Spam calls?

[flyingkytez]

I am getting spam text messages now. 3 per day all saying the same crap: Here's your PIN code, do not share it with anyone else. I block the phone numbers but they change every day. Today's texts came at 7AM.....

Dang that must be very annoying.. moreso than the calls.. did you remember giving your phone number out to people or someone you don't know? I feel like some people use white pages.. you'd be surprised how much of your info is out there in public....

 

[flyingkytez]

An advantage of being on the "do not call" list is that it is clearly illegal to call you (at least, in the UK). Companies are prosecuted and fined (or sometimes shut down) for doing so. If you are not on the list, companies can call you as much as they like without any legal risk.

Clearly these lists are not perfect and don't stop all calls, but I still recommend to sign up. You have nothing to lose. It sounds like the situation is worse in the US - remember to use your vote wisely next time.

I'll try it. I think however some of these calls are more like SCAMS than spam so there's no way of tracking the person or getting them to stop... just like email SPAM.. Not much can be done but keep blocking them and don't give your number to anyone but instead use a free disposable number like Pinger.. Recently I've been using Pinger more often

 

[flyingkytez]

It's illegal as hell in the US but, as with so many other things, nobody will enforce it.

The carriers are the ones who ought to be fined out of business for this -- specifically, the "SIP" carriers which is how this is being done. It's a deceptive and unfair practice (FTC jurisdiction) to do that, never mind fraud if the number belongs to someone else (and it usually does.) It would be utterly trivial for the SIP carriers to refuse to allow you to set the outgoing caller ID to a number you did not have proof of ownership of.

They just refuse to do it and the government refuses to enforce the law.

Yeah that's very strange.. maybe the carrier's get "paid off" to do this.. exploiting people's number

 

[flyingkytez]

My Note 8 gets 4 or 5 spam a week. Not a problem. My Wife's Apple 8+ gets 10 or more a day and she's never modified out of the box--no new apps etc.

It's obviously not the phone but a list. Haven't seen any viable answers on this post. Blocking, etc, does nothing. Can only think of changing her number. Please, open to any other ideas.

Do not change your number! Most likely you're going to get a recycled number... Phone numbers are running out so they are recycling numbers.. you'll probably get more spam calls and calls from people you don't know...

There's a digit filter which might help.. maybe block all area codes you probably won't communicate with.. it's in your call settings. Not too sure with Apple but on my LG phone there is.

 

[LuvMusic]

I have T-mobile and they provide a service which indicates "scam likely" on questionable calls so I just don't answer.

This helps sometimes. The problem is that the spammers change phone numbers faster than Tmo can update their database.

My strategy is I don't answer calls from numbers that are not in my contact list, If it is somebody who really needs to contact me, they will leave a voice message. Spammers don't leave voice messages.

 

[flyingkytez]

Update: I'm using an app called 'Mr. Number'.. it's a community based app that will automatically tag phone numbers that are likely spam.. you can automatically block these calls in the options. Additionally, you can block numbers as well.. also, there's name caller ID so the person's name will appear when someone calls (even if they're not in your contacts).

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mrnumber.blocker

I also have 'Call recorder' installed, which will automatically record the conversation and save it... might help with investigating who the callers are.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.toh.callrecord

I picked up the call the other day and it was a woman.. she said the company was called "enrollment center". I was pressing her to tell me more info about the company and she hung up. So far, I haven't gotten any calls yet.. maybe they thought I was law enforcement and stopped calling? We'll see...

 

[flyingkytez]

This helps sometimes. The problem is that the spammers change phone numbers faster than Tmo can update their database.

My strategy is I don't answer calls from numbers that are not in my contact list, If it is somebody who really needs to contact me, they will leave a voice message. Spammers don't leave voice messages.

Try the 'Mr Number' app.. they have a list based on a community of people and you can automatically block those calls.. it'll send them straight to voicemail.

 

[AtTheHop]

Do not change your number! Most likely you're going to get a recycled number... Phone numbers are running out so they are recycling numbers.. you'll probably get more spam calls and calls from people you don't know...

There's a digit filter which might help.. maybe block all area codes you probably won't communicate with.. it's in your call settings. Not too sure with Apple but on my LG phone there is.

I did this. Do you need to use the +1 that comes across or just the 3 digit area code which is what I used.

