There is just nothing I can do. I pick up the receiver, then put it down. Or ignore the call. And I have no idea how to cost the caller more money. I don't want to listen to their BS. And I mentally make note to never buy from that company. But it doesn't help.

I know part of the problem is call spoofing, where the computer caller indicates is from someone else. I really don't know if swearing at them is legal when a human finally, if ever, picks up. I realize its the governments fault. They haven't done a thing to stop it. The phone companies are at least complicit, passing along relentless computer calls that use someones number to look like its a real person.

I like having a phone where my friends and relatives can call me. But only maybe one in ten or so is a legitimate call, with the rest being a commercial call, using the path I've paid for to annoy me.

Sometimes I ask them to hold for a second while I go check the oven or ???? and see how long they will hang on. YouTube will provide you with some witty ways to mess with them. I just don't answer my phone if the caller isn't in my contacts. If it's a real call they will leave a voicemail.

Living in an area that is not associated with my area code has been helpful. If I see a phone number from my area code I know it's a scam call. If I see an area code from the area that I actually live I can be pretty confident that it is a legitimate call. All others are in my contact list and will pop up with their name.

Ask them what they are wearing today.

My I phone is on DO NOT DISTURB. There is no identifier on my voice mail. If it is important they will leave a message. I delete the others. Works for me. I get very few if any repeat calls. My friends can also text me if needed.
Oh, if you answer by mistake start talking about the coal barges on the Ohio River. They will not call back.

quote:

Originally posted by Krazeehorse:
I just don't answer my phone if the caller isn't in my contacts. If it's a real call they will leave a voicemail.

Same here but I will add that if the voicemail or text is from someone I do not wish to hear from again, they're blacklisted quickly.

Why aren’t all these computer programs monitoring global communications able to identify Rachel from card services?

I used to just block the number, but my phone only holds 100 blocked numbers. So, after I emptied that out I only block numbers that leave a message. And, I don't answer calls that are not on my contact list.

If I get a live person, I ask for their credit card number. What, why? I charge $5.99 a minute to listen to this sort of call. Sir, we don't pay for that. I'm sorry, we can't continue until you provide a credit card number. Click.

Okay, dumb question here but are we talking a land line or mobile?

If it’s a land line, turn the ringer off and check the caller ID whenever you feel. At least that’s what I’d do but I don’t have a land line and haven’t for years.

Mobile, I have an iPhone so I have my calls set to where numbers that aren’t in my contacts are silenced. That’s one of the best features ever added to a mobile phone because messing with spam/scam calls is entertaining for only so long.

nomorobo blocks about 1/2 my spam, maybe a little more. Unless I recognize caller all my calls go to voice mail after 4 rings. Legit callers leave a message.

Why isn't there a service or answering device which answers and says, "state your name and press 357 to reach this party"

then if they press 357 (for example) only then does your phone ring.

that would halt 90% of these calls.

Let’s see I’ve have done the following for my enjoyment.

-Played the doddering old fool for the “Microsoft Rep” who needed to remote into my machine. I frustrated them so much they finally hung up on me. Super fun.

-Told the nice Pakistani/Indian lady right out of the gate “I hope your shithole country gets Ebola and you die choking on your own blood”. Took the wind right out of her sails she didn’t know how to respond. Just kinda stuttered.

-My favorite however from back in the day was to speak softer and softer and softer and softer, knowing they were cranking the volume up on their headset and then I’d hit them with one of those aerosol can air horns. They loved that.

All the computers take the fun out of it. Now and then I try to get a human.

We get regular junk calls telling us this is the last opportunity to restore our car warranty. We always block the number, but they call two weeks later with a diff number.

Same thing happens with a larger hotel chain, "congratulations, you have earned a free . . . ." We block them, get another call in a couple of weeks

If you have access to a load coil detector...

If it's not a name or number I recognize I don't answer. I do have VoiceMail, but I rarely ever check it. I'm considering changing my VoiceMail intro to "I do not answer calls from names and numbers I don't recognize. I rarely check VoiceMail. If you really need to contact me, e-mail me at my fullname with middle initial at yahoo.com".

More than half my calls are from "Potential Spam"--I obviously just let them ring out (4 rings, then to VM). I get a lot of "Not Available" calls--same treatment. Then there are the numerous ones that just list a city somewhere (that I have no attachments to)--they don't get answered, either. "Private", "Unknown", "Unavailable" and just blank get the same treatment.

flashguy

Most of you have probably heard this one but is one of my favs.
https://youtu.be/aOvXxnSEQKY

I wish I was smart enough and had the resources to do a massive denial of service on their number pool. Tie them up for days and make their lines unusable.

On my land line, I have a CPR V5000 Call Blocker that catches and blocks most robo calls. I answer all calls otherwise and if it's a spoofed number, I immediately block it too. #2 works for blocking calls on the cordless extensions or I just press the big red "Block Now" button on the CPR V5000 beside the phone base set.

The CPR V5000 Call Blocker comes with 5000 robo numbers already coded in to block and you can block an additional 1500 numbers.

I block maybe one or two calls a week on average and maybe up to half of those are spoofed numbers. My point is that even with (arguably) the best call blocker out there, some nuisance calls still get through. But it's still worth it ... to me.

quote:

Originally posted by 41:
Ask them what they are wearing today.

That is what I do. The women think it's creepy and hang up. The guys are usually speechless when I tell them I am touching myself.