Do not call list

[Ready]

Even though I'm on the Do Not Call List, I get 4-6 telemarketing calls a day, sometimes as late as 9pm. Some of the calls are from non-profits looking for donations, who tell me they are exempt from having to honor the list. Others claim they are just offering me something for free, so they feel they do not have to pay attention to the list. Collectively it just is a major hassle though.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get rid of these calls, other than registering on the list? I have the ability to selectively block up to 10 phone numbers through Verizon, but it seems that the caller ID's seem to continually change, so trying to maintain the list has been unsuccessful. What other options are there to get rid of these calls?

 

[aja8888]

We got rid of the land line permanently and the calls stopped. If you can't do that, put in an old fashioned answering machine.

 

[harley]

I've been noticing a huge increase in our spam phone calls (and faxes) recently. I was really getting POed since we're also on the DNC list. But then I realized it's been just over 5 years since we moved here, and the list only lasts for 5 years (bad design. It should last until the number is reassigned).

Anyway, I signed up again last week. It takes a month before the DNC is fully in effect, but I've already noticed a decrease. We were getting 4 or 5 calls/day, and now it's just a couple.

So, how long has it been since you signed up?

 

[ERD50]

I've got a VOIP phone system that allows almost limitless blocking. I update the list whenever I get a spam call (they hardly ever leave a message) - I Google the number and if it is spam it comes up in one of the tracking sites - 800notes is a good one.

I don't just block them, I forward the call to the FCC hotline for reporting DNC violations. Seems to have helped. For my in-laws, on a different system, those numbers get a disconnected/ out-of-service tone.

The DNC list will do nothing for these calls. They are already breaking the law. They don't care. The FCC has no teeth in this matter.

-ERD50

 

[ERD50]

I've been noticing a huge increase in our spam phone calls (and faxes) recently. I was really getting POed since we're also on the DNC list. But then I realized it's been just over 5 years since we moved here, and the list only lasts for 5 years (bad design. It should last until the number is reassigned).

Anyway, I signed up again last week. It takes a month before the DNC is fully in effect, but I've already noticed a decrease. We were getting 4 or 5 calls/day, and now it's just a couple.

So, how long has it been since you signed up?

Must be placebo effect.

From wiki:

National Do Not Call Registry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally, phone numbers remained on the registry for a period of five years, but are now permanent because of the Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007, effective February 2008.[1]

-ERD50

 

[harley]

You know, placebos don't work if somebody tells you it's a sugar pill.

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

I was tearing my hair out from unwanted calls until last year, when I switched from Time Warner VOIP to Google Voice & Obihai. Since I switched, I don't think I have received a single unwanted call. Google Voice has a spam filter (like gmail's filter). I'm very happy with it. Also, my phone service is free (well, at least as long as Google Voice is free).

 

[Al in Ohio]

I dropped the land line and added a Bluetooth wireless gateway and have 3 family cell phones lock on it when they get in range (get home). This then ports calls over to the old cordless phone system in various rooms. No more sales calls.


Before that I used the "call blocker" on the landline . It can block up to 100 individual numbers and entire area codes (for me all 800 numbers). You can favorite any good nos to bypass getting blocked.

Blocked calls are immediately hung up on automatically.

 

[ERD50]

You know, placebos don't work if somebody tells you it's a sugar pill.

OK, sorry. You can't trust wiki - anybody can write anything there. (does that help?)

-ERD50

 

[Khufu]

Even though I'm on the Do Not Call List, I get 4-6 telemarketing calls a day, sometimes as late as 9pm. Some of the calls are from non-profits looking for donations, who tell me they are exempt from having to honor the list. Others claim they are just offering me something for free, so they feel they do not have to pay attention to the list. Collectively it just is a major hassle though.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get rid of these calls, other than registering on the list? I have the ability to selectively block up to 10 phone numbers through Verizon, but it seems that the caller ID's seem to continually change, so trying to maintain the list has been unsuccessful. What other options are there to get rid of these calls?

