Community Chat

[Jordan2]

I'm the OP and have been in contact with Spectrum since 9/11 trying to get this all figured out. Well I called last night and the rep rebooted my modem and I thought everything was good. Anyway didn't realize it last night,  but today all calls would ring for a split second and then stop, we weren't getting ANY CALLS!! I call up Spectrum and find out some genius put on the call forwarding (I never authorized it, and don't know where they were being forwarded to because I didn't give them another phone number). So now it seems like calls are getting through. Now my sister calls my mom everyday, she couldn't get through today. She would call and some guy with a Haitian accent picked up the phone, she called multiple times, happened everytime. She got her husband to call, same thing happened to him. She called Spectrum to find out what was going on, since she isn't authorized they couldn't tell her anything. She lives nearby and stopped off just now. Well she was frustrated (not worried although my mother is 90) and was yelling at me as if this whole thing is my fault! She left stated I should switch to Verizon!

[Annabellethecat66]

@Jordan2 You should go back and read my posts on this subject.

I have caller ID on my landline too.  I also have a phone that has the button to block any calls I want to.

It's amazing what these people (I think of them as snakes) do to get around blocking calls.

About a month or so ago I actually took a few minutes and went back (caller ID) and counted how many calls I received with the same area code and the first three numbers of my phone.  In other words their (whomever THEIR/THEY/IT are) managed to transpose those 4 numbers to make well over 30 calls (variations)).  

That way my phone answered it each time because I had not blocked those numbers.  That was just in a few days I'd received those 30 calls!

It's astounding how many robo calls I get (especially on my landline).

Unlike most people, I don't just complain, I send letters and emails to my Congressmen, Senators and the FCC.  It's a joke though, because nothing is done (the lobbyist gives them lots of money, they're in the lobbyist's pockets.

I've had the same landline number almost as long as my oldest daughter's age (over 40 years).  I've almost reached the point of getting rid of it.

The problem is that there are so many ID things attached to it.   You know, something as simple as getting discounts at the grocery store.....things like that.

I accidentally blocked my youngest daughter's phone and I haven't been able to figure out how to "unblock" her.  Not a big deal though because she just uses her cell phone, just the idea of it!  Frustrating.

I feel for you and your mom.  There isn't much any of us can do about it.  We can't even tell them to go to Hell anymore because it's a computer that is on the other  end.

I do know that  I will never do any business with any company that contacts me that way, never.

Take care and I'm so sorry your mom has to go through that.

Oh!  By the way, I just remembered something the Dr who operated on my knees told me.  He said his elderly father kept answering his phone and giving money to people who called and asked for it, he had to have the phone taken out and block his bank cards.

I guess this problem is everywhere.  With so many people suffering with this problem, you'd think someone would care enough to end it, but I don't think it's ever going to end because it's only getting worse!  

[patbz]

It's not just landlines, I have a Verizon cell phone and I average 15 calls a day with my CA area code,( I am actually living in AZ); I block most of them but they keep coming.  One actually showed up as coming from a former co-worker (16 yrs ago), it wasn't her, they hijacked her number.  On the rare occasion I actually answer one it's usually dead silence or occasionally a recording of a sales spiel.  I would love someway to stop this.

[Toppers3]

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@ShowMe wrote:

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@Jordan2 wrote:

My elderly mother had a landline phone she gets her phone service through Spectrum. I don't know what the heck is going on today, but she has gotten so many calls today that come up as just numbers, one came up illegal scam, and get this, her own name is coming up as calling herself ( which you can't do because you get a busy signal) on her called ID. I signed her up on the Do Not Call Registry. I called Spectrum twice today, they said they have been getting a lot of calls from their customers complaining about the same thing. The customer service rep put enhancements on the account, NOMOROBO, which I hope solves the problem as all these calls are very annoying.

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@Jordan2......I to am with Spectrum (Charter here in St. Louis area)....   Have also had calls come in where it was calling myself.  That is crazy.  I have been on the no call registry for a long time.  That doesn't stop them either.  Doubt the NOMOROBO will do any good.  They are way ahead of us.  I too have had a number of calls today.  I do have a landline, and I use the call block a lot.

I don't do facebook, so don't have to worry about that.

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Hi ShowMe,

We signed up with NoMoRobo, and it worked fine for awhile, and then it seemed to stop working, where it has been letting all kinds of different spam calls come through.

My husband purchased one of those call-blocker machines from the Q, and we just have to set it up.

We're tired of all of the spam and junk calls, too. We have been getting the, "You will be arrested and the police will be coming to your home" calls, "because you haven't paid on the back taxes that you owe-type" IRS robo calls. 

They can seem intimidating to someone who may not understand what is happening and that they're scam calls. 

They're pretty ridiculous if you get one on your answering machine and you play the message back and listen to it. 

[SydneyH]

This past week I've been getting a rash of them on my cell from the 201 area code, I only answered a couple because I have a block of cousins from that area.  Blocking them doesn't seem to help.

[Irshgrl31201]

When a telemarketer/sales person calls and the caller ID is YOUR number and your name on the caller ID, that is called SPOOFING. They can also use other number like your neighbors or even use the name of businesses, IRS, etc...  If you have the slightest concern that it isn't a legitimate phone call, hang up and look up the business they say they are representing. Chances are, they are spoofing. 

Caller ID spoofing is when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity. Spoofing is often used as part of an attempt to trick someone into giving away valuable personal information so it can be used in fraudulent activity or sold illegally, but also can be used legitimately, for example, to display the toll-free number for a business.

What is neighbor spoofing?

