Unsolicited Telephone Calls

[TheProfessor]

Do others receive multiple daily unsolicited telephone calls?

I have 2 telephone numbers that are listed in the telephone book.
One is Fairpoint land line.
One is an internet phone line.

Seems both get about 6-12 telephone calls per day.
Seeking donations to fire, police, etc.
Others are from Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, credit card debt, extended warranty, etc.
All, of course, all are fake. Or donation pseudo scams.

Yes, I have a cell phone with almost zero solicitations.
Yes, I can just dump the listed land line and internet phone. For those who do not know what an internet phone is - it is usually bundled with your cable TV. Mine is not.
Yes, there is a Do Not Call procedure. Already utilized.

Just wondering if those who still have a listed phone number (not cell phone) get this many fake solicitations.

[I.C.Isles]

Yeah. I don’t answer landline anymore or cell phone if I don’t recognize number. What is worse is when they rotate through local numbers so you think it is someone you may know.


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[FlyingScot]

Also bombarded on a landline we hardly ever use. We have only kept it for the connect to security system

[SailinAway]

6 to 12 calls is an awful lot. I was getting about 2 to 4 calls a day for a very long time (about a year). The do-not-call list is useless. I finally used a strategy that they say you're not supposed to do. They say to just hang up immediately, but that brought no cessation of the calls. Now I ask the caller what company they work for. They will answer something like "warranty department." I keep repeating the question until they hang up. If they say something like "Auto Warranty Service" I ask what city they're located in and the address. I keep them on the phone until they hang up. This actually seems to have worked, because they realize they're losing business the more time they waste with me. I haven't had any such calls for about 3 weeks now. I can't prove the reason, of course.

[fatlazyless]

By following these easy-to-follow instructions in this link to the Federal Trade Commission ..... http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features...unwanted-calls ..... it is SO EASY to totally stop all unwanted calls that even a Neanderthal cave man who never had a phone can do it! .....

http://www.livescience.com/65003-how...nderthals.html ...... are YOU this smart that you too can stop unwanted phone calls!

[mishman]

Even though we have registered for do not call, we still get calls from auto warranty companies, credit card refinance and others - averaging about 2-3 calls a day. Why the Feds can't stop this is beyond me.
Like Flying Scott, the only reason we have a landline is the security company connection. I think of it as a surcharge on my security company bill. Sort of grin and bear it.

[Descant]

2 landlines. Very inexpensive packaged with Internet and TV services. I used to have a gadget with an inline connection to my landline phone. When a robo call came in, it sent back a signal to the calling computer that this was a non-existent line. That cut way back on the calls after a few weeks. Unfortunately, it also prevented calls going to my fax machine, so I stopped using it. If I'm at my desk, I answer and immediately hang up. The computer is not offended. If I'm not at my desk, I don't answer. When the computer gets the tape machine, it hangs up. I rarely get robo calls on my cell phone.

[camp guy]

The whole genre of unsolicited telephone calls is probably number one on my list of dislikes. My wife and I rarely answer our landline unless we recognize the caller ID number. One poster already mentioned that scam artists are able to make a call look like it is from a number you should answer. I even had a call come to us and the caller ID showed our number!

With technology as it is, if you answer and immediately hang up the scammer knows it is an active line and you will continue to receive calls. Sometimes, out of boredom, I do answer, and, as a previous poster said, this can really confuse the caller. Fund raisers don't want to spend a lot of time explaining their mission to you.

The fact that a cell phone isn't listed in the phone book doesn't stop the scam calls. Again, technology allows a programmer to spend some time setting up a call rotation, and once the 'start' button is pushed, it is all automated from that point on.

Well, have a nice day, and, oh, your back brace, knee brace, and extended warranty are half-price this week.

[mcdude]

Lately the call I've received the most (sometimes 3-4 daily) supposedly from Medicare wanting to enlist me in a FREE heart check-up or some such nonsense. I get calls from (supposedly) Amazon saying that someone has just ordered a $1200 i-phone on my account. (I don't have an Amazon account) 90% of the calls sound like someone with an Indian accent. I noticed when India was shut down with covid there were no calls for about a month.

[Winilyme]

Originally Posted by FlyingScot

Also bombarded on a landline we hardly ever use. We have only kept it for the connect to security system

You don't need a landline or Internet for a security system. We replaced ours seven years ago...replacing a landline dependent security system to a cellular dependent one. Has always worked great for us.

I'm not sure why anyone needs a landline anymore...or a fax machine for that matter.

[Slickcraft]

We ported our land line # to Ooma two+ years ago.
https://www.ooma.com/home-phone-service/

We normally let calls go the the built in answering service. If a legit call they will leave a message. Most junk calls are terminated prior to actually leaving a message. We average only one about junk call a week that actually goes to message.

