Community Chat

[gonnab]

Can you believe? It is 11:00 am on July 4th - a holiday, and I just received a robo-call!! Got another one earlier this morning - a little after 8:00 am. It's a holiday, for heavens sake! I never pick up these calls if I don't recognize the number on CID and I am on a no-call list, to boot! This is just plain annoying!!

[Still Raining]

More than annoying - that no call list is a joke.

[snappyfrappy]

Why do those people call but not say anything when I answer? We got a gadget that blocks numbers. It only holds 80, and got full, so we emptied it and are starting over. We always let the answering machine pick up and most of the time whoever is calling hangs up.

[Clover29]

We used to get calls like that all the time; I never picked up because I wasn't expecting anyone to call, and whoever was calling never left a message which is a sure sign they're someone I don't want to talk to.

Then we moved house two months ago, got a new number, and haven't had a single "bad" call so far. Every call has been someone I actually knew and wanted to speak to.

I don't know how long that lasts, but I'm enjoying the honeymoon period for now.

[toodles11]

What gadget blocks numbers? Sure would like one.

[gloriajean]

I would also like to know how to block those numbers.

[Q-Anu]

I don't know about a gadget - some phone companies will let you block numbers through your online account, but my Panasonic landline phone lets me block up to 30. Of course they keep changing their numbers, so I'm always erasing them to make room for more. When a number is blocked, it will only ring once and display "caller blocked". Nice during dinner!

Snappy, those silent robo calls are searching for active numbers. If you pick up, they have you and your number is sold far and wide. I screen all calls from numbers I don't recognize. If they get your cell phone number, they can cost you money by leaving long VMs or texts if you don't have an unlimited plan. I never got all the political calls until I joined the Do Not Call list. They leave loooong messages.

[AnikaBrodie]

I get those calls too. I don't answer if a call is outside my area code unless I am expecting one from a friend/relative (I would recognize the number) and those calls are so annoying. They never say anything and never leave a message. How do you get rid of them???

I've done reverse call ID but all they say is it's a probable scam. Don't answer. I already know that!

[Q-Anu]

Those silent ones that don't display a number in Caller ID.... it just reads "out of area" - you can't block them! At least I can't with my phone. Possibly through the phone company. All I can do is refuse to answer their harassment. I hope better laws are made soon so that all callers must show up on Caller ID. No, they don't leave a message because they are just searching for active numbers to SELL.

[dooBdoo]

First of all, the Do Not Call Registry does work to a very limited extent. It does keep those ethical businesses from calling, but political calls, charities, etc., are exempt. And unethical callers will ignore anything put in place to protect us.

It's best not to answer calls if you don't recognize the caller ID. If you answer, they know they've found a "live" number and you'll likely get more calls as a result (your number goes on a list and sometimes it's sold to other unscrupulous callers).

Remember, many robocalls don't know your number at first -- it's a computer that scrolls through phone numbers chronologically, hoping to find someone who will answer.

There's a great company called Nomorobo that answered and won the FCC's challenge last year. Their service is free, and you can find a number of articles about them. They don't offer it everywhere just yet, but on their website you can fill in your provider and location and see if you can sign up:

Nomorobo

(link goes to: https://www.nomorobo.com/)

Here's just one article explaining the problem and some solutions:

Screen unwanted calls without one-at-a-time blocking

The free Nomorobo service and AT&T's Privacy Manager help reduce the number of nuisance calls that aren't blocked by the Do Not Call registry. Cnet.com, 4/17/14:

(link: http://www.cnet.com/how-to/screen-unwanted-calls-without-one-at-a-time-blocking/)