What's to be done about spam phone calls?

[bomanishus]

These phone calls have helped turn cell phones into a liability.

Do Not Call lists are evidently a joke.

Ignoring calls from unknown callers is one approach, but there are legitimate calls from unknown callers (repairmen, stores, to name a couple) that you would like to take, so either you take them or you don't. The spammers can spoof the calling origin to make you think you're getting a legitimate call but when you answer and hear the 'blip' you know it was a mistake.

Some days I get 8-10 of these calls.

Asking the Pack: What's to be done?

 

[Double Dawg]

These phone calls have helped turn cell phones into a liability.

Do Not Call lists are evidently a joke.

Ignoring calls from unknown callers is one approach, but there are legitimate calls from unknown callers (repairmen, stores, to name a couple) that you would like to take, so either you take them or you don't. The spammers can spoof the calling origin to make you think you're getting a legitimate call but when you answer and hear the 'blip' you know it was a mistake.

Some days I get 8-10 of these calls.

Asking the Pack: What's to be done?

I’ve been getting 25+ of these per day. Checked with CSpire & their solution was to “get a new number.” That ain’t happening. I would also appreciate a good solution.

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

I had turned on the block feature on my phone(which seemed to help), but recently I had to do somewhat of a reset,
And since the calls have recently gotten totally out of hand. 6 or 7+ in the last two days.
Enough.

 

[SteelCurtain74]

These phone calls have helped turn cell phones into a liability.

Do Not Call lists are evidently a joke.

Ignoring calls from unknown callers is one approach, but there are legitimate calls from unknown callers (repairmen, stores, to name a couple) that you would like to take, so either you take them or you don't. The spammers can spoof the calling origin to make you think you're getting a legitimate call but when you answer and hear the 'blip' you know it was a mistake.

Some days I get 8-10 of these calls.

Asking the Pack: What's to be done?

The Mississippi AG just sued two robo call companies for violating the law.

Companies’ Robocalls Violate Law, Attorney General Fitch Says In Lawsuit

Two companies’ robocall practices broke state law, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch said as she announced a lawsuit.

www.mississippifreepress.org

 

[mstateglfr]

How are cell phones now a liability?

Yes spam calls suck. I get one every couple of weeks from some AI style dialer that asks if I will donate to a state troopers fund that isn't tax deductible. It recognizes multiple questions and answers and responds appropriately.

 

[ronpolk]

They are a problem. But several of the ones I’ve received lately were urging me to vote for Delbert, so what do you think the chances are politicians really want to put an end to these calls?

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Asking the Pack: What's to be done?

Don’t answer the phone.

 

[Dawghouse]

How are cell phones now a liability?

Yes spam calls suck. I get one every couple of weeks from some AI style dialer that asks if I will donate to a state troopers fund that isn't tax deductible. It recognizes multiple questions and answers and responds appropriately.

The big issue is a lot of states carved out exemptions for political calls/texts.

I'm glad I have an international number as I freaking despise any call from a number not in my contacts.

I've noticed when I use a vpn to the US my online experience is 100% worse than when I don't. I feel for you guys. I had no idea social media had so many advertisements until I was VPNd into the states (to use Amazon prime).

Prayers sent.

 

[Xenomorph]

What's to be done about spam phone calls?

Carpet bomb Mumbai.

 

[LocalBeachBum]

I talk to them. My goal is to keep them on the line as long as possible and give out false information every chance I get. But to stop them from calling you, you have to go full lgbtp+. Hit on them. They will quit calling you.


even with the Do not call registry, people that do business with you, insurance, politicians can call at will

 

[woozman]

there are legitimate calls from unknown callers (repairmen, stores, to name a couple) that you would like to take

Those calls usually leave a message.

That’s my strategy anyway. I don’t answer if unknown or I don’t recognize a number. If it’s legit, they’ll leave a voicemail and I’ll call them right back. If they don’t, then oh well, maybe they will the next time if they want to hear back from me…

 

[patdog]

Get on the do not call list. Turn on ignore unknown calls. Not many get past that for me. I turn off ignore unknown calls when I’m expecting one. That’s about all you can do.

