Spam call new trick

[EarlyandLate]

I got what I presume was a spam call from an unrecognized number today. I never answer those. However, this one had a new trick. The phone rang at MAXIMUM volume and scared me to death! I went into settings and checked my ringer volume. It is still set a bit below mid way as usual. How did they control my ringer and how can I prevent that from happening again? BTW, I have an iPhone SE 2020 updated to the latest ios. Mr Google does not seem to know about this.

 

[SecondCor521]

From what I know, they can't change the volume of your phone. So I think they didn't.

Most cell phones have the ability to play customized ring tones, and I could imagine that could include volume. It's also possible that the ring tone that happened to play was just louder than the other ones on your phone. Check your phone settings to see what your settings are for the ringtone for unknown numbers.

I have my phone set to a do not disturb method, so it doesn't even ring if the person isn't already white listed. So when my phone rings, I know it's someone I want to talk to. Otherwise I ignore calls and let them go to voicemail or just hang up.

 

[EarlyandLate]

I have a custom ring tone for a small number of close family members. Otherwise, it is always the same default ring tone for all other calls. I just had another presumed spam call and it rang with that same default ring at normal volume.

 

[braumeister]

I've read that the volume gets set to max when the phone connects to a Bluetooth gadget like a car. Possibly yours did that and it didn't go back down after the connection was over?

 

[Mark1]

I have a custom ring tone for a small number of close family members. Otherwise, it is always the same default ring tone for all other calls.

+1. Also, DW and I went thru the choices on our phones for the most quiet and mellow ring tone available for the "other calls". When we get spam it's so soothing.

 

[MissMolly]

Did you have it laying down in a bowl or something that would amplify the sound?

 

[OldShooter]

It was a little bit tedious, but over a year or so I built a list of phone numbers including friends and businesses we dealt with. I just copied them off our VoIP phone logs (Ooma) and pasted them into the whitelist. After that exercise, we switched the phone filtering to automatically shunt all unknown numbers to voice mail. We get email notices of the VM calls, together with the VM duration. Spam calls almost always leave 4 second (blank) messages, so it is easy enough to ignore them. I just go in once in a while and put all the 4-second message originators on the blacklist. (Given caller ID spoofing, I'm not sure the blacklist does a lot of good but it is fast and easy to do.) For VMs that are longer, it is usually someone we end up adding to the whitelist.

I would think that most phone services would have a similar block-unknowns feature.

 

[EarlyandLate]

Other than the fact that the ring volume was incredibly loud, there was nothing unusual. I have not used the Bluetooth in ages, I checked the ring volume in settings right after the call and that was exactly where I always have it set. The phone was on the kitchen counter where it always is. It's a total mystery to me. Never happened before.


Unfortunately, I feel like I have to keep the ringer on and to know if I get a call, even from an unknown user. My 90 YO dad lives on his own in another state. He carries a card in his wallet with my number on it as an emergency contact and I am listed as a contact on his medical records. Also, I know he has given my number to people who check in with him and I don't really know who. So, I could get a call from a stranger if there was an emergency. After he is gone, I may just keep my phone in airplane mode most of the time. I have little use for it!

 

[ERD50]

.... So, I could get a call from a stranger if there was an emergency. ....

Yes, this is why I won't do the whitelist thing.

What if one of my kids was in trouble, lost their phone, and borrowed someone else's to call me, or their friend calls? I'd feel terrible missing that call.

Having non-white list going to voicemail might be workable, but that could add a big delay.

-ERD50

 

[SecondAttempt]

From what I know, they can't change the volume of your phone. So I think they didn't.

I don't know how to do it but I am pretty sure it is possible. The "find my phone" websites do it even if your ringer is turned off.

If something is possible the spammers will find a way to exploit it!

 

[ERD50]

I don't know how to do it but I am pretty sure it is possible. The "find my phone" websites do it even if your ringer is turned off.

If something is possible the spammers will find a way to exploit it!

