topic Re: Robocall question in Electronics

Robocall question

ceekay — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 01:02:05 GMT

My elderly mom is no longer capable of checking her voice mail on her landline. The majority of the voice mails she receives are robocalls. We recently disconnected her voice mail so, if she is not at home, calls just ring and ring until the caller hangs up (I know, just like the olden days!). I don't want to have my mom's neighbors annoyed by repeated ringing. I think a human would give up after 6 or 7 rings. Does anyone know how many times a call from a robocaller will ring before disconnecting? (I don't have caller ID on my landline so cannot test this myself.)

I tried searching via Google for info several ways but no luck. And my mom would not be able to use call block or other techniques to stop the robocalls.

Re: Robocall question

Kachina624 — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 01:14:49 GMT

I've discovered most robo/sales callers hang up before the 4th ring because that's when most most answering machines are set to activate. They don't want to talk to a machine or waste time. listening to it.

Can't you adjust the ring on your mom's phone so it's very low and unlikely to be heard by others?

Re: Robocall question

x Hedge — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 01:17:47 GMT

@ceekay

I have intentionally not set up my cell's voice mail. I'd guess my phone rings about 15-20 seconds before it sends the call to the dead zone.

And yes, you'd think a human would hang up after a reasonable number of rings.

When I had a landline my sister would call me and finally hang up after it'd rung 30 (30!!!) times. Then she'd call right back and go for 30 more.

So, now have a phone that goes with me.

Re: Robocall question

ceekay — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 01:18:24 GMT

@Kachina624 - I can reduce the volume a little but she needs to be able to hear it too!! I was thinking that about 4 rings, but given the number of voice mails she gets from robocalls, I think there must be some that ring longer. Thanks for the volume suggestion.

Re: Robocall question

ceekay — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 01:22:08 GMT

@x Hedge - When I was growing up we were taught to let the phone ring 10 times before hanging up. That way if someone was running to get the phone they might have enough time to get there. Thirty rings is rather excessive! Gotta love siblings... :-)

Re: Robocall question

phoenixbrd — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 02:14:51 GMT

@ceekay wrote:
My elderly mom is no longer capable of checking her voice mail on her landline. The majority of the voice mails she receives are robocalls. We recently disconnected her voice mail so, if she is not at home, calls just ring and ring until the caller hangs up (I know, just like the olden days!). I don't want to have my mom's neighbors annoyed by repeated ringing. I think a human would give up after 6 or 7 rings. Does anyone know how many times a call from a robocaller will ring before disconnecting? (I don't have caller ID on my landline so cannot test this myself.)

I tried searching via Google for info several ways but no luck. And my mom would not be able to use call block or other techniques to stop the robocalls.

@ceekay The landline is set to "no answering message" and "silencing the rings" ...so I can check the machine and see who called without the abusive messages or having to hear the phone. It takes about 3-4 rings before they hang up.

Your mother can do the same and I've found the Robo/scam calls have lessened because the scammers can't activate that my phone is a "live" number because there is no message or answer ever. I check to see who called periodically, but anyone that I want to talk to has my cell number and it is set to pick up "contact list only" phone calls. I am at peace and no longer think about these scammers.

Re: Robocall question

Annabellethecat66 — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 02:35:20 GMT

My daughter gave me a Consumer Reports where almost the entire magazine is about Robo calls.

I stopped reading it because the magazine basically says “ good luck in getting ahead of them”.

Most of it is computerized. My friends and I all have caller ID, call blocking...... Sometime the caller ID shows on our phone that it’s our own phone number calling us!

The ID says spam but it still rings and rings. I’ve turned off the answering machine and given Drs, etc. my cell phone number.

I still get robo calls on my cell phone! I block those numbers too.

It’s terrible that we have to put up with this. My Congressman just sent an email saying they’re supposedly working on limiting or eliminating them.

Sure....I’ll believe it when it happens. They have lots of lobbyists and throw a lot of money to these elected officials.

Re: Robocall question

RedTop — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 03:02:11 GMT

@ceekay,

Telemarketers and scammers never ring more than 3x here.

We set moms answering machine to come on with the first ring, and stressed to her to ignore the phone call unless she sees our name, period. After a year of that, her phone rarely rings. Moms phone number is only tied to her phone bill, nothing else.

Re: Robocall question

x Hedge — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 03:38:09 GMT

@phoenixbrd wrote:
. . . the Robo/scam calls have lessened because the scammers can't activate that my phone is a "live" number because there is no message or answer ever. . . .

@phoenixbrd , that's exactly why I never activated the voice mail.

Set to "Do not Disturb", my phone screens out any call that isnt from someone listed in my contacts, and for those not listed my phone doesn't even ring. But I'd guess the caller hears a ringing 15-20 seconds.
They get sent to the dead zone = no answer and can't leave a message.

Re: Robocall question

Foxxee — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 04:18:35 GMT

What service provider does your mother use?

Comcast offers a call blocker that can be set up on their website. If she doesn't use Comcast, see if her provider does.

I can see all the numbers of people who called me on the website. Those I don't recognize, I block. When I block one number, other numbers associated with it are also blocked. Still the phone rings one time, but it's better than 4. Because they know they are being blocked, I am getting fewer calls. I was getting up to 3 a day. Now, about 1-3 a week.

Re: Robocall question

Nataliesgramma — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 09:44:09 GMT

Usually 3x around here....

Re: Robocall question

jackthebear — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 11:14:02 GMT

@ceekay wrote:
My elderly mom is no longer capable of checking her voice mail on her landline. The majority of the voice mails she receives are robocalls. We recently disconnected her voice mail so, if she is not at home, calls just ring and ring until the caller hangs up (I know, just like the olden days!). I don't want to have my mom's neighbors annoyed by repeated ringing. I think a human would give up after 6 or 7 rings. Does anyone know how many times a call from a robocaller will ring before disconnecting? (I don't have caller ID on my landline so cannot test this myself.)

I tried searching via Google for info several ways but no luck. And my mom would not be able to use call block or other techniques to stop the robocalls.

see if nomorerobo is available for her phone and if so install it . will stop 99% of calls

Re: Robocall question

SilleeMee — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 13:00:42 GMT

Most phones have a switch or button to turn off the ringer so there's no need to unplug the phone completely. Turning off the ringer will not affect the voicemail.

Re: Robocall question

Montana — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 15:36:47 GMT

I have my landline phone set up to only ring twice. So if it does ring, it does not bother me.

It’s odd, but since I stopped checking voicemails all the time, I don’t get as many unwanted calls. After not checking for a month or so, I had 13 voicemails.

Re: Robocall question

ceekay — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 21:21:53 GMT

Thanks for all the suggestions everybody. I will be going to visit my mom tomorrow and will see which of the suggestions will work best for her. Thanks again.

Re: Robocall question

JGalt — Fri, 04 Oct 2019 05:52:15 GMT

@ceekay I signed up with nomorobo.com which is a free service for landlines. It has been great. Robocalls ring only once with no ability to leave a message on my answering machine. I look at the caller ID on my phone only after a second ring.

I do not use voice mail on my landline because it is too much trouble to call a number to listen to messages. Answering machines are far easier.

Not every single annoying call is caught by nomorobo, but I'd say 95% are. Today I had a message on my answering machine from a computer telling me this is my last chance to renew the extended warranty on my car...well, I've never had one, so this is another lying cheating enterprise. I also get some calls from a computer trying to sell health insurance. But it's very easy to push the listen button on my answering machine followed immediately by the delete button.

Anyway, I highly recommend nomorobo.