 

[kired]

Those calls usually leave a message.

That’s my strategy anyway. I don’t answer if unknown or I don’t recognize a number. If it’s legit, they’ll leave a voicemail and I’ll call them right back. If they don’t, then oh well, maybe they will the next time if they want to hear back from me…

Plus a lot of these have started communicating via text as much as they can. May seem informal but much easier than trying to call, leave messages, call back, etc.

 

[mstateglfr]

What kills me more than scams is my iPhone reads probably half of the incoming calls as being from other countries.
It moves the first number or two of the area code into the country code slot.
It even does it with my own area code which is why my phone claims so many local calls see coming from Peru.

My cell service does a good job of identifying scam calls- they consistently say 'scam likely' and it's correct

 

[TaleofTwoDogs]

Get a Sat phone and give the number only to your mom, your fat girlfriend and CZA. *

 

[eckie1]

Those calls usually leave a message.

That’s my strategy anyway. I don’t answer if unknown or I don’t recognize a number. If it’s legit, they’ll leave a voicemail and I’ll call them right back. If they don’t, then oh well, maybe they will the next time if they want to hear back from me…

Yep, and once I realize that after a few minutes there’s no message left, I block the number.

 

[uptowndawg]

The big issue is a lot of states carved out exemptions for political calls/texts.

I'm glad I have an international number as I freaking despise any call from a number not in my contacts.

I've noticed when I use a vpn to the US my online experience is 100% worse than when I don't. I feel for you guys. I had no idea social media had so many advertisements until I was VPNd into the states (to use Amazon prime).

Prayers sent.

Jesus Christ. It’s Jason Bourne.

 

[L4MANDW]

These phone calls have helped turn cell phones into a liability.

Do Not Call lists are evidently a joke.

Ignoring calls from unknown callers is one approach, but there are legitimate calls from unknown callers (repairmen, stores, to name a couple) that you would like to take, so either you take them or you don't. The spammers can spoof the calling origin to make you think you're getting a legitimate call but when you answer and hear the 'blip' you know it was a mistake.

Some days I get 8-10 of these calls.

Asking the Pack: What's to be done?

I tell everyone I give my number out too, I never answer my phone. If you need me, leave me a message and I’ll call you back. Them spoofers never leave a message and every one that calls my phone I block that number. I bet I blocked almost 100 numbers last month from 100 different cities but you won’t get a call from those numbers again. They either ran out of cities & numbers or got tired of callin’ & gettin’ no answer. I haven’t gotten a single unknown number call this month. I only answer the numbers plugged into my phone. They ain’t never spoofed an identified number from my contacts list.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

These phone calls have helped turn cell phones into a liability.

Do Not Call lists are evidently a joke.

Ignoring calls from unknown callers is one approach, but there are legitimate calls from unknown callers (repairmen, stores, to name a couple) that you would like to take, so either you take them or you don't. The spammers can spoof the calling origin to make you think you're getting a legitimate call but when you answer and hear the 'blip' you know it was a mistake.

Some days I get 8-10 of these calls.

Asking the Pack: What's to be done?

I went through this. Nothing for free helped. The Cell company was no help and their paid service waa usweless. It recgnized calls as spam but sent them through anyway. Since I am retired and home most days I finally set my phone to "Silence Unknown Caller," and it has finally almost made them stop. I changed the important people and places to known, and any number I answered or called was automatically added. All others were sent to Voice Mail, and if they need me badly enough they can leave a message.

I need some coverage help. It just went to one bar on my phone one day and hasnt been resolved. They have a known issue with call reception in this for all carriers. It was caused some how by new construction and it wont be resolved until they put in another tower. I guessd it happened when they built some of those new gigantic apartment complexes between here and tower in that direction the south. They have buit about 30-40 huge complexes. The new tower is supposed to be coming online any day.

And I'm also waiting for this supposedly "improving" econmy to help me out at the grocery store and gas pump. I feel like I did waiting for Regan's Trickle Down effect.