Messages can be listened to at home and also forward to a cell phone where a notification is given.

Alan

[Phantom]

Far more dangerous due to internet Phishing scams is the rise in phony text messages which say their from AT&T, Amazon, et al and say "click here"

My wife & I have been getting these weekly now

I fear for the older generation who will fall for these .................. and for those who know me, I admit - I fall into that category too

[garysanfran]

As forum members age, and technology advances, this is becoming a BIG concern of mine. Keeping up with the technology.

Daily, I get a message that my PayPal acct. has been shut off and "click here" to update my acct.

I never go though the back-door of these messages. I go directly into my acct. with my log-in info and never is there a request for any update.

I never answer a robo-call without an ID.

[Descant]

Not to drift too far, but I don't get those emails from Kenya anymore. If Google (gmail) is cleansing my mail, that's fine. Maybe they'll buy a phone operation, too?

[tis]

I just can't imagine who talks to these people that makes it worth their while to continue the telemarketing or scamming. I rather answer and hang up than keep having to delete all these calls.

[Winilyme]

Originally Posted by Descant

Not to drift too far, but I don't get those emails from Kenya anymore. If Google (gmail) is cleansing my mail, that's fine. Maybe they'll buy a phone operation, too?

Kenya tell us why you aren't getting those calls anymore?

[TiltonBB]

On the Amazon calls with the supposed IPhone 12 ordered, I press 1 and tell them I ordered it, ship it soon. Then they don't know what to say.

Don't ever give to the "police, fire, veterans scams. They will tell you that after expenses everything goes to those groups. It turns out their "expenses" amount to about 95% of the donation.

If you want to donate to a local public safety group just call them and write and mail the check directly.

[Bear Guy]

As to economics of robocalls, this NPR podcast cites robocall cost as 28 calls per penny. They go on to say how money can be made of the 0.5% of answered calls.

But even the fact a person answered a robocall is monetized; the confirmation that the phone number is valid and a person might answer is something that can be sold. As such, the #1 FCC recommendation is to not answer a robocall.

Interestingly, over the last two years, the FCC has implemented new call authentication in attempts to reduce illegal robocalls.

[BrunoSR]

I like to play with them! I almost sold an extended car warranty to the person who was trying to get me zero % on my credit cards!!

[dickiej]

…..if you send me $200.00,I can make the calls stop.

[tis]

Originally Posted by BrunoSR

I like to play with them! I almost sold an extended car warranty to the person who was trying to get me zero % on my credit cards!!

I would have LOVED to have heard that conversation!! You made my day! My SIL once told a telemarketer trying to sell a credit card that he filed bankruptcy (not true) but they still wanted to give him a credit card.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Bear Guy

As to economics of robocalls, [URL="https://www.npr.org/transcripts/980478016"]But even the fact a person answered a robocall is monetized; the confirmation that the phone number is valid and a person might answer is something that can be sold. As such, the #1 FCC recommendation is to not answer a robocall.

I think this is the answer. Ever since I stopped answering any number I don't recognize, spam calls have dropped to essentially 0. I've also filled out the do not call registry, but that didn't seem to do much.

Now, if I could only figure out a way to stop spam texts!

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[Newbiesaukee]

I am very happy that I was able to wire $500 to my grandson who had his friend text me that he was in jail and I could bail him out. I’m a little upset my grandson hasn’t called to thank me.

[TiltonBB]

Related/Unrelated.

Very funny!

This link should take you there but if not Google Tom Mabe Crime Scene Call. Tom Mabe has made numerous recordings of telemarketer calls.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttrzG5F4R3o

[tis]

Originally Posted by Newbiesaukee

I am very happy that I was able to wire $500 to my grandson who had his friend text me that he was in jail and I could bail him out. I’m a little upset my grandson hasn’t called to thank me.

Yes and they even have the accent down!! But ours wasn't the friend, it was him!!

[SailinAway]

Originally Posted by Winilyme

.I'm not sure why anyone needs a landline anymore.

Because in some towns the only option for affordable internet is to bundle it with a landline you don't really want. The cost of Fairpoint internet without a Fairpoint landline is prohibitive.

[WinnisquamZ]

Originally Posted by SailinAway

Because in some towns the only option for affordable internet is to bundle it with a landline you don't really want. The cost of Fairpoint internet without a Fairpoint landline is prohibitive.

Can’t you just leave the phone unplugged


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[TheProfessor]

Originally Posted by WinnisquamZ

Can’t you just leave the phone unplugged


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What if some obscure relative calls to advise of some inheritance ?