I usually don't answer if I don't recognize the number but sometimes get a robocall from a spoofed local number. I unleash a torrent of Al Swearengen language upon the recording, much to the discomfort of others within earshot. After hanging up, a comment such as "That was my sister" elicits shocked expressions. It doesn't help reduce the calls but it's fun.

Out here, the service provider used to make you have a land-line to get their internet, in the last 2-3 years they changed it to where it wasn't necessary, but they jacked the price up on the internet if you opted to not have a land line, which of course, negated any savings.

I don't understand the ones who call two or three times in a row, but don't bother leaving a message.

And on the rare instances when an unknown number leavces a message, it's automated, so most of it is not recorded as they don't wait for my announcement to finish playing.

quote:

Originally posted by PowerSurge:
I only answer my phone if it is someone that is in my contact list calling. I always figure if it’s something important anyone else can leave a voicemail.

Ditto. My iPhone audibly states the caller’s name if it’s in my directory, or “Unknown number”.

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:
I believe the new iPhone update allows for auto forward to VM of any number not in contacts.

Just to clarify...
Its nothing to do with the new phones but rather the iOS software. It works on my 2 year old "X". Have it on now.

You could use "Do not disturb" before but now it is a seperate dedicated switch you turn off and on in the phone settings menu. One tiny fault I see is you should be able to add it to your control center screen for one swipe access. There are times you are expecting a call back or etc from an unknown number you do not want to miss. But it only takes three clicks to change it so... settings>phone> silence unknown callers on/off.

I use this model for my landline. Works well. If you want to let calls though, you do have to add them to a list. But stops robocalls from getting through
https://telephones.att.com/tel...s/smart-call-blocker

If my phone or I don't recognize the number, I don't answer it. Ever. Leave a message, I'll call back if it's necessary, or maybe I won't......

quote:

Originally posted by oldbill123:
Just ported my landline to a cell. Next stop is probably porting it to google voice

A friend uses google voice and gives out that only number to folks he wants to have his number. It rings through on both his house phone and cell phone. If he is home and only one phone rings, he doesn’t answer it as it is spam.

This is an interesting subject. I too get deluged with unwanted phone calls, mostly on my iphone. On my home phone, VoIP, I also get calls I don't recognize. If I don't know the number, I don't answer the phone. When I see the caller ID show "Anonymous" I wonder why anyone would take a call from someone who doesn't even have the good manners to state who they are.

Lately the voice mail message I get the most is from, supposedly a Microsoft contractor. They are telling me that I have a refund coming because I have a contract with them and they are going out of business and I need to claim my refund soon. Nope, not going to play by calling them back.

On my iphone I block several callers every day. It still doesn't stop because I think the same callers are using different numbers the next time they call. One of the voice mail messages I get the most is the one where supposedly someone is suing me and I need to act quickly to avoid being arrested or something of that nature. Sometimes I am sorry I don't answer those calls because I would love to mess with them.

I've stopped answering most - especially when I see a cell number come through with my old prefix

not long ago I answered and it was a spam call for some service. I asked them to call me back on my land line so I could spend more time. They asked for a number and I gave them the main switchboard for the NSA in Ft. Meade

haven't heard back

All robocallers should die.

Here is the voice mail I received just a few minutes ago:

"From Microsoft refunds department and you remember you have contract with us for computer support and services. Unfortunately we are closing our business. So you can call us for refund amount you paid to claim your refund. Please call us on (I left out the number.)"

I have received the same call from Microsoft refunds a number of times. I am just sooooo rich that I don't need no stinkin refund!!

quote:

Originally posted by GT-40DOC:
I have received the same call from Microsoft refunds a number of times. I am just sooooo rich that I don't need no stinkin refund!!

Well, thanks. I figured it was you that passed it on to me.

quote:

Originally posted by rburg:
I've heard that police don't have balls. Doesn't matter, they're not getting any more of my money.

I am pretty sure that the vast majority of them do!!!

"Block this Caller". That is a feature of my iPhone 6s Plus that I appreciate...the ability to block the numbers you wish to no longer even ring. Android phones may have that feature now, but the one I had before I got this iPhone didn't. If a number isn't in my contact list, it doesn't get answered. And if said number leaves some BS voicemail, it gets blocked. So far, I think the "Block this Caller" feature works pretty well...

Same here, I will NOT answer the phone unless I am expecting a call, or recognize the number. Of course, I won’t answer a call from myself, ha. Had that happen about 3 days in a row. Said it was coming from me, with my number. I used to have the standard recorded message, and would have idiots think I was actually there and start to speak, then hang up. Changed the message to a very slowly spoken leave a message recording, and suddenly they hang up immediately. Saves time.

quote:

I also have turned off my caller ID.

That does nothing to stop unwanted incoming calls and has the negative effect to people who you are calling that won't answer calls that are not identified. What's the thinking?

Occasionally I will play with the telemarketers -- the robocall that congratulates me for my excellent payment record, and that I have now qualified for reduced interest rates on all my credit cards.

A few months ago I received this call while walking fence lines in our pasture. Since I had to check almost 1000 yards of fence, I had some time to kill. I punched "1" on the phone to get the live attendant. Surprise -- "Robert" answered, but I suspect his real name was "Vijay".

I immediately stated "That's great, please lower all my interest rates -- I'll see it on my next month's statement, right? You guys are cool." This immediately flustered Vijay, as it has for all the other "Bobs". Vijay kept asking for which card brands and how much I owned on the cards. I continued to respond with "You guys state you're from Card Services, which means you handle my existing accounts. You know the balances on my cards, you know the payment details, I approve you to make the changes. Just do it, thanks."

Anyway "Bob" hangs up on me. How rude of him.

But "Bob" calls me back in a minute or so. He berates me for being such a jerk. OK, game on.

I ask how he likes being a robocaller, knowing that the FCC is preparing to crack down on the practice. Fines will be assessed to all employees. Bob will go to jail. He'll get big Bubba as a prison cellmate. Bob hangs up, but then calls back. Repeatedly -- I believe 7 or 8 times. I start asking Bob if back in India, did he prefer intimate relations with either cows or goats? Speaking of which, while in prison, does he want to be the passer or the receiver with Bubba?

Bob gets increasingly irritated during these repeated calls -- I suspect I got his....goat....
I suspect he kept calling me with the idea that he was interrupting something important in my day. When I finished checking all the fence lines, I blocked his number. My cell phone noted that the robo number attempted to call me another 4 or 5 times.

All this made my tedious work day a little brighter.

Any way to forward these robo calls to say, my Democrat Senator or Pelosi or some other scumbag politicians (but I repeat myself)?