Community Chat

[Financialgrl]

Problem is with the block..they change the variation of the number..for instance the IRS one.. and they area code was the one for our State Capital LOL...the numbers would end in 0008 0007 0006...

St. Judes had different numbers too..they all started off with the Area Code 901.

Re: St Judes numbers - wondering if those are from those fundraising phone banks. They make calls on behalf of a charity and get a percentage of what they collect. Today I got a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society which appears to be one of these. Its one of the charities I often give, but I usually go online, to their website and send a contribution to that specific address. I'd look up area code 901 also - for some reason I think its either a cellphone number but doesn't sound like one for a specific state.

[croemer]

On 12/18/2014 Kachina624 said: There has been so much publicity about these calls, I'm surprised anyone would even mention them.

And you bothered to open this to what(?) snark?

[croemer]

On 12/19/2014 Financialgrl said:

Regarding my post above - many times I am out, I get a call on my cell from a number I don't know and I don't answer. As soon as it stops ringing, I check to see if there is a voice message and if not, I google. Just entering the number into the google bar all kinds of sites come up where people have answered and what the calls are. More times than not, they are fundraising places that are calling on behalf of a charity or a scam, and I don't return either.

Guess I'm wondering - do people answer all calls at home or cell without checking to see who it is?? Growing up before the days of caller ID, parents always said if it's important they'll call back or leave a message since answering machines have been around much longer.

Hi...this is just what I did... and found out my first thoughts were correct...a scam.

[croemer]

On 12/19/2014 qvcaddition said: I got the computer one, hung up.

Maybe I should but the site I found had many posters saying they had reported the calls.

[croemer]

On 12/19/2014 Peachysue said:

I still answer the calls and have my way with them. I love telling them they've called the Sheriff's office, phone goes quiet fast and they don't call back....

You guys are so smart...I let it ring...and they keep calling back...over and over. UGH

[croemer]

On 12/19/2014 scotttie said:

I challenged one of those guys once. I told him he was nothing but a scam artist and I wasn't that dumb. He called me a ""MF"" and hung up on me.

Well...how nice.

[croemer]

On 12/19/2014 brii said:

I google the number. Once I see that it's a scam, I block it. Simple fix...

Hi brii...how do you block these calls?

[croemer]

On 12/19/2014 dooBdoo said:

On 12/19/2014 Topaz Gem said:

I love it when people give these scammers a hard time. I raise my glass to all of you! I have yet to get one of these calls, but I am ready if and when I do.

Hi, Topaz Gem! The problem with talking to the con artists: they usually use computerized robo-calling scrolling through random numbers in numeric sequence.

So, at first they don't know your name or number, or if the number is even an active one. Once you answer, however, it marks the number as a "live" one and goes on a list to be re-used, shared, sometimes even sold.

In the class at our hospitals about cyber security, they say that making the caller angry probably assures you'll have a place on even more unsavory call lists. But, of course, that's everyone's choice if they don't mind getting more calls.

Now this I believe!

[SStar]

That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard. I would say, No, you're being sued for calling me. lol

[boby]

As many of the previous posters have pointed out, an answering machine with caller ID solves a lot of this garbage. Just don't pick up if you don't know who it is.

Should you accidentally pick up anyway, I find that telling these clowns to meet you at the DA's office and you'll turn yourself in usually gets THEM to hang up pretty quickly.

Unfortunately, a lot of these calls are made from boiler rooms in Africa and the Middle East, so all the Don't Call lists and blocking mechanisms in the world won't help, because they're outside the jurisdiction of Federal authorities.