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Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,580
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Phone Scam From Montana Going On. Don't Answer...

On 11/4/2014 dooBdoo said:
On 11/4/2014 JustJazzmom said:

I installed nomorobo onto our landline. Here is the website which explains how it works and you go their website give them your e mail and look up your service provider. They look up your provider to see if their program is compatible with your system and they will send you an e mail (the one you provided to them) so they can walk you through how to activate it.

https://www.nomorobo.com/signup

The program works like this: the first ring is sending it through their system, if its a legitimate caller-- it will send it on to your phone for subsequent rings. Nomorobo will not block physicians, pharmacy or school phones (mass dialers for school closings for example). It can also block political calls. Sometimes a robocall or live telemarketer gets through and you will have to log in and report it.

Its nice to sit at the dinner table and be undisturbed by the constant ringing of the phone.

{#emotions_dlg.thumbup1}I've been championing Nomorobo for months. It's not available where I live but I keep bugging my provider about it. Everyone I know who has signed up has been extremely pleased with the results.

(For those who find it's not available, the website tells you how to request it from your service provider.)

It supposedly available where I live but my landline is through TimeWarner and I can't get signed up because some of the TABS that I'm supposed to click aren't there.

In order to sign up, there are instructions that you need to follow under Manage My Accounts on TWC. One of the Tabs you are to click to enable this feature doesn't show up when I go to the page.

I was on a Live Chat for over 30 minutes with TWC, I tried 2 different browsers, I deleted my cookies, etc. and the TAB doesn't show up for me. I tried it on my cell phone and the TAB I need doesn't appear.

I'm at a loss as to what to do. TWC isn't known for their great brains in the CS department and their website is deplorable. They should be embarrassed at how slow it is.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 31,134
Registered: ‎05-10-2010

Re: Phone Scam From Montana Going On. Don't Answer...

What's so scary about it? There are a gazillion scammers out there, especially at this time of year. If you have half a brain, you can detect a scam pretty quickly. So, you hang up and go about your business. It isn't that hard....

Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,580
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Phone Scam From Montana Going On. Don't Answer...

On 11/5/2014 chrystaltree said:

What's so scary about it? There are a gazillion scammers out there, especially at this time of year. If you have half a brain, you can detect a scam pretty quickly. So, you hang up and go about your business. It isn't that hard....

The problem is that a lot of elderly people get roped in because they don't know and they get scared.

When I got the call from the "IRS" they told me that in a matter of hours, everything I owned was going to be taken to pay my debt, including freezing my bank accounts. I laughed and hung up.

But imagine an elderly person on a fixed income getting this call and thinking they'd have no money unless they pay this fake debt.

Super Contributor
Posts: 478
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Phone Scam From Montana Going On. Don't Answer...

I'm really close to cancelling my landline and just going by cell phone. I'm so very tired of the political calls, the scammers, the charities etc calling day and night.

One would think the phone companies/long distance carriers would get involved on stopping these types of calls.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,187
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: Phone Scam From Montana Going On. Don't Answer...

I never answer a call from someone I don't know or is in response to one I've initiated. I've also gotten the IRS call a few times. The accents of the men calling is so strong you can't understand them. I knew the IRS does not call people and they send notices and you are given a chance to appeal. I remember thinking that even if the IRS did call, if they are looking for money, surely they'd use people speaking English enough to understand.

I presently get a lot of recorded calls from a company telling me I am eligible for a "free" medical alert pendant - based on a medical recommendation from one of my healthcare professionals and its free b/c Medicare is paying for this. This is an easy one - I'm not yet 65 and don't have Medicare and no doctor of mine has ever recommended this, and wouldn't unless I was working with them. I also guessed the real deal is the pendant is free but then they need you to sign up for the monitoring company for it and once they have your credit card info, you receive a lot of fraudulent charges.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,588
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Phone Scam From Montana Going On. Don't Answer...

I never answer either cell or landline unless I know who is calling. I recently started getting landline voicemails from a debt collection agency. I have no debts in collection so I know it is not legit.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,102
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Phone Scam From Montana Going On. Don't Answer...

If there is no name on my phone screen.....I do not answer...however....my phone has been acting strange...not always showing the name ...don't know why....so I told my family to just say a few words and I will pick up..

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,823
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Phone Scam From Montana Going On. Don't Answer...

I got the IRS call about 3 weeks ago, I told the guy (heavy, odd accent) to send me a letter on official IRS letterhead paper in the mail, which is the only way the IRS would contact you anyway. I told him we always file our forms, properly, on time, and there is NO WAY we owe the IRS $6200 like he said. He hung up.

Oh, and by the way, I forgot to mention, the caller ID said "Washington, DC" so they can manipulate the phone numbers and their caller ID. Be careful!!

I googled it and was surprised to read that hundreds had indeed sent money!!