Community Chat

[ID2]

Easy solution...get a cell phone. As soon as I flag a number as spam, if they ever call again I never know because it goes straight to my spam. My phone learns the pattern of the scammers and will then block all other numbers they may use. 

[Spurt]

@Krimpette 

@dooBdoo  provided you some excellent possible answers to your current phone call situation.....Here's another possibility? 

Did you get any notice from your phone carrier?  A bill was passed in June of this year allowing phone carriers to block calls before it gets to you if these are known robocalls (it works kinda like nomorobo)......BUT your carrier has to notify you, and those that love love love these calls can also opt out....Verizon was supposed to be one of the first to pilot this plan....

This is from CNN Business---June 6, 2019....

The Federal Communications Commission voted on Thursday to give wireless carriers like Verizon the green light to block unwanted robocalls automatically for all customers. The move could curb a torrent of phone-based scams and unwelcome interruptions that have afflicted millions of consumers, said the FCC.

The vote clears the way for carriers to switch on robocall-blocking technologies for phone lines by default. The technology works by using algorithms and network scanning to identify unwanted calls, similar to how email providers scan for spam messages.

Carriers that switch on such technologies will be required to let customers opt out of the programs if they wish to continue receiving all calls.

[Krimpette]

@Spurt I don't recall getting any notice from Verizon.  But I'm not very good about reading the enclosures that come with my bill.  I'll have to pay more attention, or maybe I already missed such a notice.

[Spurt]

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@ID2 wrote:

Easy solution...get a cell phone. As soon as I flag a number as spam, if they ever call again I never know because it goes straight to my spam. My phone learns the pattern of the scammers and will then block all other numbers they may use. 

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@ID2 

What kind of a cell phone do you have? Android or iPhone.?.....I have an Android that has been getting spam  calls and even with a call blocker they get through, probably because they are spoofing the number they are actually calling from ....so its not blocked.  But some with iPhones seem to have better luck with blocked calls not getting through....

[Krimpette]

@ID2  I have a cell phone, but I'm not willing to give up my land line.

[Spurt]

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@dooBdoo wrote:

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@shaggygirl wrote:

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@ALRATIBA wrote:

I don't answer my cell phone or landline unless I know the caller.  Most of my friends are the same way, and we know to leave a voice mail, message each other or email.  

If I scroll through the caller numbers ... from all over the country.  No one leaves a message.  

On the cell ... a bunch of us around here have been getting calls and they leave a very brief (15 second) voice mail in what sounds like Chinese.

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@ALRATIBA 

I just made mention of getting one of those Chinese or Japanese voicemails on my cell phone yesterday.

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                @ALRATIBA and @shaggygirl, This might be the culprit (copy and paste link or search for the NPR article title):

"Chinese Robocalls Bombarding The U.S. Are Part Of An International Phone Scam"

npr.org/2018/05/10/609117134/chinese-robocalls-bombarding-the-u-s-are-part-of-an-international-phone-scam

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@dooBdoo 

Well that explains the voice mails in Chinese left on my cell phone...but the problem is they are wasting their time since I dont speak Chinese and have no way of knowing what was said, I just delete 'em.....

There was talk that carriers are working on something where a person receiving an international call would have to enter a special code in order for an international call to be able to get through to them...that way the scammers would be blocked...I wish they'd hurry up with that!

[Krimpette]

@Spurt @dooBdoo :  I haven't received any from foreign countries in the scenario I described.  They all speak English (one with an accent), but seem to purposely speak in such a way that you can't understand them.....until they clearly tell you the 877 number to call!

[bonnielu]

I think I might have gotten rid of one of the scammers.  I picked up the landline phone and the gent on the other end asked for GERRARD which is not exactly my husbands name.  So hurriedly I said HE IS GONE,not even thinking.  I am still laughing about this one.  His reply was"  I am so sorry, I will take him off the list."  Apparently I killed him off and he was deceased or that is what he read into my comment.  Iiterally laughed for hours.  Same guy who kept calling in the past.  I recognize voices.  I iimagine that is the last of himm.  

[Spurt]

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@Krimpette wrote:

@Spurt @dooBdoo :  I haven't received any from foreign countries in the scenario I described.  They all speak English (one with an accent), but seem to purposely speak in such a way that you can't understand them.....until they clearly tell you the 877 number to call!

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@Krimpette 

I dont answer my phone either cell or landline and let my voice mail or answering machine screen the calls...And I have noticed a sudden increase in these calls lately...😡

I have received a recording that sounds very much like a real call it was a student loan scam and the call back number was 877....I dont have any student loans and reported it.....

I have also received a recording where they did a sloppy job and cut off the first couple of sentences where the guy is talking about my vehicle registration expiring......they ask you to hold for a rep or press number to call back...I just delete and block the number....

[SoX]

I've been getting "Out of Area" calls ... with no number.   One reminds me of "your student loan debt" ... they're going to come and get me.     Others don't say anything.

I've also been getting the Chinese calls ... no idea what they saying.