Call authentication system and method for blocking unwanted calls

1. A method for blocking unwanted calls, the method comprising:

intercepting a call being routed from a calling device to a receiving device, the intercepting occurring prior to the call being presented to the receiving device for an answer;

determining further routing of the intercepted call by comparing parameters of the intercepted call to one or more lists;

if it is determined that the call should be authenticated, sending an authentication challenge to the calling device,

if a response is received to the authentication challenge, determining whether the response is correct;

if the response is correct, routing the call to the receiving device; and

updating the one or more lists if no response to the authentication challenge is received from the calling device, the update used for future calls, wherein the failure to respond is shared with others in a community for a consideration of heightened scrutiny for the calling device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining an appropriate authentication procedure among multiple authentication procedure based on parameters of the calling device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authentication challenge is sent using a separate modality of communication from the call.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the separate modality of communication is a text message requiring a text response.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authentication challenge requires an audible response, further comprising:

interpreting the audible response as to text,

comparing the interpreted response as text to a correct entry.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

updating the one or more lists if the response to the authentication challenge is received from the calling device, the update used for future calls.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising as part of the authenticating or separate from the authenticating:

acquiring identification details of the calling devices that are not presented with the call.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the identification details of the calling devices are acquiring by sending a hypertext link to the calling devices that upon selection gathers a unique identifier associated with the calling device.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining an outgoing call log, separate from a contact list of the receiving device, for inclusion on a list used in the determining whether to intercept the call.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the intercepting occurs at the receiving device by software located on the receiving device.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the intercepting occurs at one or more servers positioned in a call route between the calling device and the receiving device.

12. A system for blocking unwanted calls, the system comprising non-transitory computer-readable media such that when executed by a processor is operable to:

intercept a call being routed from a calling device to a receiving device, the intercepting occurring prior to the call being presented to the receiving device for an answer;

determine further routing of the intercepted call by comparing parameters of the intercepted call to one or more lists;

if it is determined that the call should be authenticated, send an authentication challenge to the calling device,

if a response is received to the authentication challenge, determine whether the response is correct;

if the response is correct, route the call to the receiving device; and

update the one or more lists if no response to the authentication challenge is received from the calling device, the update used for future calls, wherein the failure to respond is shared with others in a community for a consideration of heightened scrutiny for the calling device.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable media when executed is further operable to:

determine an appropriate authentication procedure among multiple authentication procedure based on parameters of the calling device.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the authentication challenge is sent using a separate modality of communication from the call.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the separate modality of communication is a text message requiring a text response.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the authentication challenge requires an audible response and the non-transitory computer-readable media when executed is further operable to:

interpret the audible response as to text,

compare the interpreted response as text to a correct entry.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable media when executed is further operable to:

update the one or more lists if the response to the authentication challenge received from the calling device, the update used for future calls.