Community Chat

[dooBdoo]

---

Tinkrbl44 wrote:

Has anyone else gotten any scam texts?   

I've gotten a few of them .... you can ignore a call you don't recognize .... but you can't "ignore" or block a nuisance text!

---

          @Tinkrbl44,  Yes, you can block them (depending on what type of phone you use).

          I've received only a few (maybe 2 or 3 a year) on my iPhone and iPad.    If it's an iMessage, I report it to Apple and to my provider, AT&T.    If it's just a text SMS/MMS message, I report it to AT&T.   Then I block the sender.    I'm guessing other providers have similar mechanisms.    Here's info for Apple and AT&T:

Block phone numbers and contacts or filter messages on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch

link:

  https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201229

AT&T: Report spam text messages

link:

  https://www.att.com/esupport/article.html#!/wireless/KM1009046

[dooBdoo]

---

@handygal2 wrote:

---

@Sister Golden Hair wrote:

@handygal2 I got a call the other day with the lady saying that she was from Medicare.

My caller ID came up with a town about 30 miles from where we live.

I ask her where she was from and she paused and said Florida.

She was asking all kind of questions and ask why I wouldn't tell her anything.

I told her that Medicare doesn't call and they already have everyone's information.

So yes, people are out there trying to trick us and scare us.

---

@Sister Golden Hair: I get so many scam calls on my landline (and even some on my cellphone), that l stopped answering any call where l don't recognize the caller ID. They usually hang up and don't leave a message. It's a shame that there are people who are trusting, or elderly, and do get scammed.

---

          @nursejulia, @Sister Golden Hair and @handygal2,  It really is best not to answer if you don't recognize the caller ID info.    Most of these calls are computers scrolling mindlessly through random numbers, so they don't even know if anyone uses the number.    When we answer, that tells them they found a "live" phone number and then it will be added to a list, shared and even sold for future calls.

[dooBdoo]

---

@Deanie wrote:

@dooBdoo  Thanks.

---

You're welcome, @Deanie!

[Sister Golden Hair]

@dooBdoo Yes, thank-you for that information.

[Montana]

---

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

Has anyone else gotten any scam texts?   

I've gotten a few of them .... you can ignore a call you don't recognize .... but you can't "ignore" or block a nuisance text!

If I get too many scam texts or voicemails, I change my cell number.  T-Mobile allows this - I think it is every 90 days.

I have changed my number twice.   The first time, someone was text-stalking me.  When I got a text at 7:30AM, I knew I had to do something.  The second change was because of strange voicemails about a lost dog.  This guy kept leaving messages saying he knew I would want my dog back. I do not have any pets.

[fortune]

---

@LonestarBabs wrote:

One day I saw on Caller ID that I was calling myself. So, I blocked me and a lot of the calls from other numbers stopped after that. Somehow they were linking to my home number that wasn't being blocked, and getting through.

---

@LonestarBabs  Maybe it was the Boogie Man calling you from somewhere in your house!!!

[Spurt]

---

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

Has anyone else gotten any scam texts?   

I've gotten a few of them .... you can ignore a call you don't recognize .... but you can't "ignore" or block a nuisance text!

---

@Tinkrbl44

Yep I got scam text on my smartphone claiming to be from my credit card company, saying my card had been suspended and I needed to call them at a specific number to reactivate my account.  Knowing this had to be a scam I did not call the number they gave me but called the number on the back of my credit card and advised them of the message, they confirmed my card had not been suspended and comfirmed the message was a scam.  The woman with the fraud dept said you can tell its a scam because they won't mention your name everything is generalized and never go to a website or click a link if they provide it in their message. 

[Spurt]

On the IRS calls I reported it to the FTC and to

https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/contact_report_scam.shtml

Interesting enough the IRS calls stopped....at least for the IRS but not other robo or scam calls I don't answer those .......I block numbers but they seem to just get other ones....

[Financialgrl]

Regarding the IRS, I used to prepare taxes and they never used to call you.  However, about a year or two ago they have begun to do so - but they only alert you to an issue.  On the IRS website it says the IRS may contact you by phone to let you know of an issue but they will NEVER ask for any personal details and they certainly will never threaten you wth a lawsuit.  

They suggest that you hang up, go to the IRS.gov website and call the 1-800 number on that site and ask if it's a real call and proceed from there. 

Spoiler

[violann]

Curious as to why you all answer your phones? We have caller ID and unless a caller is idenified, we NEVER answer, assuming that IF it is a legitimate call, a message will be left.

I have read MANY times that when a robocall is answered, the number being called is identified as being a live one. I don't want to be on THAT list.

NOMOROBO isn't available in our area, and the naional No Call list has no way to block robocalls.