Method and system for challenging potential unwanted calls

A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system of a user equipment including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:

• receiving, over a network from a network system, a call from a call originator and directed to the user equipment;
• after detecting the call from the call originator, preventing the call from being received at the user equipment;
• obtaining, from the network system, data that includes information regarding an identity of the call originator, a purpose for the call, or a combination thereof, wherein the data is provided to the user equipment based on the network system determining, responsive to detecting the call from the call originator directed to the user equipment, to challenge the call originator, requesting the call originator to provide the information based on the determining to challenge the call originator, and receiving the information from a call originator input after the requesting the call originator to provide the information;
• causing the data to be presented on the user equipment responsive to the obtaining the data from the network system;
• and
• upon receiving a user selection to accept the call, causing the call to be received at the user equipment.

A method, comprising:

• detecting, by a processing system including a processor, and over a network, a call directed to a user of a user equipment, wherein the call originates from a call originator;
• responsive to the detecting the call, determining, by the processing system, whether to present a query to the call originator, wherein the query prompts the call originator to specify an identity of the call originator and a reason for the call;
• based on a determination to present the query to the call originator, causing, by the processing system, the query to be presented to the call originator;
• receiving, by the processing system, information from a call originator input responsive to the causing the query to be presented to the call originator;
• generating, by the processing system, a short message service (SMS) message that includes data based on the information;
• transmitting, by the processing system, the SMS message to the user equipment to permit the user of the user equipment to decide on whether to answer or ignore the call;
• and
• providing, by the processing system, an instruction to the user equipment to modify a default behavior such that content of a media-based application continues to be presented on the user equipment until a user selection to answer the call is received.