Not A Way to Start the Morning

[easysurfer]

I was in the middle of a good dream when the phone rang at 7:45 am (I thought those sales callers can't call so early). So all blurry eyed I look at the caller ID and the caller name showed "US Govt"....but I thought it showed "US Gout". Then I turned over and went back to bed. One of those days

 

[arky]

I was in the middle of a good dream when the phone rang at 7:45 am (I thought those sales callers can't call so early). So all blurry eyed I look at the caller ID and the caller name showed "US Govt"....but I thought it showed "US Gout". Then I turned over and went back to bed. One of those days

Don't leave us hanging .... What do you think the call was about ? I can't recall ever receiving a call from Uncle Sam !

 

[Dawg52]

Rachel called me again yesterday. She must have the hot's for me.

 

[BTravlin]

Rachel called me again yesterday. She must have the hot's for me.

Wrong. She call's me at least three times a week. She's probably just calling you with the bad news that you are now out of the picture.

 

[easysurfer]

Don't leave us hanging .... What do you think the call was about ? I can't recall ever receiving a call from Uncle Sam !

Actually as I put 2+2 together the call was from the Social Security office. I had left a voice mail about a week ago and they were just returning my call.

Originally, I thought someone was spoofing the caller id, but I guess not.

Looks like I jumped on the telemarketers this time without reason

 

[ERD50]

I'm curious if anyone is seeing a change in the number of spam calls this year? Mine have dropped off to almost nothing - none so far in Feb, 3-4 the last 3 weeks of Jan.

I started using the 'selective forwarding' feature of my new VOIP phone system to forward calls I've identified as spam to the FCC's complaint line (just a menu driven robot-answering line).

I got serious about getting each and every spam caller on my list back around Aug/Sept last year. If I get a call that hangs up on the ans machine (the typical scenario), I check the number in google to see if others are complaining. Usually, I get a hit for 800notes.com. I assign the number to a contact group I named "TM", and I have a rule set to forward those the FCC (888)225-5322. I have also wild-carded a group of numbers, 312-340-55?? , these were calling with various spam, mostly electric rate 'deals'.

My thought process was that if they actually heard the FCC answer, they'd figure out what I did, or that they had a bad number, and just click their computer and take me off their list, as to not waste their time. And assuming that a lot of these places are run by the same crooks, I might get taken off multiple lists. At any rate, it seems to be working.

-ERD50

 

[ERD50]

... the phone rang at 7:45 am (I thought those sales callers can't call so early). ...

Well, they can't do it legally. But most of these spammers are breaking the law already by violating the DNC list, so they don't care one whiff about the rest of the rules, which are rarely enforced.

OK, I see this particular call was not spam, but the same applies.

-ERD50

 

[aja8888]

Our SPAM calls dropped to zero as we dumped the landline permanently.

 

[HFWR]

Our SPAM calls dropped to zero as we dumped the landline permanently.

+1

 

[Brett_Cameron]

Our SPAM calls dropped to zero as we dumped the landline permanently.

+2

 

[misanman]

I started using the 'selective forwarding' feature of my new VOIP phone system to forward calls I've identified as spam to the FCC's complaint line (just a menu driven robot-answering line).

What FCC number do you use?

 

[W2R]

Within the last year or so, spam phone calls have even begun to appear on my cell phone.

This morning I was awakened by robo-spam too. It wasn't Rachel (who has been replaced by one of her female co-workers at Cardmember Services, for me). It was some other stupid call. I went right back to sleep but gosh, that was annoying.

I need to put a phone by my bed. One vestige of my formerly somewhat severe LBYM lifestyle that I have not dealt with, is having just one landline phone and it is in the den. So, when I am awakened by robo-calls, this involves bounding out of bed and racing out to the den.

 

[ERD50]

What FCC number do you use?

and I have a rule set to forward those the FCC (888)225-5322.

That's the FCC 'enforcement' number.

I was tempted to use the number of a live person in one of the offices, but that might be pushing it. This way, I'm just making it easy for the crooks to turn themselves in and repent for their crimes! Just press #5 to report yourself, pay your debt to society, reform and become a productive member!

-ERD50

 

[heeyy_joe]

I usually listen to the telemarketer. Then I say "hold on, let me get my hearing aid", Then I set the phone down for about 10 minutes before i come back and hang up.

You're welcome.

 

[photoguy]

I think the appropriate punishment for telemarketers is to be the recipient of shocks in a real Milgram experiment.

 

[ERD50]

I usually listen to the telemarketer. Then I say "hold on, let me get my hearing aid", Then I set the phone down for about 10 minutes before i come back and hang up.

You're welcome.

Since I let them go to the machine, I find they very rarely ever even pick up. The times I have picked up - no one there. Apparently, one person with an auto-dialer is running many phones and if one party answers, they ignore the other phones to deal with the 'live wire'. So they miss some of the people who do answer.

I think the appropriate punishment for telemarketers is to be the recipient of shocks in a real Milgram experiment.

You are too kind.

Isn't it nice to see how effective our govt is with the DNC list? How much money did they spend to implement all that, and it has no teeth, so crooks just go around it. And of course, politicians are exempt from the law.

Even when they track some down, the fines are small potatoes, and waived in some cases. Just the cost of doing business for the crooks.

