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Have you used this robo call killer?
Old 03-25-2014, 11:40 AM   #1
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Have you used this robo call killer?

There is a free service that I heard about on the Bogleheads site:
Stop robocalls and telemarketers with Nomorobo

I haven't yet tried the signup. Has anyone seen any downside to using this?

Also any good experiences with this free service?

Here is a brief explanation of what it is: New Service Promises to Block Unwanted Robocalls | NBC New York
and another with a bit more tech in it: Three Smart New Ways To Actually Block Robocalls | Popular Science

If I signup I'll probably use my non-primary email address.
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Old 03-25-2014, 12:22 PM   #2
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On the first page it asks for your carrier (from a dropdown menu), and for your e-mail. Then you punch "next".

I did that, selecting "AT&T (Traditional Landline)" and entering an alternate e-mail address at yahoo, punched "next".

My result was a message saying that AT&T (Traditional Landline) does not support this service. Also a request for me to call AT&T about it. Yeah, right.

So, they got my e-mail out of it. Thanks for suggesting using an alternate e-mail, which I did.
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Old 03-25-2014, 12:36 PM   #3
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Thanks W2R. You didn't know you were the guinea pig did you?

Just kidding. I had no idea you would have that outcome. We actually have ATT landline too. Drat.

BTW, I am thinking of a way to drop the landline. I would have to give up the nebulous reliability of a landline though and so I'm debating this one. It involves pairing a "home only" Tracfone with a Link2cell unit such as this cordless set from Panasonic:
Amazon.com: Panasonic KX-TG7745S DECT 6.0 Link-to-Cell via Bluetooth Cordless Phone with Answering System, Silver, 5 Handsets: Electronics
I would have to port our home phone number to the Tracfone. So our bill would go from maybe $35/mo to $7/mo. Maybe Tracfone could use the new robo call service. The reason I'd use a Tracfone is so that there was always a "home" phone around even if I owned a smartphone for true mobil use. Otherwise you have to keep your smartphone near the cordless unit base station. So this might be best for a family situation.
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Old 03-25-2014, 12:44 PM   #4
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I've been using this service for a couple of months and LOVE IT!
It only works if your phone is a VOIP line. I use Comcast as a primary home number, so it works for me.
The way it works is when you get a call the number rings in your home and on their server. If the number is in their database as a robo call, they will hang up the call after one ring. So in your home you will hear the phone ring once only if it is a robo call. Other numbers are not affected. If a robo call does get through to you, you can report it on their web site and they will investigate.
I highly recommend it if you have a VOIP phone . It doesn't work with hard wired land lines or cell phones.
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Old 03-25-2014, 12:50 PM   #5
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Was discussed a bit in these threads, but IMO, worthy of its own.

http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...one-70731.html

http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...one-68557.html

NOTE: It can work for you even if your phone company is not listed on their site. All you need is 'Simultaneous Ring' capability, just enter ATT U-verse to get through their sign-up. I wrote to the owner, he actually responded and said he'd make this clearer.

I've been using it, it works.

Previously, I was looking up the scammers (usually at 800notes.com) and adding them to a special 'contact group' on my VOIP configuration web page. I set that contact group to auto-forward to the FCC hot line to report Do Not Call violations.

Pros/Cons:

'Contact Group' CONS:

- It's a bit of work to add each violator.

- The first one gets through, usually leaving a blank on the answering machine.

'Contact Group' PROS:

- It's satisfying to send them to the FCC hot line. And maybe, since many of these originate from the same source, they take me off their list to not waste their time?

- You don't get any ring at all. I can look at my log and see ones that forwarded.



NOMOROBO CONS:

- You usually get the one or two rings while it checks caller ID and its database to verify status (but at least they don't go to the answering machine).

- Will this work in the future, or will this motivate the scammers use random caller ID spoofing, rendering my call forwarding obsolete also?

- You need to have 'simultaneous ring' feature on your phone system.


NOMOROBO PROS:

-Totally automatic. And if you get a scammer not caught, you can report them on the NOMOROBO site, I did this and it was blocked next time, though I have no way of knowing if my report did it.

PS - I have not got any 'spam' email from them, so I don't think there is any fear in giving them you address.

-ERD50
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Old 03-25-2014, 12:53 PM   #6
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Ooma has a nice blacklist service (with their Premium subscription).

You can put any number on your personal blacklist (like a telemarketer after his first call to you). When a bunch (not sure how many) of subscribers blacklist a number, Ooma puts it on their Community Blacklist.

Any number on either blacklist will not be able to get through to you. You choose whether to simply give them a "blocked" message or dump them into your voicemail.

I appreciate this because other phones I've tried have a limit (usually just 20) on the number of numbers you can block. Ooma has no limit.
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Old 03-25-2014, 04:51 PM   #7
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They don't work with Ooma VOIP or Straighttalk wireless either.


I gave them a bogus email. I would have corrected it if they supported my carriers.
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Old 03-25-2014, 06:49 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jon-nyc View Post
They don't work with Ooma VOIP or Straighttalk wireless either.

It works with any service that will do simultaneous ring - it sounds like you need Premier to get that with ooma, but that should do it.

View topic - Nomorobo call blocking service

If you have Premier, just follow my earlier advice, choose AT&T Uverse as your carrier, and enter the other info.

Quote:
I gave them a bogus email. I would have corrected it if they supported my carriers.
Well then you are sunk either way. They send a confirmation email which you need to respond to to enable the service. So you need to give them a real email address. They have not spammed me.

-ERD50
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