I unfortunately got on some list for scammers to call. Every call starts the same. First there is a weird beep and an automated message that is intended to sound real. Usually something like "Do you want to claim your free computer program?" Or any number of other BS messages. If I answer in the affirmative it will go to a real live Indian scammer.

My error was probably in answering yes and having fun wasting the scammer's time. They usually get pissed, tell me to suck their dick and then hang up.

Anyhow, I've now set my phone to silence these unknown calls. They will go to voicemail and I rarely get any voicemail from them. However, I am getting about 20 calls per day. I see my phone light up with "Silenced Call". It's annoying as hell, but short of changing my phone number I don't know what else could be done. I have Verizon if that matters.

I have T-Mobile and they have an app called Scam Shield that blocks a lot of these calls. Does Verizon offer anything like that? I don't get a ring or vibration for those calls identified as probable scam calls. Those calls only show up in the app and not in the dialer app as recent calls.

Silence unknown calls is the bomb. It would be awesome to have some technology that could reach out and cause whatever they are using to call you to short circuit and burst into flames, but since that isn't happening, silence unknown calls may be the next best thing.

^^^

exactly this - my phone doesn't ring, and it shows up in recent calls as red with Potential Spam as a tag

quote:

Originally posted by nhtagmember:
^^^

exactly this - my phone doesn't ring, and it shows up in recent calls as red with Potential Spam as a tag

Yeah that’s what I’m doing. I’d like it better if I could turn off notifications for just those calls. It’s distracting but sometimes I’m expecting a real call.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
It's annoying as hell, but short of changing my phone number I don't know what else could be done. I have Verizon if that matters.

Before I booted my smartphone four years ago, I was getting maybe six spam phone calls a day, and a few texts as well. After I went to a dumb phone, with a new number, that all went away. In the first year, I did get a semi-weekly spam call from auto warranty assholes, but that eventually stopped after six months.

Now, I may get a unidentified spam call every few months, which is labeled "likely spam" when it comes in (T-Mobile) and I can't remember the last time I got a spam text.

I don’t answer unknown number calls. My voicemail has a message instructing that they should text. Real people will text. Scammers will not.

Get a google voice number (free) and give that out for any business / retail needs. Forward that number to your mobile. Only give out your main mobile number to people. That's been working fairly well.

In your situation, you could port your main number to google voice, get a new main number, and set them up the same way. Or dump your current number and setup the same thing with a new one.

My problem is spam calls to my landline, and there's no way I can get them blocked according to my ISP (I use them for internet, tv & phone).

We're dumping it this weekend (end of billing cycle), and for the first time in my life I won't have a home phone. Even though we have good cellphone service, it's discomforting. Old habits die hard, but at least we'll be saving about $50 a month.

Sucks, donut.

These days I generally just don’t answer any call from a number that I don’t recognize or expect.

Sometimes I do answer suspicious ones in a certain Central European language. I have learned enough phrases to have a short (but to the scammer completely bizarre and unintelligible) conversation. The scammer usually gives up quickly when they realize that they have no idea what the hell I am saying.

Once, years ago, I foolishly answered an unknown number in English and the person on the other end laughed and told someone in the room with her that I was a “gringo Maricon”.

I corrected the woman in the most vulgar Spanish slang I knew, that regardless of how I might sound, I was indeed very interested in her lady bits. Her shocked intake of breath was priceless.

If you mess with scammers, they will broadcast your number, often as a "desirable lead", and then you get hammered.

There is no honor among thieves, so they don't care if other scammers are wasting time calling you.

This is for those using an Iphone, not sure if you are needing an Iphone or landline etc solution.

For Iphone: Settings---Phone---Silence Unknown Callers. This will send unknown numbers to be silenced, sent to voicemail, and displayed on the Recents List. Incoming calls will continue to ring from people in your contacts list. In other words, only numbers already in your contact list/phone directory will ring through.

You'll have to check your Recent Calls often to see if you got a legitimate call from someone you need to talk to, or needs to talk to you, etc.

And yeah, may the fleas of a thousand camels infest the crotch and armpits of those ***** scammer cheater thieves *****.
.

I have the least expensive phone and service.
But when I get
An unknown caller,

It offers me a report spam option as well as a block phone number option.

Also I I am on the do not call website.

I get four or five spamms per year.

I use androids answering assistant for unknown numbers. People that need to talk to me will leave a message scammers hang up. I get very few scammers calling after I used it for a couple of months. Could be a coincidence?

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
I unfortunately got on some list for scammers to call. Every call starts the same. First there is a weird beep ...

I take care of my mom who has dementia and this drives me nuts because she hates to not answer the phone as she thinks it could be family needing help.
I've recently just started hanging up after the "weird beep" and hearing a human voice or if it's automated, I hit "1" to connect and wait for the human to answer before hanging up.

For awhile I would lead them along and I agree, there is a web of connections because they often just disconnect me as if they know. I still don't know why our number is on their list if it's a waste of their time.

I've been getting a lot but it's been tapering down. The beep is some AI voice so I usually answer back until I get a live person. I never say "YES" as, maybe it's an urban myth, but they can capture your "yes" and apply it to anything.

I'm patient and stretch out the conversation. Then it usually ends up with them asking for either my social security, Medicare number, or bank account information. That's when I say I have to go to the next room to go find it. I tell them I have to put them on mute and then I just go back to what I was doing before I got the call.

You do need to have a cover story. I have an actual address in some ritzy city in my previous state. I have a different name and a different age. It's just ten years older than what I am and my month is off by one. So I can easily remember.

I get medicare calls because it's open enrollment season, don't cha know. I get final expense insurance. Oh, and my beneficiary is my lifelong partner who's the same sex as I am. I get the "have you had an accident in the last two years and the rightful compensation has not yet been given you." FOr that I have a complete story too about the accident, the cops were called because if they weren't, the caller hangs up. I even was in a coma for 6 weeks so my memory is hazy. I don't get the extended car warranty calls anymore ever since I let the woman go through her complete spiel peppered with some questions that showed I was considering it. She got mad when after she asked if i have any more questions before we fill in the application, I said I did still have one and that was when I asked her what color panties she was wearing.

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
I have the least expensive phone and service.
But when I get
An unknown caller,

It offers me a report spam option as well as a block phone number option.

Also I I am on the do not call website.

I get four or five spamms per year.

These scammers are somehow spoofing other people’s phone numbers. Every call is a new number so blocking is useless.

If you get live human on the phone, try a loud whistle. It may not stop them, but at least you can annoy them.

I have a plan that would address this.

All phones should work like 1-900 numbers combined with the collect call. The caller has an account with access to funds. When a caller makes a call, the receiver of the call has the option to accept the call at no charge or to charge the caller.

Charged calls get credited to your account if you're on the receiving end, or debited from your account if you're originating the call and the person on the other end is annoyed by you.

The app “Hiya” works pretty well to identify spam numbers but it does cost to use. That along with hiding unknown callers on my iPhone suffices.