-ERD50

 

[MooreBonds]

Our SPAM calls dropped to zero as we dumped the landline permanently.

As W2R has noted, they don't ignore cell phones out of the goodness of their hearts!

I've received various spam text messages and phone calls. Every so often (once every 2 months or so), I'll get an out of town call from a number I don't recognize.

Googling the number brings up various websites where people comment "I received a call from this number. It's some collection agency, or some survey company, or some _____ company trying to sell me something".

It's known which prefixes are set aside for cell phones in each area code, so the spammers simply start at xxx-0000, send a spam text, increment the number, and then text again! same for phone calls.

 

[HighRoller]

Isn't it nice to see how effective our govt is with the DNC list? -ERD50

I'm usually towards the front of the line complaining about "most" government run programs. (usually to slow, ineffective, costly, etc, etc) Except in this case. My "SPAM" calls dropped well over 95% after registering my phone numbers on the DNC list... Matter of fact it worked so well for me I suspect the DNC registry is managed outside the government.

 

[eytonxav]

I'm curious if anyone is seeing a change in the number of spam calls this year? Mine have dropped off to almost nothing - none so far in Feb, 3-4 the last 3 weeks of Jan.

I started using the 'selective forwarding' feature of my new VOIP phone system to forward calls I've identified as spam to the FCC's complaint line (just a menu driven robot-answering line).

I got serious about getting each and every spam caller on my list back around Aug/Sept last year. If I get a call that hangs up on the ans machine (the typical scenario), I check the number in google to see if others are complaining. Usually, I get a hit for 800notes.com. I assign the number to a contact group I named "TM", and I have a rule set to forward those the FCC (888)225-5322. I have also wild-carded a group of numbers, 312-340-55?? , these were calling with various spam, mostly electric rate 'deals'.

My thought process was that if they actually heard the FCC answer, they'd figure out what I did, or that they had a bad number, and just click their computer and take me off their list, as to not waste their time. And assuming that a lot of these places are run by the same crooks, I might get taken off multiple lists. At any rate, it seems to be working.

-ERD50

This is a good approach, but unfortunately no VOIP here, otherwise I'd do it.

 

[ERD50]

I'm usually towards the front of the line complaining about "most" government run programs. (usually to slow, ineffective, costly, etc, etc) Except in this case. My "SPAM" calls dropped well over 95% after registering my phone numbers on the DNC list... Matter of fact it worked so well for me I suspect the DNC registry is managed outside the government.

Your experience seems to be somewhat unique. Jut peruse the 800notes.com site, there are about 100 entries made in just the last 20 minutes. And these are just the people who bother to report them at this one site for others benefit.

The DNC has reined in (dare I risk the use/misuse 'rein/reign/rain?) some of the legitimate callers who were previously working outside these rules, but only voluntarily. The lawbreakers don't care - there has been close to zero action against anyone.

-ERD50

 

[Redbugdave]

I registered a few of those spam calls via the on line site for the FCC. I have wondered if anything is being done, or the calls logged are just ignored. I still get marketing calls, but they seem to be fewer, also.

I now answer and talk in broken English...with an Indian or Pakistani accent. If it's a woman on the other end, I always ask if she is married...since I need another wife to take back to Pakistan and cook. I also like the way the word Bombayyyy swirls off the tongue in broken English. It then goes south from there...does she have a sister or a friend, what does she look like, how old is she, etc.

If it's a man, I talk about the weather and what the weather is like where he is. After a few sentences in broken English...I finally get to asking if he has a sister or single female friend...

I usually get hung up on in a little over a minute. But, sometimes I can keep them on for as much as 3 minutes. It really can be fun!

 

[ERD50]

I registered a few of those spam calls via the on line site for the FCC. I have wondered if anything is being done, or the calls logged are just ignored. ...

Look thru that 800notes site, you will see comments of people filing complaints all over the place, and yet the calls keep coming. You can actually find press releases of actions taken. They are few and far between, and a wrist-slap is all they get. Pretty sure they shrug it off, start up the calls again, and rip off more people. There is apparently a huge ROI, and a few $10,000 fines (some were waived!) ain't gonna stop 'em.

There was an article, (don;t have time to find a link now), that said there was something like 32,000 complaints filed against a single number. The FCC (FTC?) did NOTHING, until a Congressman got a call during a meeting. Then he pulled some strings...

They've got top men working on it..... top men.

-ERD50

 

[braumeister]

I'm pretty sure Rachel is actually the widow of an assassinated former treasury official in Nigeria, and she is reaching out for someone to help her make a completely legal transfer of funds. Why is everyone being so tough on her?

 

[happy2bretired]

I have voice mail and caller i.d., on my landline but I don't use the phone for talking like most people (very hearing impaired & have landline for emergencies). I had caller I.d./voice mail set up thinking that the relay operators could call my voice mail and read me my msgs. That worked fine for awhile then the junk and political calls started clogging up my voice mail. It took forever for the relay operators to go thru all the junk before getting to important msgs.

I found another way to use the relay, using email, so for the last several months my voice mailbox has been full and I'm leaving it that way. I can see the phone number of who is calling...mostly junk...and they can't leave a voice mail since voice mailbox is full. Really has cut down on my phone ringing.