As I mentioned several months ago, I didn't realize my phone number was on Facebook since my (now ex) wife had set it up for me. As soon as I deleted my number, a majority of the spam calls I was getting stopped. A few still pop up, but what I get now in a month is less than what I used to get daily.

I guess it could happen with putting your number anywhere on the web. Where have you put your number that you thought was harmless?

Just about anywhere on the web that wants my phone number gets at least a couple digits mixed up. Did that with my last employer too but that's a different topic. This is the first I've heard of it but oddly enough heard the DJ talking about it on the radio yesterday afternoon. Apparently it's starting to function in this part of the world. I'm looking forward to it taking hold - until the scammers find a way around it.

Spoof calls are on the rise!! Not sure how that works but it is to the point I'm thinking of changing my voice message to leave a name & massage and call them back right away!

Al....You are gonna massage a telemarketer? Wait till ol Doc reads this!

Answer the call, cut off their pitch, start selling them Jesus or Satan. They usually go away pretty fast.

Linky >>> Henry Rollins on Telemarketers (a few cuss words)


While I've never gone to this extent, I have thrown a few off by making small talk.

Good one!

When my girl bought her 2012 the factory warranty was expired because it was like 2017 at the time. She immediately started getting robocalls trying to sell her an extended warranty. She was polite, declined it, asked to be removed from the list. The calls continued. She eventually got angry and abusive and started yelling at them about how she has said "do not call" 100 times already. The calls continued.

One day while she was loosing her mind about it I made a suggestion. Next time they called she was really happy to hear from them and gleefully started buying whatever they were selling. Started telling the rep how the car has 200,000 miles on it and her transmission has been acting up and how she's really worried about it and how she knows she doesn't have the money to fix it. Haven't gotten that robo spam since.

I usually ask them if they can send someone to my house and bring beer because I'm on house arrest.

By doing that you tell the caller that your number is active and they'll sell it to more spammers. Never answer.

I turned the ringer off on all my home phones and will only answer if they start to leave a message on the answering machine and I know who they are. Caller ID isn't any protection as they can make it appear as anyone they want. Hit redial without answering and it will dial the number on the ID and seem legit. They got me one day after comcast had just been to my house looking for problem and the caller ID said comcast but it was someone just looking to see if it was an active person answered line. They then sell the line is active and the scam calls increase. They make billions every year off people they trick and feel you might be smart enough to know whats up but their bet is there's someone in the house they can scam.

Sometimes you have to answer, selling something, buying a house, refinancing a house, just to name a few.

^^^^^^^^^^^ This is a fact! We had a call from the same town we live in. My wife recognized the number and it was from a deceased person she knew. These people have no morels and should be dealt with severely.

This is true.

It's only free for two week trial. I just went to app.

You no leave me message, me no answer. Simple as that.

What about when you're looking for a new job? You don't want to answer, but, it shows a local number. Very, VERY annoying. I'd always put down that email was more preferred method of contact, but a lot of companies want a 'RIGHT NOW' response, not an email later.

By doing that you tell the caller that your number is active and they'll sell it to more spammers. Never answer. [/quote]
Sometimes you have to answer, selling something, buying a house, refinancing a house, just to name a few. [/quote]

I myself would never do business with a company or person that wouldn't leave their name and a contact number. Plus the call back number must match the caller ID or listed # of the business.

I don't know if there is any way they can stop it. Most of the annoying calls that don't follow the rules or spoof legitimate numbers use VOIP phone lines and local phone numbers don't know what the numbers are if it's outside their system and the companies that run these VOIP lines don't care because they'll claim they're not a phone company just like uber claims they aren't a taxi service to break those rules or they're run out of countries that don't care what any legislations are. Phone companies can't block VOIP service because then they'll get blamed for causing a monopoly again or companies will sue them for not allowing real users to make calls from their services.

At home we don't answer calls unless we recognize the number.

My cellphone voicemail is a recording of the number is not in service message. That stopped every call I didn't want and some that I do. It also helps that I've had my number since the 90s and they blocked caller ID info from cellphones back then so it still says private number when I make calls.

I never get these robocalls. Several guys at work seem to get them daily and they are Facebook users.