Ring tone for telemarketers?

[krauster]

I get 5-10 telemarketer calls a day. I've tried using Hiya and Truecaller and a few other apps, and they never work to stop hearing the incoming ringtone. - those tries of the apps were on my previous phone, Note4, but I don't think that should make a difference.

For about 10 friends I've assigned custom ringtones. But I have a lot more Contacts than that. Is there a setting that would allow me to assign a custom ringtone to all the rest of the people in my contacts list and then have a different default ringtone for the unknown phone numbers not in my Contacts list? That would identify all the telemarketers and once in awhile someone new I want to talk to might end up in the category but that would be alot less often and worth it.

 

[Rukbat]

No, you'd have to assign a ringtone other than the default to all the "non-friends" in Contacts. There's no "everyone without a special ringtone" setting in Contacts (although that's a good idea - go to Settings, search for feedback and suggest it).

 

[drano]

Open your Call app, settings, caller ID & spam. Works awesomely for me

 

[anon(10274434)]

Works great for me, a much appreciated feature.

 

[krauster]

Okay. I made the change. One of the two settings, Caller ID & spam or Filter spam calls was set to off. Can't remember which now, but having set them both to ON it does seem to be somewhat effective. In the last 48 hours since doing that I've gotten much less spam call, although still getting some. Thx

 

[Almeuit]

Hopefully it helps. Spammers are definitely super annoying.

 

[anon(10274434)]

Okay. I made the change. One of the two settings, Caller ID & spam or Filter spam calls was set to off. Can't remember which now, but having set them both to ON it does seem to be somewhat effective. In the last 48 hours since doing that I've gotten much less spam call, although still getting some. Thx

I always block numbers that get through if they don't leave a message. You can Google the number and lots of time it will tell you if it is spam or not.
It may take a little while to really reduce the calls, I now get maybe 3 a week.

 

[foxbat121]

The recent trend for spammers is randomly generated local numbers as call ids. If you are lucky, you can see your own numbers calling you! All those traditional ways to filter spams won't work because of this. The only real solution is from your carrier which knows exactly where those calls come from. I'd give pops to T-Mobile which did a great job filter them out when I used it briefly (when I Port my number to Google Voice)

 

[krauster]

The recent trend for spammers is randomly generated local numbers as call ids. If you are lucky, you can see your own numbers calling you! All those traditional ways to filter spams won't work because of this. The only real solution is from your carrier which knows exactly where those calls come from. I'd give pops to T-Mobile which did a great job filter them out when I used it briefly (when I Port my number to Google Voice)

I thought the setting change was working but I am still getting 5-10 spam calls a day. yes. The carrier should be filtering them as it seems it would be trivial for them to see the pattern of calling.

Next question: the phone rings - I don't recognize the number and see the option to screen the call and select that - then I see text of my phone stating the call is being screened and below that message an option to report it as spam. But when the caller hangs up the option goes away before I can even do the reporting. And as you mention even reporting that number probably won't work because they are picking from a huge essentially limitless group of numbers. They just use a different number next time. Question though is why does the report option go away when the call drops. It is has any utility you'd think they would leave it on the screen long enough to use it.

 

[anon(10274434)]

I thought the setting change was working but I am still getting 5-10 spam calls a day. yes. The carrier should be filtering them as it seems it would be trivial for them to see the pattern of calling.

Next question: the phone rings - I don't recognize the number and see the option to screen the call and select that - then I see text of my phone stating the call is being screened and below that message an option to report it as spam. But when the caller hangs up the option goes away before I can even do the reporting. And as you mention even reporting that number probably won't work because they are picking from a huge essentially limitless group of numbers. They just use a different number next time. Question though is why does the report option go away when the call drops. It is has any utility you'd think they would leave it on the screen long enough to use it.

After the call ends, did you try going to RECENT to see if the number is still there? This is how I've block numbers. Any number that doesn't leave a Voice Mail gets blocked on my phone.

 

[SteelGator]

After the call ends, did you try going to RECENT to see if the number is still there? This is how I've block numbers. Any number that doesn't leave a Voice Mail gets blocked on my phone.

Yup, and call screen is a great way to get there as well.

 

[anon(10274434)]

Yup, and call screen is a great way to get there as well.

I've used the call screen option a few times, mostly I look at the number and if I don't recognize it and no voice message is left, I block it. I am a big fan of blocking numbers.

 

[SteelGator]

I've used the call screen option a few times, mostly I look at the number and if I don't recognize it and no voice message is left, I block it. I am a big fan of blocking numbers.

agreed. I like to hit call screen when i can, hoping to send a message to them (overly optimistic, i know). in my use, call screen gives a faster way to get to 'block'.

 

[foxbat121]

I've used the call screen option a few times, mostly I look at the number and if I don't recognize it and no voice message is left, I block it. I am a big fan of blocking numbers.

With randomly generated numbers, good luck with that. You probably blocked your dealer from calling you to pick you car up. Or your future wife/girl friend before you even meet them Remember the number shows up is not the number of the telemarketer and you will definitely see a different number next time they call you. I already had two angry callers called me up complaining why I called them for no reason. Both are lady, who just like my wife, that would like to return any unanswered calls regardless.

 

[anon(10274434)]

With randomly generated numbers, good luck with that. You probably blocked your dealer from calling you to pick you car up.

Or your future wife/girl friend before you even meet them

Remember the number shows up is not the number of the telemarketer and you will definitely see a different number next time they call you. I already had two angry callers called me up complaining why I called them for no reason. Both are lady, who just like my wife, that would like to return any unanswered calls regardless.

Thank you for reinforcing my point -


If people are not going to leave a message, I don't want to talk to them anyway. My phone, my call, pun in tended. The term "future wife" is one that is not allowed in my home - never - ever - no way.

 

[foxbat121]

I don't think you get it. If the telemarketer used someone else's number to call you and you blocked it. What happens down the road the person that owns that real number becomes your friend or whatever? they can never reach you.

In the mean time the same telemarketer can easily call you on tens of thousands of different fake numbers to make sure you can never block them. This is a game you can never win.

 

[hellosailor]

For now, sadly, all you can do is enable Do not Disturb all the time, and exempt all numbers in your contact list. Yes, you will miss some calls but you can push voicemails to your phone on a special email account if need be, so you fet the message right away.
Also important to PLAGUE the FCC's DNC page. The sheer volume of complaints they get is why the telecomms are now finally talking about caller verification--before it gets mandated on them.
Using tmob, and hiya, and everything else won't stop them. Ignoring non-contacts, and pushing for new laws, is sadly the only way forward.
I used to have a voicemail card in my computer, obsoleted by WindowsNT, and a box on my landline. Either one could say "enter the extension" or "enter my dogs name" whatever you please, and disconnect all the callers who couldn't respond. Phones have gotten much dumber in the last 20 years. There's no app that matches this, afaik.