 

[Mobile Bay]

I’ve been getting 25+ of these per day. Checked with CSpire & their solution was to “get a new number.” That ain’t happening. I would also appreciate a good solution.

I cut down on a lot of them by answering and ******* with them. Oh you want to sell me a car warrenty? I drive a 1972 Ford Pinto. That kind of crap. My Social Security number? 123-45- 6789.

 

[hdogg]

I started talking to them, if I wasn't doing anything else. I tried to do a reverse-Jerky-Boy type of thing and mess w/ them. The "are you experiencing any pain" calls are the best. At first I would tell them that I had groin pain, and they would usually hang up pretty fast. Then I started telling them I had pain "In my heart, because my woman left me, and my heart hurts now." I told one guy that I had pain because not only did my woman leave me, but she didn't even take the kids. I mean, if she's gonna leave, at least take the kids too, right? Well, that backfired because the caller (not from America) told me that he understood, and his woman left him 2 years ago and it still hurt. Eventually I had to hang up on that one because he kept talking about his situation.
I swear I am not making this up.

One time I even told a guy about how I made a frog sandwich to impress a landowner in the Ms Delta, but that's a different story altogether.

 

[Dawgbite]

I don't give my cell phone number to businesses that ask for it. I give my old home phone number , god help the poor soul who got that number on their cell phone. That way if a business asks my number for any sort of verification, I know what to answer. I also have a burner email account that I use when I have to register for something online. I clean it out once a month or so. If you're not in my contacts you better leave a message and I might call you back.

 

[patdog]

For those of you who like to talk to them and try to screw with them, you're wasting your time. All you've done is confirmed your number is a real number by answering, so if anything you'll get more calls, not fewer. And blocking numbers is really a waste of time too, even though I do it too. It makes you feel a little better knowing "I'll never get another call from that number again." But there are close to 10,000,000,000 unique phone numbers in the USA. Good luck blocking even .00001% of them.

 

[pmack3641]

We’ve got T-mobile and have their scam shield, since we started with them approximately 2 years ago those type calls have been reduced dramatically. When we had C-Spire we’d average 5-10 calls a day even with the so called No-call options. Now I barely get 1 per week and the wife maybe 1 per week.

 

[The Peeper]

I've got AT&T service and they have "Call Protect" and "Active Armor" that you get for free that screen for these type calls. It doesn't even let the phone ring so they don't interrupt you. I get a call missed notification and can check it out at my convenience and see if it was important. I don't answer ANY calls that aren't in my Contacts and I seldom even get any spam calls any more at all

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

I have ceasefire and for whatever reason rarely get any spam calls. I answer erryone cause I enjoy wasting their time, they must have figured out my number was unproductive. When the kids were younger, I would put the call on speaker phone and we'd have the best time, especially on long trips. The old lady, also ceasefire, gets tons of calls and they even leave VMs.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

Please ignore my obvious errors in writing the previous post. I finally caught up with sleep last night and I am more alert to identify possible errors today.

The spam call situation is a very serious problem. I hope you all don't end up having to experience it.

 

[Jrobb]

These phone calls have helped turn cell phones into a liability.

Do Not Call lists are evidently a joke.

Ignoring calls from unknown callers is one approach, but there are legitimate calls from unknown callers (repairmen, stores, to name a couple) that you would like to take, so either you take them or you don't. The spammers can spoof the calling origin to make you think you're getting a legitimate call but when you answer and hear the 'blip' you know it was a mistake.

Some days I get 8-10 of these calls.

Asking the Pack: What's to be done?

I use the paid app RoboKiller. Went from calls driving me crazy to nothing. Absolutely worth it

 

[HumpDawgy]

Tell your people and businesses you know to text you. Never answer incoming calls. If you block a spam number, they will know its an actual number and keep bombarding you with calls from other numbers. Its better to ignore incoming spam and eventually they stop if no response.

And never put your phone number on anything at a store or on the internet. If it requires it, put a fake number.