topic Re: Spam calls on my cell phone. in Community Chat

Spam calls on my cell phone.

151949 — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 19:34:14 GMT

Darn it anyway! I have gotten 4 calls on my cell from a Pittsburgh area number. I usually don't answer calls If I don't recognize the # but after 4 times I gave in & answered. It was a scam and I was so mad at myself for answering it !

What makes me even angrier is I have a Tracfone so that call cost me money! I asked the man how would you like me to call the FBI about this call and he hung up.

It was from 412 area code but , in fact, the guy barely spoke English.

Re: Spam calls on my cell phone.

chickenbutt — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 19:40:42 GMT

I hate this so much that I put mine on some kind of a 'private' thing where only people in my contacts list can even get through - with calls or messages. Oh wait - I think it's called 'do not disturb' but you can make that where just people in your list, or whatever you choose, can ONLY get through to your phone. All other calls must just dissolve in the universe because they don't even get to the phone. Love that!

I get, however, that people who use their phone for business and such might not choose this but for somebody like me it's perfect.

Telemarketing and door-to-door marketing anger me to the nth degree. I'm nnot asking for anything. Just leave me the fork alone!

Re: Spam calls on my cell phone.

mistyada — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 20:19:54 GMT

Put yourself in the federal do not call list. Some states have a state do not call list. My state does and when someone (or computer) calls that is soliciting I fill out a complaint to the state attorney general. That usually stops those calls.

Re: Spam calls on my cell phone.

2blonde — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 20:40:45 GMT

@151949 Yes, I have a Tracfone too! I've had the same cell number for a number of years, but since I got this Tracfone (my first smartphone), I've been getting those calls. For me, they usually come in mimicking my own area code......they probably want me to think it's someone I know. No dice.....luckily I don't use my phone for business, so when a call comes in that's not in my contacts, I refuse it.

I also never set up my voicemail on my cell phone, which stops them from leaving a message. My friends just text me if they have something to say. I even get those calls at work (we each have our own phone number there), and again, they use the same area code as my work number. I have to answer all calls when I'm there, so it's usually a recording trying to give me a free trip or something.

Re: Spam calls on my cell phone.

Phantom41 — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 21:03:40 GMT

@mistyada wrote:
Put yourself in the federal do not call list. Some states have a state do not call list. My state does and when someone (or computer) calls that is soliciting I fill out a complaint to the state attorney general. That usually stops those calls.

The do not call list is worthless! I still got them until I got rid of my home phone. I'm sure they'll find my cell number soon enough though!

Re: Spam calls on my cell phone.

Isobel Archer — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 21:10:53 GMT

I had a call the other day which left a voice mail that sounded like it could have been a wrong number - Linda (not my name), I need a ride tonight after all, can you pick me up at 7?

I suspect this is some form of scam. Anyone who listened to my recording would realize I'm not "Linda" and that they had the wrong number. I'm guessing had I called back to tell them they had the wrong number (as I might have done in the past) who knows who - or even where - I'd be calling and what charges could then ensue.

Re: Spam calls on my cell phone.

Moonchilde — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 21:16:47 GMT

@mistyada wrote:
Put yourself in the federal do not call list. Some states have a state do not call list. My state does and when someone (or computer) calls that is soliciting I fill out a complaint to the state attorney general. That usually stops those calls.

No, it doesn’t. Do Not Call for cell #s is wonky at best. In addition, most spam calls these days are spoofed, robo calls, or from outside the country. Nothing works on those calls.

Re: Spam calls on my cell phone.

2blonde — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 21:24:50 GMT

@Isobel Archer Good catch!

Re: Spam calls on my cell phone.

Moonchilde — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 21:27:21 GMT

I don’t pick up calls from unfamiliar area codes. Once the call has gone through and they have hung up, I do my best to check the # online to see if it’s been reported as spam. If it has, I just block the number. It doesn’t help a lot in the long run because robo-dialing changes the “from” number every day. I get calls from my old area code and neighborhood every other day. It’ll be (example) 555-645-1234 one day, I block it and the next time it’ll be 555-645-1235, the next time after that 1236, etc. It’s neverending. There’s very little anyone can do, honestly, except keep your phone turned OFF unless you’re using it or expecting a call. I never do that, but a lot of people who don’t use their phones much do it.

You’ll also get calls (and emails too) from “yourself”, or a call that appears to be local but isn’t. It’s just a fact of life now. It’s got nothing to do with the carrier or who sold you the phone, and there’s very little to be done except block the calls after the fact - and don’t pick up when you get a call unless you recognize the number.

Re: Spam calls on my cell phone.

Cats3000 — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 21:29:11 GMT

We get robo-calls on our cell phones that show our Area Code and a local 1st 3 digits of the phone number. When we answer, it's a robo-call and we just hang up. It IS annoying, but there's little you can do because the scammers have figured out a way to make the call look like it's a local call.

Re: Spam calls on my cell phone.

riley1 — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 21:32:14 GMT

Got rid of my landline and for awhile the calls stopped. Then, about a year or two ago, they started coming on my cell phone. I don't answer them, they never leave a message - then I block them.

Now, most of the calls come from my area code with my cell phone 3 digit exchange.

I agree with @Moonchilde, the Do Not Call registery is useless.

Re: Spam calls on my cell phone.

chickenbutt — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 21:40:58 GMT

Yeah, these entities have gone well beyond the capabilities of the do not call list, unfortunately.

I reported a call once and, in an effort to avoid a fine I assume, they told the DNC people that I had done business with one of their companies. In the email I got from DNC, it listed those companies. Not only had I never done business with any of them, I had never even heard of any of them!

