail outlets.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7682111.stm

[#9]

Being disabled I cannot move too quickly to get to the phone, and got totally Peed off with wasted advertising and junk calls. so I informed all family and close friends that all our calls are screened by answering machine.  If they don't speak as a human I know or am expecting. they don't get answered.  I have found the Auto diallers have stopped since going down this route.