Method and system for screening voice calls

A non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored therein instructions which when executed by at least one processor:

• receive, from an originating device, an incoming call to be routed to a receiving device;
• answer the incoming call;
• transmit, as an uplink signal, a challenge audio signal containing an audio message to be played back by the originating device;
• receive, as a downlink signal, a response from the originating device;
• determining whether to connect the originating device with the receiving device based on the response;
• in response to determining to connect both devices, route the incoming call to the receiving device;
• and
• in response to determining not to connect both devices, disconnect the answered call.

A telephony server comprising

• a processor;
• and
• non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored therein instructions which when executed by the processor cause the telephony server to
• receive, from an originating device, an incoming call to be routed to a receiving device;
• answer the incoming call to establish a communication link with the originating device;
• transmit, via the communication link, a challenge audio signal containing an audio message for playback by the originating device;
• in response to receiving an authentic response from the originating device, via the communication link, routing the incoming call to the receiving device.