Robocallers use neighbor spoofing, which displays a phone number similar to your own on your caller ID, to increase the likelihood that you will answer the call.

Tips to avoid spoofing scams

You may not be able to tell right away if an incoming call is spoofed. Be extremely careful about responding to any request for personal identifying information.

• Don't answer calls from unknown numbers. If you answer such a call, hang up immediately.
• If you answer the phone and the caller - or a recording - asks you to hit a button to stop getting the calls, you should just hang up. Scammers often use this trick to identify potential targets.
• Do not respond to any questions, especially those that can be answered with "Yes" or "No."
• Never give out personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother's maiden names, passwords or other identifying information in response to unexpected calls or if you are at all suspicious.
• If you get an inquiry from someone who says they represent a company or a government agency, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement, in the phone book, or on the company's or government agency's website to verify the authenticity of the request.  You will usually get a written statement in the mail before you get a phone call from a legitimate source, particularly if the caller is asking for a payment.
• Use caution if you are being pressured for information immediately.
• If you have a voice mail account with your phone service, be sure to set a password for it. Some voicemail services are preset to allow access if you call in from your own phone number. A hacker could spoof your home phone number and gain access to your voice mail if you do not set a password.
• Talk to your phone company about call blocking tools they may have and check into apps that you can download to your mobile device to block unwanted calls. Information on available robocall blocking tools is available at fcc.gov/robocalls.

[Irshgrl31201]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

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@denisemb wrote:

We have CenturyLink and have the same problem.

Only thing that's come close to solving it was to purchase a phone with call block.  I say "comes close" because our Panasonic only blocks 250 numbers - Ithink we've had to reset it twice.

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@denisemb.  I have a Century Link landline.  Here's what they did for me:

I have a recording on my line put there by my phone company (CenturyLink).   When a caller dials my number he gets a recording that says,  "this number does not accept sales calls.   If this is a sales call,  hang up now and add this number to your DNC  list.   If it's not a sales call,  press 1" .  Only then does my phone ring.

I get maybe one ring from an unknown area code or sales person every two weeks.   It's practically eliminated a major annoyance.  I've never gotten the IRS call.

Call your phone company and see if they have anything that would help you.   If you answer all the calls you get,  you're asking for trouble

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  If you have Century Link here is the info so you can do it yourself.    No Solicitation

While technically the No Solicitation feature blocks calls, it's functions more like a screening service.

No Solicitation screens your calls from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm every day. An automatic message asks solicitors to hang up and tells regular callers to press 1 to complete the call. This feature relies on the honesty of the calling party to hang up if they're trying to solicit your business. In fact, anyone can press 1 and be connected to your home. If you're trying to block a harassing caller, this feature probably isn't the best choice.

You must order No Solicitation and have it added to your account in order to use it. When it's initially installed, it's turned OFF, so you need to turn it ON. For more information and specific instructions, you can download the No Solicitation user guide.

Security Screen

While technically Security Screen blocks calls, it's actually more of a screening service and requires callers share their phone number or be disconnected. People calling from blocked, unidentified, toll-free and long-distance numbers hear a message saying that you don't accept unidentified calls. Then, they are given the option to enter their 10-digit phone number or hang up.

To manage this feature, call 1-888-(your area code)-8052 and select Security Screen when prompted. Then, follow the recorded instructions. For more information and specific instructions, you can download the Security Screen user guide.

Most customers should call 888-(your area code)-8052 to make changes to these calling features. However, there are a few exceptions if you're located in:

• Minnesota and are calling from area codes 763 or 952, call 888-612-8052.
• Iowa and are calling from area code 641, call 888-515-8052.
• Arizona and are calling from area code 928, call 888-520-8052.
• Oregon and are calling from area code 971, call 888-503-8052.
• Oregon and are calling from area code 458, call 888-541-8052.

Caller ID with Privacy +

Caller ID with Privacy+ intercepts calls that don't contain Caller ID information. Callers can record their names, then you decide which calls to accept or reject. You should notice a reduction in the number of calls you receive, since most telemarketing callers will hang up without recording a name. To manage this feature, call 888-(your area code)-8052.

Select Privacy+ when prompted, and follow the recorded instructions. For more information and specific instructions, you can download the Caller ID with Privacy+ user guide.

Most customers should call 888-(your area code)-8052 to make changes to these calling features. However, there are a few exceptions if you're located in:

• Minnesota and are calling from area codes 763 or 952, call 888-612-8052.
• Iowa and are calling from area code 641, call 888-515-8052.
• Arizona and are calling from area code 928, call 888-520-8052.
• Oregon and are calling from area code 971, call 888-503-8052.
• Oregon and are calling from area code 458, call 888-541-8052.

I thought I would link CenturyLInks info here. There is a lot more ideas on this page for ways to block calls but I didn't want to put it all on here as it is quite long. If interested, you can find the rest here. https://www.centurylink.com/home/help/home-phone/calling-features/ways-to-block-unwanted-calls-from-...

[apple1964]

I have comcast and I have been getting some of those annoying calls also, just do not answer these calls and they will stop .

[RedTop]

I received the Hey Grandma call this morning; male voice said Hey Grandma twice, then asked if I knew who it was.   My response was “What the H*** do you want?”   He hung up.

So in the last 5 days I have received all of the most common scam calls.    

[Jordan2]

@Irshgrl31201, thanks for the information. I can't believe people would be so foolish to answer the phone that Caller ID identifies as you! My mother is 90, she knows enough not to answer the phone from names and numbers she doesn't know. I feel sorry for the elderly who may not know about all the scams these lowlifes run.