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Retired Community Manager

5 Ways to Stop Spam Calls

Inundated with unsolicited phone calls? You might not be able to stop all of them, but these five ways to reduce spam calls can help stem the tide. 

 

What would you add to the list of do-it-yourself defenses?

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Contributor

I HAVE STOPPED HAVING TO RESPOND TO 100% OF MY IPHONE SPAM CALLS BY USING THE ONLY THE IPHONE RING TONES.

1)  SET IPHONE BASIC RING TONE TO "CHIMES"    I CAN'T HEAR THIS RING TONE WHEN PHONE IN POCKET.

2)  SET IPHONE CONTACTS RING TONES TO "BEACON"  I CAN HEAR THIS  RING TONE  (THIS TOOK ME ABOUT 35 MINUTES TO DO CAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF CONTACTS AND YOU HAVE TO SET EACH NUMBER INDIVIDUALLY.   I'M RETIRED AND FED UP WITH UNSOLICITED PHONE CALLS)

3) CHANGED IPHONE VOICE MAIL MESSAGE TO "PLEASE LEAVE YOUR NAME AND NUMBER AND I'LL CALL YOU BACK ... UNLESS YOUR ARE ONE OF THE MANY ANNOYING TELEMARKETERS"

3)  CHANGED IPHONE VOICE MAIL ALERT TO A VERY LOUD RING TONE SO I CAN HEAR IT

 

RESULTS SO FAR:  GOT VOICE MAIL FROM 2 LEGITIMATE PHONE CALLS THAT I CALLED BACK AND LATER RESET RING TONE FOR THESE NUMBERS TO "BEACON".  NO VOICE MAILS FROM SPAM CALLERS.

 

THIS DOES NOT STOP SPAM CALLS FROM COMING TO MY IPHONE BUT IT DOES KEEP ME FROM KNOWING IT WHICH WORKS FOR ME.

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Contributor

kudos 

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Contributor

It takes a little patience but it works very well. When a call comes in, I answer if there is no response to my "Hello", I hang up, pull up the last number on my recent calls, block that number and erase/delete any and all calls from that number. It may take 4-5 weeks to block and delete but it works. Very seldom do I receive Spam or Nuscience calls nowadays. 

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Newbie

I am tired to spam calls. I mostly get this kind of calls daily. I have no idea why my number is easy to get them. I always need to 800notes.com, whophones.com, etc to check phone numbers. Make sure it is a real callers.

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Contributor

In frustration, I decided to play a game with a caller.  I asked for their number so I could call them back in case my cell phone droped them (I was on my land line) and then held the phone out a ways and said I was having trouble hearing them. At first they wouldn't give me their number, but I kept up the game doing the same thing saying I live way out in the sticks and calls often drop and "I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you.)  When they gave me their number then I quit the game by telling them "Good, now I am going to report you to the Oregon Attorney Generals Office and have them prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law because I am on the Oregon Do Not Call list".  They must talk with each other because my telemarketer calls have droped to near 0.  Hope this helps.

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Social Butterfly

Sign up for sign up on nomorobo.com.  It’s free and it works!

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Bronze Conversationalist

nomo robo is one of the best out and really does work, however,  AT&T  traditional land lines can't be connected as of this date if we call this monopoly and really get on their nerves they may bring it in.after all this is the same group that sold these lists for a profit

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Periodic Contributor

My wife and I only have cell phones and the extra calls were driving us bonkers ! We went to an AARP coffee and one of the local sheriffs suggested we use an app called HIYA that he uses. We downloaded it and coupled with another app ZEDGE ( give your Contacts unique ringtones) the calls have dropped off dramatically. 

Merxth1951
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Scam experts say that even answering these calls can be harmful. I have a cell phone only & if a caller isn't in my contacts, I don't answer. If a message isn't left, I block the number. There are several good apps for this & I use "Should I Answer." 

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Regular Contributor

If the phone rings and I say hello they better say hello quickly or I hang up. This morning I got the computer virus phone call and I responded with "What's your problem?" No response and I hung up.

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We don't answer our landline phone anymore.  We have the answering machine tell them we will call back if it is a legitimate call.  We barely use our cell phones very much so not enough experience having to block a call.  What others have stated so far they are doing the right thing.

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Contributor

We do the same thing. We joined nomorobo.com - that stops about half of our span/robo calls. Due to robo calls we never turn on our cell phone unless we want to call someone. 

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Regular Contributor

If the call is on my cell and I don't recognize the number, I don't answer.  If they leave a VM I'll check listen.  If not, I google the number.  I block all numbers that leave a scam-like message or are listed as spam when I google.  If the calls comes on my l landline, I just hang up.  On a few occasions when I am feeling quite irritated, I have pressed 1 and either screamed (no words, just a scream) into the phone when a human answers or wasted their time by acting as if I were interested and keeping them on the line as long as possible.  I have not had any "your computer has an virus" since keeping some guy on the phone for almost 20'.

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Newbie

Agreeing to “...keep them on the phone as long as possible...”.  If just a few people do this it can use up their entire day making them unproductive with their venture.  

It can also be a lot of fun. Pretend to be interested. Give them a fake name and credit card number (for the fraudsters). Take a break and tell them to hang on. Say someone is at the door.

After speaking with one young lady about what she is doing and how she is interrupting people’s lives she said she had been feeling bad about this and was going to quit right away and go back to the university to study something meaningful.  

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Newbie

Save your voice. Use a whistle!

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Periodic Contributor

I have a similar routine on random calls. I only have a cell phone and when a call comes in if it's not on my list I don't answer. If the caller doesn't leave a message then it's obviously a spam call. It works great most of the time but a couple of times my daughters called from their work numbers, which I didn't have so I didn't answer, and they didn't leave a message. Later they called and asked why I didn't answer, after that call their work numbers were added onto my contact settings so I would know if they called it was them. Now they know to leave a message if they call from a random number.

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Contributor

On my cellphone:

Set special ringtone for family and friends. All other calls go to annoying default ring. Don't even have to see the number. If it does happen to be legimate or important, they will most likely leave a message.

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Contributor

I don’t have a landline, cell only.  I have no recorded greeting.  Tried a few screening apps, not impressed.  If I don’t recognize the number, even though it matches my area code and prefix, I don’t answer.  I Google the number after the disconnect and decide whether to return the call or Block the number and delete the call.  My choice has virtually always been Block/delete.  The only voicemail I’ve saved is the one threatening me with arrest for unpaid tickets....from a state I’ve never driven in!  

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Bronze Conversationalist

Hi as a fugitive from justice the IRS is going to put me in jail I have to say your advice is sound except for one thing DO NOT use * 69 to return ANY calls all that does is giving your phone to the scammers. The same advice goes for dead air calls. The criminals are hoping you use that call back tool to take over your phone. Be very careful
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