When the Do Not Call registry was first set up, each registration had an expiration period of five years. I noticed that I started getting spam calls again and this was the reason. Now if you re-register it will not expire. Re-registering fixed it for me.

 

[utrecht]

When you get rid of your land line, I assume you have to start giving out your cell phone number when people ask for your phone number (car rental, hotel, buying airline tickets online ect). Do you start getting spam calls on your cell phone?

 

[bUU]

I have started getting spam calls on my cell phone. DNC list is a failure.

 

[REWahoo]

When you get rid of your land line, I assume you have to start giving out your cell phone number when people ask for your phone number (car rental, hotel, buying airline tickets online ect). Do you start getting spam calls on your cell phone?

Yes, but far fewer if our experience is typical.

We dropped our land line in February of 2006. For the first couple years we rarely got a spam call. It has gradually increased over the years but still isn't at the level we experienced with the land line.

 

[Ready]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

I do have an answering system and I generally let the spam calls go to it. However, the downside to that is that the robo callers are using the answering system to confirm they have a legitimate phone number, and they continuously call back and leave message after message once they know they have a valid number.

I looked into Google voice a while back. It may be time to look again. My challenge is that I get no cell service in my home, so I can't rely on that. And I have five cordless extensions spread out across the house, so if I switch to a VOIP solution I need to make sure it works with the inexpensive cordless phone systems that you can buy at places like Costco. I also need to be able to port my existing phone number to VOIP. I seem to remember that can be done now but I haven't completely researched the latest options.

ERD50- what VOIP system are you using? Any problems?

 

[ERD50]

.... And I have five cordless extensions spread out across the house, so if I switch to a VOIP solution I need to make sure it works with the inexpensive cordless phone systems that you can buy at places like Costco. I also need to be able to port my existing phone number to VOIP. I seem to remember that can be done now but I haven't completely researched the latest options.

ERD50- what VOIP system are you using? Any problems?

There are several good ones to choose from. What seemed to make sense for me was "PhonePower". I went with their 'buy one year, get the 2nd year free', and after amortizing all start up costs, fees, etc over those two years, I'm paying an average of $9.75/month ('unlimited' calls). The renewall may be a bit higher, but I've read that you can negotiate the 'new customer' rate - we will see next May/June.

All my old 'land line' phones are connected to the VOIP box TA - Telephone adapter). All I had to do was unplug where the line enters my house from the phone company (so you are completely disconnected from their service), then plug the phone output of the TA into a telephone plug in the house - this 'light up' all the other phones. EZ.

Our TA also has a second output port, which acts as a 'virtual second line' if you only have one number. If DW is on the phone, I can pick up that second line to make a call. Or answer an incoming call while she is on the line. If no one picks that up, it goes to voice mail like any call would.

The service has been good, and they were very responsive getting it set up, and porting my number (they did that for free). Plenty of options for call routing (like sending spammers I've ID to different end points. here's what you can do, and this is based on the phone # or "group" you assign a number to:

Ring my phone using--choose different ring tones---
Forward to----choose number---
Send to voicemail
Reject the call
Ring more than one phone
Ask the caller to say their name before I accept the call
Ask the caller to say their name before ringing more than one phone at the same time or in sequence​

For our in-laws who make very few calls, Callcentric was a slightly better deal, and they were fine also. A lot of posters here use Ooma and seem happy with that.

-ERD50

 

[W2R]

When you get rid of your land line, I assume you have to start giving out your cell phone number when people ask for your phone number (car rental, hotel, buying airline tickets online ect). Do you start getting spam calls on your cell phone?

I still have my land line, but started giving out my cell phone number when people ask for my phone. I still didn't get many spam phone calls on my cell phone, perhaps only one/week or so, until I gave my cell phone number to the pharmacy department of CVS.

It COULD be coincidence that I have been bombarded with spam phone calls on my cell phone (several each day) ever since a few weeks after I gave my cell phone number to CVS, but I prefer to blame CVS. I suggest not doing that!

 

[Alan]

We gave up our landline about 3 years ago. No spam to speak of on our cell phone, but from reading the posts above I need to be real careful who I give it out to.