True, but you need the "find my phone" app installed on the phone, and you have to grant permissions to access the ringer. I'm no expert in these matters, but I would think a spammer could not do this simply with a phone call, they would have needed to install some malware on the phone. I'm not sure that's easy, but I guess 'social engineering' might get someone to install something nefarious.

-ERD50

 

[COcheesehead]

My iPhone converts all voicemails to text. 99 times out of 100 the calls I get do not leave a message - so they are spam. The one time they do, I can read and decide. Now the messages are political calls. My doctor, my auto service, my dentist, all text me reminders. I rarely get a useful phone call.

 

[SecondAttempt]

True, but you need the "find my phone" app installed on the phone, and you have to grant permissions to access the ringer. I'm no expert in these matters, but I would think a spammer could not do this simply with a phone call, they would have needed to install some malware on the phone. I'm not sure that's easy, but I guess 'social engineering' might get someone to install something nefarious.

-ERD50

Actually, I do not have any app on my phone. I had to register my phone with the website then they sent aa code I had to enter on the website to verify. There was no setup on my phone. I don't know how it works.

 

[ERD50]

Actually, I do not have any app on my phone. I had to register my phone with the website then they sent aa code I had to enter on the website to verify. There was no setup on my phone. I don't know how it works.

What website is this?

And when you test it to turn your phone ringer on full volume, what has happened on your phone? Did it show a phone call? I'm still pretty sure there is communication outside of a standard phone call, and there must be an app involved (maybe preinstalled?). I really don't think spammers can get to your ringer settings through a phone call/text (unless you've got same malware on your phone that would monitor the phone # or some text keyword).

-ERD50

 

[SecondAttempt]

What website is this?

And when you test it to turn your phone ringer on full volume, what has happened on your phone? Did it show a phone call? I'm still pretty sure there is communication outside of a standard phone call, and there must be an app involved (maybe preinstalled?). I really don't think spammers can get to your ringer settings through a phone call/text (unless you've got same malware on your phone that would monitor the phone # or some text keyword).

-ERD50

I agree with you that it seems like it should be impossible and I have no idea how it works.

The one I use I found by googling "where's my phone" and used the google service. The first time I used it was several years ago on a Samsung galaxy 5 phone. Google of course has access to my android phone so that might be the answer. I recently got a new Google pixel phone and tested it on that and it worked. Google is not my carrier. The only nexus (no pun intended) with google at that time was the android operating system.

In my scambaiting hobby I use a few online tools that get a surprising amount of information from the phone the scammer is using including details about their operating system version, charge level, charging status, carrier, device type in detail and sometimes much more. You can even get time zone. All I have to do is get them to click on a link!

I suspect that in my case, the fact it is through google is the answer. But if something is possible I would not be at all surprised if hackers/scammers have figured out an exploit!

 

[ERD50]

I agree with you that it seems like it should be impossible and I have no idea how it works.

The one I use I found by googling "where's my phone" and used the google service. The first time I used it was several years ago on a Samsung galaxy 5 phone. Google of course has access to my android phone so that might be the answer. I recently got a new Google pixel phone and tested it on that and it worked. Google is not my carrier. The only nexus (no pun intended) with google at that time was the android operating system.

In my scambaiting hobby I use a few online tools that get a surprising amount of information from the phone the scammer is using including details about their operating system version, charge level, charging status, carrier, device type in detail and sometimes much more. You can even get time zone. All I have to do is get them to click on a link!

I suspect that in my case, the fact it is through google is the answer. But if something is possible I would not be at all surprised if hackers/scammers have figured out an exploit!

Yes, that's what I was getting to - if it is through Google, they have access to the internals of their own Android OS.

We can only hope that they have that wrapped tight enough to keep scammers out. I suspect that's the case, they are authenticating your phone through that process. So we can't rule out a hack, but I'm thinking the only practical way to get through is social engineering, getting someone to 'click a link' that they shouldn't.

-ERD50