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Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,600
Registered: ‎03-21-2010

@catter70 wrote:

If it's a # I don't recognize, I don't answer the phone. If it's important, they'll leave a message, which they never do. I get a least 1 or 2 a day. I block that #, but they always have others they can call from.


The computer scrambles numbers around.  Often they'll start with your local area code.  Everything you block, more comes in.  They are also difficult to trace what IP address they are coming from. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,736
Registered: ‎02-19-2014

Re: Ghost calls

[ Edited ]

@songbird wrote:

All of these unwanted calls were on my land line.  I wanted to keep my phones separate.  Business calls on my land line, personal calls on my cell phone.  One reason I wanted to keep my land line.  This experience has made me rethink keeping a land line. I only know one other person who did this.  Get rid of her land line. Although I have no app that prevents unwanted calls on my cell phone, the problem never arose.  I very rarely get an unwanted call on my cell phone.  


You could get an additional cell phone with a number just for your business.

 

Edited to add: There is also the option of using Google Voice for a second number on a cell phone. I have one that I created for privacy reasons. I don't really use it though, because the phone doesn't ring when there is a call. You have to have the app open to see calls.

When you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.
"Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,788
Registered: ‎08-18-2016

  @songbird 

Testing phone numbers to see if they're active (answered by either human or voicemail), then selling those active numbers, has been going on for decades.

Sounds like your landline number has been sold and re-sold by now.

 

You don't get unwanted calls on your smartphone? Because the person who had that number before you didn't answer unknown callers, and so far you haven't either.

 

Remember when voicemail was new? It was a good thing, and far better than answering machines.

But outside of business, voicemail is no longer a plus.

 

I never set up my voicemail.

It only encourages these robocalls.

 

Doesn't your phone tell you as soon as you miss a call?

When you return a missed call don't they start by repeating everything they said in the voicemail?

So why go through the voicemail process?

 

For me it's wastes time, wastes calls, and indicates to robocallers that mine is an active phone number ready for sale.

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,111
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

When I get these calls on my land line, I immediately click to block the call. I don't give it a chance to get to my answering machine.  Usually, my caller ID shows a city and state out of my area and a phone number.  

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,195
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

For a good bit, we were not getting any, now all of a sudden, we are getting several of these every day.  The numbers and location come up on our t.v. and they are supposedly from all over the country.  We never answer, of course, but they are annoying.  

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." - Steve Martin
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,629
Registered: ‎03-20-2010

Re: Ghost calls

[ Edited ]

@Venezia wrote:

@Spurt - Thanks.  I'll look around to see if I can find something better to block these annoying calls.  We never answer them, but they always ring at the most inconvenient times.

 

LOL - I just recently bought a new car and was home after talking to the dealer (and while deciding about it) and my phone rang.  Didn't recognize the number so ignored it.  My DH said "You don't think it's the dealership, do you?"  I looked at the card the saleswoman had given me...YEP!  Calling to make sure I got the email she sent with the offer for my trade and the new car.  Smiley Happy


@Venezia 

 

😄 I can imagine the frustration of the car dealership...thats the thing about blocking numbers except for those on the contact list....  BUT these scammers are cagey and will spoof numbers that you know or spoof hospitals, doctor's offices etc etc....

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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,170
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Landline:  Get them all the time.  If I pick them up either 1. no one on the other end  2. someone tries to talk to me about some plan for just about anything you can think of.. roof, insurance, charity, etc.  If I do pick up and get a live person I pretend to be dog walker and say owner will come back in 6 months. 

 

Because I am expecting two important calls I am more likely to pick up.                     

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,394
Registered: ‎04-19-2010

I only receive calls from my contact list too. For awhile I was nervous that I'd miss medical calls, but all my medical providers have switched to text messaging because so many people have done this or they know folks won't answer calls with suspect or no caller ID. If I am expecting a call but not sure of their number, I'll reset my privacy to allow calls for a window of time. It's a shame we have to block calls on our own phones because of unscrupulous people. I have anywhere from 5 to 8 calls a day that are "silenced." It's nice to not be pestered with scams.