 

[Dawg52]

I don't get all the c/c spam calls much anymore, but now I get one from John at central warehousing all the time. Poor bastard has the hardest time getting his shipments made without a correct address.

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

I looked into Google voice a while back. It may be time to look again. My challenge is that I get no cell service in my home, so I can't rely on that.

You don't need cell phone service for VOIP or Google Voice- you just need internet service (not dial-up, of course).

I also switched my dad to VOIP- he was on the "$19.95/mo internet service". It required you also buy their landline service, which jacked up the price to $85. He was being charged for "extended long distance", "nationwide long distance", plus a clowncar of taxes. We replaced it with the Basictalk VOIP service from Walmart, for ~$10/mo (including taxes). It was very simple.

I like Google Talk for the additional features (like the spam filter), but that's not required for VOIP.

 

[bizlady]

Google Voice & Obihai.

Can you tell us more? I have Google voice which I use not at home, but does Obihai allow you to get calls on your telephone?

I looked at the website and can't quite figure it out.....

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

Can you tell us more? I have Google voice which I use not at home, but does Obihai allow you to get calls on your telephone?

I looked at the website and can't quite figure it out.....

Sure. There's some basic info here and here

You need to buy the Obihai adapter. I bought mine from Newegg for $40.
Just follow the instructions- basically you plug the internet into the adapter, then plug your phone into the adapter, and fill out a couple of web pages. Once you buy the adapter, there are no monthly charges, as long as Google Voice is free. If Google begins to charge, there are many other VOIP service providers, for around $10/month.

An alternate solution is Basictalk. You pay $10 each month, but there's no upfront fee for the adapter. You get phone support if you have problems with this.

You'll want to make sure you have 911 access, since you're now on the internet, and they don't know your location. With Google Talk, you'll need to pay for what's called an E911 service, for around $1/month. It's included with Basictalk- you just fill out the form so they can find your address and refer any 911 calls to the correct place.

Hope that helps.
.

 

[ERD50]

You need to buy the Obihai adapter.

...

An alternate solution is Basictalk.

FYI - that's the adapter I got for the in-laws. One (maybe minor) thing is that it only has Ethernet in, no 'out'. This means it needs to go after your router. Not necessarily a big deal, but I've found it makes troubleshooting a bit tougher. I had a conflict with the router, it wouldn't pass calls in one direction. I found a 'fix' - a setting buried deep in the router. But that took considerable googling and lots of dead-ends.

With the TA first, router second, you can mess with your internet set up and never lose the phone connection. A router problem does not affect the phone call.

I looked at BasicTalk just now - just be aware, it looks like they provide absolutely zero call forwarding options. So that won't help with the topic of this thread - unwanted phone calls.

A couple things important to me, YMMV, were:

A) VERY IMPORTANT: FAIL-SAFE CALL Forwarding - if the system can't connect to your TA when a call is placed, you provide a number to call, usually your cell.

B) I want to use a generic TA - if it goes bust, I can replace it on my own for cheap. If I change providers, I can take it with me.

C) Caller ID - I wanted OUTGOING caller ID - I hate those generic IDs (ILLINOIS CALL) that make you look like a spammer.


-ERD50

 

[mickeyd]

I have also been on the DNC list since the beginning but still get the occasional call. I always ask "How did you obtain this federally secure witness protection phone number?" That generates a series of hims and haws followed by babbling about random caller computer software...yada, yada. By then I have already hung up.

 

[Al in Ohio]

When you get rid of your land line, I assume you have to start giving out your cell phone number when people ask for your phone number (car rental, hotel, buying airline tickets online ect). Do you start getting spam calls on your cell phone?

Not nearly as much . The FCC makes telemarketing to mobile cell phones illegal with no exceptions.

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2005/04/dnc.shtm

 

[Ready]

Google voice with the Obi box looks like a great solution. I'm going to have to try that out, at least as a second line to start. If it works well, then I can give up the land line. The call handling feature look great, especially for a free product. I wonder how much longer it will be free though.