So, the bad guy gets away without being fined or suffering any repercussion and I come out looking like the idiot.

I've been on the list with my landline and my cellphone number since the beginning. While it used to work pretty well, it's gotten to the point that the spammers are technologically superior. The numbers that show on your caller ID, as others have stated, are fake and they target you by making up numbers with the same area code and first three digits of your phone numbers.

The odd thing about that was that I figured it out quickly since I've had my same cell phone number since 1994 and the first three digits (after the zrea code) are digits that haven't been used in ages.

Re: Spam calls on my cell phone.

CelticCrafter — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 21:49:23 GMT

Even if it's within our area code and the first 3 digits are local to the surrounding areas, I still don't answer them.

If it's legit they will leave a message.

Re: Spam calls on my cell phone.

chickenbutt — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 21:57:45 GMT

CelticCrafter wrote:
Even if it's within our area code and the first 3 digits are local to the surrounding areas, I still don't answer them.

If it's legit they will leave a message.

ITA. On any of my phones I don't answer if I don't know the number. I cannot even imagine a reason to answer them.

On my landline phones I can just hit 'block' as it rings. I don't know why my cell phone doesn't have that. I have to stop the call and then go back in and choose 'block' from the choices. There should be a block button right there on the screen when it rings - well, I think there should be, anyway.

I don't even have voicemail set up on my landline. It is on my cell phone but since I have it on 'do not disturb' I don't have to worry about getting robocalls or other solicitation/phishing calls.

Re: Spam calls on my cell phone.

Moonchilde — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 22:28:42 GMT

@CelticCrafter wrote:
Even if it's within our area code and the first 3 digits are local to the surrounding areas, I still don't answer them.

If it's legit they will leave a message.

That’s generally my feeling about it. If someone truly wants to make contact with me for a legitimate purpose, they’ll either leave a voicemail or text msg. If they can’t be bothered, I can’t be bothered.

OTOH, I no longer feel 100% comfortable blocking a number automatically without trying to check it online, simply because offices trying to reach me for various legit purposes may have a fairly different area code, and I can’t remember the area codes of every company I do business with. Yes they should leave a message, but may not and just keep trying to call. I’d hate to block in that possibility without being sure it’s a spam call.

Re: Spam calls on my cell phone.

chickenbutt — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 22:39:24 GMT

Moonchilde wrote:
CelticCrafter wrote:
Even if it's within our area code and the first 3 digits are local to the surrounding areas, I still don't answer them.

If it's legit they will leave a message.

That’s generally my feeling about it. If someone truly wants to make contact with me for a legitimate purpose, they’ll either leave a voicemail or text msg. If they can’t be bothered, I can’t be bothered.

OTOH, I no longer feel 100% comfortable blocking a number automatically without trying to check it online, simply because offices trying to reach me for various legit purposes may have a fairly different area code, and I can’t remember the area codes of every company I do business with. Yes they should leave a message, but may not and just keep trying to call. I’d hate to block in that possibility without being sure it’s a spam call.

That's a good point, Moonchilde! Last Sunday I had a 'local' call come to my landline. There was an actual name on the caller ID and then the number. I thought 'well, I'm sure I don't know him and his last name looks made up'. So I blocked it.

Come to find out, it was somebody from my dentist's office calling to verify my appointment for Monday and she, assumably since it was Sunday, was working from home. Oops! I called on Monday morning to verify my appointment, in case there was a problem since I didn't get a verify call (or so I thought) and she said that she tried to call me the day before. That was how I found out what happened.

For the amount of call volume I have (it's so little that it's like one call in weeks or more, often), that's probably about one in a thousand. Usually, I am able to discern from whom the call originates and all goes well. But I guess you never know.

Re: Spam calls on my cell phone.

Moonchilde — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 22:43:25 GMT

@chickenbutt, that’s exactly why I don’t auto-block - services that verify and remind of doctor and dentist appointments. It’s a Thing they’re doing now. For example, two of my medical/dental “reminders” come from San Francisco area codes and I live 2+ hrs from SF.

Re: Spam calls on my cell phone.

chickenbutt — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 22:46:35 GMT

Moonchilde wrote:
@chickenbutt, that’s exactly why I don’t auto-block - services that verify and remind of doctor and dentist appointments. It’s a Thing they’re doing now. For example, two of my medical/dental “reminders” come from San Francisco area codes and I live 2+ hrs from SF.

I've heard about that sort of thing! I guess it makes sense. Fortunately, I only have the dentist appointment twice a year and, for now, the orthopaedic doc since I broke my arm. If I had a lot of appointments I'd be more concerned because it seems like a better idea for, especially busy, offices to have a service that does the robocall type thing for verifying appointments.

I live in a small city so, so far so good. Neither my dentist office or the orthopaedic clinic do this here - yet.

Re: Spam calls on my cell phone.

ceekay — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 22:48:26 GMT

My Tracfone number was assigned when I got my first Tracfone 7 or 8 years ago. So, when I see calls with the same area code and first 3 digits, I just assume they are spam since the chances of anyone I know having a Tracfone number assigned that long ago are between slim and none (and slim just died). I get at least a dozen calls like that a week, but all have differing last 4 digits. Annoying to say the least. Fortunately, I am not married to my cell phone and keep it on vibrate most of the time so I do not hear the spam calls.

Re: Spam calls on my cell phone.

depglass — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 22:53:40 GMT

I also have a Tracfone and I'm nothing but disgusted. I get spam calls constantly. Only 3 people have that number so I never answer it. And to top it off, the phone won't hold a charge, even when I leave it off. This was an LG, QVC's promo for last Xmas. That means Walmart or Verizon won't help me. #%&% them. I'm done, I don't carry the phone at all anymore.