Spam Call Handling

[aggie]

Re: Had a spam call and...

Yep. Neighbor spoofing. So freaking annoying. I was receiving around 10 of these calls a day. Downloaded Hiya on my XS Max and Note 9 and it cut them down to maybe 1 or 2 every couple days getting through. However, on my Pixel 3 XL I have not installed Hiya and I might have 1 every 3-4 days get through. Either the spoofing has coincidentally slowed down since I bought the P3XL or this device is working on the front end to automatically block these types of calls.

 

[vzwuser76]

Re: Had a spam call and...

Same situation with me, first 6 digits same as mine, last four different. Never answer these calls, must have 2 dozen on my blocked list. I love the blocked list.

See the thing is, in some/many cases, you're not actually blocking the spam callers, just regular people who's phone numbers the spam callers are appropriating for their own uses.

It's similar to an issue I had awhile back. We were getting scam calls saying we'd won $3 million and a new Mercedes through Publisher's Clearinghouse. The calls came up from phone numbers in Kingston Jamaica. We kinda strung them along on the first call, and they kept calling us back for about a month in total, and averaging about 5-10 calls a week. Towards the end the started threatening to kill my wife and kids (I'm single, no lids btw) so I contacted my phone company (these happened on our landline). I wanted to block all international calls, bit they informed me that wasn't possible (what if someone legitimately called me internationally?). Stupid I know, since I'm the one paying for their service, not the person calling. Anyways, I could block individual numbers, but the problem was, the scam callers used a VoIP system and had almost unlimited numbers to choose from, and I had aax of 30 numbers I could block. They finally gave up so I didn't have to pursue the matter further.

But I think in this case that they're cloning/spoofing numbers, some inactive, but some are also active. So if you do block one of these numbers, you're only taking one number off the table out of millions available to them.

 

[vzwuser76]

Re: Had a spam call and...

When I do get spam calls ,more and more have the same area code and then next 3 digits as my number .I dont usually answer those I do wait and see if they leave a VM tho, if they dont fiqure its spam

The problem fore is that I'm on Verizon, and I'd almost rather deal with spam callers than Verizon's voicail system. Starting a few years ago, they started to list all information about the voicemail before letting you hear it (when it was sent, who sent it, and the duration of the VM). It's painfully slow, and anymore I tell people to just text me rather than leave a VM. But those who don't know me personally, and are maybe calling me in regards to my previous employment (I was an electronics installer and support tech for schools, hospitals, jails, etc) wouldn't know that. That's why I like the call screening feature more than the blocking feature.

 

[anon(10274434)]

Re: Had a spam call and...

See the thing is, in some/many cases, you're not actually blocking the spam callers, just regular people who's phone numbers the spam callers are appropriating for their own uses.

It's similar to an issue I had awhile back. We were getting scam calls saying we'd won $3 million and a new Mercedes through Publisher's Clearinghouse. The calls came up from phone numbers in Kingston Jamaica. We kinda strung them along on the first call, and they kept calling us back for about a month in total, and averaging about 5-10 calls a week. Towards the end the started threatening to kill my wife and kids (I'm single, no lids btw) so I contacted my phone company (these happened on our landline). I wanted to block all international calls, bit they informed me that wasn't possible (what if someone legitimately called me internationally?). Stupid I know, since I'm the one paying for their service, not the person calling. Anyways, I could block individual numbers, but the problem was, the scam callers used a VoIP system and had almost unlimited numbers to choose from, and I had aax of 30 numbers I could block. They finally gave up so I didn't have to pursue the matter further.

But I think in this case that they're cloning/spoofing numbers, some inactive, but some are also active. So if you do block one of these numbers, you're only taking one number off the table out of millions available to them.

There is no simple/sure answer to the spam caller situation. I am comfortable blocking a number that doesn't leave a message, my call. I switched my fi account today, so I have no "blocked" history and may use the new call screening option to see how that works.

 

[Mike Dee]

Re: Had a spam call and...

The problem fore is that I'm on Verizon, and I'd almost rather deal with spam callers than Verizon's voicail system. Starting a few years ago, they started to list all information about the voicemail before letting you hear it (when it was sent, who sent it, and the duration of the VM). It's painfully slow, and anymore I tell people to just text me rather than leave a VM. But those who don't know me personally, and are maybe calling me in regards to my previous employment (I was an electronics installer and support tech for schools, hospitals, jails, etc) wouldn't know that. That's why I like the call screening feature more than the blocking feature.

I'm not having that problem on Verizon using the built-in Google voice mail app

 

[Almeuit]

Re: Had a spam call and...

The problem fore is that I'm on Verizon, and I'd almost rather deal with spam callers than Verizon's voicail system. Starting a few years ago, they started to list all information about the voicemail before letting you hear it (when it was sent, who sent it, and the duration of the VM).

Maybe if you call in but Visual Voicemail has been around for a long while now and doesn't do that at all. You simply tap and listen.

 

[vzwuser76]

Re: Had a spam call and...

Maybe if you call in but Visual Voicemail has been around for a long while now and doesn't do that at all. You simply tap and listen.

Last time I looked at visual voicemail, the only option was the $2.99 per month option. But thanks for the suggestion, I just enrolled and will try it out.

 

[vzwuser76]

Re: Had a spam call and...

There is no simple/sure answer to the spam caller situation. I am comfortable blocking a number that doesn't leave a message, my call. I switched my fi account today, so I have no "blocked" history and may use the new call screening option to see how that works.

Oh I know, everyone has to make the best decision for their own situation. I was only pointing out, in my experience, that they're not using dead numbers, but active ones, as they've apparently used mine to call others based on the returned calls I've gotten asking why I called them when there's no record of it in my call history. So if they can use someone else's active number, if they're blocked they'll simply move onto another number. It's like trying to hold back a flood with a blanket.

I have noticed that since I started using the call screening feature that I've seen it make a difference. At first they didn't hang up until they reached the end of the message. After a few days they started hanging up in the middle of the message. So far it's been 2 days and I haven't gotten a spam call, when I would usually get at least a couple a day. I'd definitely give call screening a try.

 

[klau25]

Re: Had a spam call and...

Last time I looked at visual voicemail, the only option was the $2.99 per month option. But thanks for the suggestion, I just enrolled and will try it out.

You can't use the built-in vm app that comes with visual vm? Its free. Tmobile charges the same price but no need to subscribe since it's built into our phones.

 

[vzwuser76]

Re: Had a spam call and...

You can't use the built-in vm app that comes with visual vm? Its free. Tmobile charges the same price but no need to subscribe since it's built into our phones.

That's only if you have visual voicemail enabled, which I hadn't until yesterday. Like I said, the last time I looked at visual voicemail, there was only the paid option, and I didn't feel it was necessary for me. I plan to try the free version next time I get a voicemail.

 

[klau25]

Re: Had a spam call and...

That's only if you have visual voicemail enabled, which I hadn't until yesterday. Like I said, the last time I looked at visual voicemail, there was only the paid option, and I didn't feel it was necessary for me. I plan to try the free version next time I get a voicemail.

I see. I think you will like it. It's super useful when you are in a meeting. I can quickly glance what the other person need. I do wish Google can offer other language for visual vm since my parents leave me vm in Chinese. Either have the visual vm in Chinese characters or better yet translate it into English since my Chinese reading isn't that good.