How To Stop Automated Calls

[Hoofbite]

Anyone know? The "Do Not Call" list is apparently a complete joke. I added my number to the list over 8 years ago and over the past month or two I am getting hammered with these random calls.

It's always a stupid recording of some kind. One of them is trying to inform me about changes to the federal student loan repayment program and how I need to act quickly to take advantage of these changes.

Most recently I have been receiving some call about how there's an arrest warrant out for me. Originates from a neighboring state, and aside from the fact that there'd be no reason for me to have a warrant, I haven't even visited the state the call is coming from. It's a recording that sounds like one of the Windows XP robotic voices.

The numbers are sometimes local and sometimes distant. Here are a few locations:

• Ewing, NJ
• Las Vegas, NV
• Los Angeles, CA
• Beaumont, MS
• Washington, D.C.

Is it even worth trying to report these numbers? Seems like they would just be bogus lines anyway that can't be tied to any specific entity. There have been a couple of times where the automated message directs me to press a number to be removed from the call list, but it seems like that button press is actually an invitation to be called some more.

 

[bb721]

Anyone know? The "Do Not Call" list is apparently a complete joke. I added my number to the list over 8 years ago and over the past month or two I am getting hammered with these random calls.

It's always a stupid recording of some kind. One of them is trying to inform me about changes to the federal student loan repayment program and how I need to act quickly to take advantage of these changes.

Most recently I have been receiving some call about how there's an arrest warrant out for me. Originates from a neighboring state, and aside from the fact that there'd be no reason for me to have a warrant, I haven't even visited the state the call is coming from. It's a recording that sounds like one of the Windows XP robotic voices.

The numbers are sometimes local and sometimes distant. Here are a few locations:

• Ewing, NJ
• Las Vegas, NV
• Los Angeles, CA
• Beaumont, MS
• Washington, D.C.

Is it even worth trying to report these numbers? Seems like they would just be bogus lines anyway that can't be tied to any specific entity. There have been a couple of times where the automated message directs me to press a number to be removed from the call list, but it seems like that button press is actually an invitation to be called some more.

I’m not sure if this is still the case but I recall that when they first started the Do No Call list if you added your number you would have to renew it every few years or your number would drop off the list. Again, not sure if this still applies...

 

[Tabascocat]

I get 5 to 10 of those a day. I just block em and they spawn new numbers very similar. Somtimes, the same number gets through even though it was blocked. I have tried everything

 

[Hoofbite]

I’m not sure if this is still the case but I recall that when they first started the Do No Call list if you added your number you would have to renew it every few years or your number would drop off the list. Again, not sure if this still applies...

I've tried to add my number again and it just says that I'm already registered.

 

[Hoofbite]

I get 5 to 10 of those a day. I just block em and they spawn new numbers very similar. Somtimes, the same number gets through even though it was blocked. I have tried everything

Yep. You can't even call some of them back.

 

[Reality]

Many of those numbers are originating outside the US and are being routed through random US-based portal numbers, which is why they change constantly. Because they originate outside they US, they are not bound by the "Do Not Call" list and even if they were, they are basically untouchable unless they commit an international crime.

 

[Tabascocat]

I welcome these calls once in awhile if I am stressed or angry at something. I blow off some steam on the unfortunate live person, however rare that is. It is usually automated

 

[big dog cowboy]

Anyone know?

Stop answering the phone. Unless you know exactly who is calling just let it roll to VM.

I started doing that a long time ago. It took a while but eventually most of the solicitation phone calls stopped or slowed down considerably.

 

[JoeKing]

I got my present phone number about 10 years ago and at first was getting constant credit collection calls for someone else. I got so tired of telling them they have the wrong number, I started answering the phone in German. I tried Spanish first but they always seemed to have a Spanish speaker around. It took these people a solid 2 years of me trolling them to stop calling. Now I just don't answer the phone if I don't know who is calling.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

Tell me about it. I get annoying calls from my same area code and prefix, and they're spoofing those numbers. A woman called me up and wanted to know why I was supposedly calling her and I had to explain that these same bozos had spoofed my number. It wasn't really from me. Seriously annoying.

 

[csirl]

Blow a very loud whistle into the phone if you get a person.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

Blow a very loud whistle into the phone if you get a person.

could backfire. They might call back and blow a loud whistle in retaliation. Careful.

 

[yimyammer]

Its so maddening and futile to fight

What makes me mad is the phone companies could help but appear to refuse. For example, why cant they just add the option to block ALL phone numbers that are not in your contact list? I realize this could present issues occasionally but I think I could manage around the rare case when a company cannot tell me who will be calling me (like a cable or phone service person going to a site)

What I do to manage things is:

1. I have a google voice number I use at websites instead of my main number or I'll just make up a number if I don't think its important but Im required to give one.
2. I never answer the phone if I don't recognize the number.
3. Save every number to a contact I've created called "A-Spammer-01" which makes this contact the first on my contact list so its super quick to add new numbers to my phone book. When that contact gets really full and it seems to be slow to add new numbers, I'll change the name to "A-spammer-02" and create a new "A-Spammer-01" where I'll continue adding new spam numbers until full, rinse and repeat. This helps me quickly identify numbers that have already called which is helpful when I am expecting calls from people I don't know. As you can see below, I'm up to "A-Spammer-06"

I recently heard about an app called Truecaller but I'm not sure I want to use it. Here's a pro-con article about it