 

[flyingkytez]

I did this. Do you need to use the +1 that comes across or just the 3 digit area code which is what I used.

Yeah I think so, 1+ the 3 area code numbers. Right now, a better option I recommend downloading 'Mr Number' it's free on the Play Store. Right now it seems to be working.. it already has an updated database of spam numbers, you can choose to warn you of spam calls OR block them automatically. The database is submitted by a community of people.. you can also add your own number to block.

I haven't gotten any spam calls ever since I actually spoke to someone over the phone.. I accepted the call and chose to speak to someone.. it was a lady trying to pretend to be a health insurance agent.. I was pressing her with questions and she quickly hung up.. I guess they finally knew I was on to them so probably they took me out of their system.. I also downloaded 'Call recorder' so next time if there's a spammer, I can have the phone conversation saved and possibly can identify who the person is by their voice and send it to police.

 

[AtTheHop]

Yeah I think so, 1+ the 3 area code numbers. Right now, a better option I recommend downloading 'Mr Number' it's free on the Play Store. Right now it seems to be working.. it already has an updated database of spam numbers, you can choose to warn you of spam calls OR block them automatically. The database is submitted by a community of people.. you can also add your own number to block.

I haven't gotten any spam calls ever since I actually spoke to someone over the phone.. I accepted the call and chose to speak to someone.. it was a lady trying to pretend to be a health insurance agent.. I was pressing her with questions and she quickly hung up.. I guess they finally knew I was on to them so probably they took me out of their system.. I also downloaded 'Call recorder' so next time if there's a spammer, I can have the phone conversation saved and possibly can identify who the person is by their voice and send it to police.

Thanks, I will see if it works without the "1" and add it if spam calls get they without it. I do use an app called Call Control Pro which blocks some if they have it in their database and if one goes thru I can have them add the number. I strongly feel the phone carriers can end this spam by blocking spoofed calls.

I use NoMoRobo on my landlind and it is not bad bus they charge for their service on cellphones.

I will have to try Mr Number next.

 

[tickerguy]

I maintain a set of contacts (when one fills I start another) for these jackals and if you call me, you're not in my contact list, I will not answer. If you do not leave a voicemail you go into the "spammer" contact and that contact is set to "all calls to voicemail."

They rotate numbers frequently but this cuts it down to a manageable amount from a standpoint of actual interruptions.

 

[AtTheHop]

I maintain a set of contacts (when one fills I start another) for these jackals and if you call me, you're not in my contact list, I will not answer. If you do not leave a voicemail you go into the "spammer" contact and that contact is set to "all calls to voicemail."

What I want to do is block the spam calls and not have my phone ring at all.

They rotate numbers frequently but this cuts it down to a manageable amount from a standpoint of actual interruptions.

 

[AtTheHop]

My fat finger inserted my post in the middle of the post above Here is what I wanted to post.


"What I want to do is block the spam calls and not have my phone ring at all."

 

[flyingkytez]

My fat finger inserted my post in the middle of the post above Here is what I wanted to post.


"What I want to do is block the spam calls and not have my phone ring at all."

Mr. Number has that feature

 

[AtTheHop]

Mr. Number has that feature

Not impressed reading the reviews. I may try it if digit blocking does not work well. I will give it 30 days.

 

[AtTheHop]

Got my first robo call in almost 2 weeks after adding many area codes to the digit filter on my phone. The area code was not one of them so I added it.

 

[recDNA]

This helps sometimes. The problem is that the spammers change phone numbers faster than Tmo can update their database.

My strategy is I don't answer calls from numbers that are not in my contact list, If it is somebody who really needs to contact me, they will leave a voice message. Spammers don't leave voice messages.

They sure do. You will be arrested for fraud if you don't call this number blah blah blah and another one tries to sell some kind of med alert system. Both leave spam voicemail.

Most of my spam uses my own area code so that's not an option.

 

[Mooncatt]

Both leave spam voicemail.

Yours leave a voicemail?!?! Lucky.

 

[recDNA]

Yours leave a voicemail?!?! Lucky.

I wish you my luck!

 

[AtTheHop]

I get many spam calls with spoofed numbers showing my area code and even my exchange, i use call control to block the number but chances of that number getting spoofed again is small. I even call the number and if someone answers they did not call me.