Phone Spam / Robo Calls Abuse

[tummyman]

My Verizon cell phone is constantly receiving SPAM robo calls from specific area codes such as 877, 844, etc .etc. Sometimes the phone rings and then they leave a stupid voice message that they can help me with income taxes or I have been approved for a loan that I did not request. All baloney. and sometimes the hone doesn't ring but a message is left. I have called Verizon corporate but the only relief they can give me is to spend an added $3.99 per mont per line to be able to block specific area codes. Other than that, they suggest using their spam blocker to send any phone number not in my contacts list to voicemail. That does not work when doctors are calling and using a phone line that is not their main number. It doesn't work for a number of things. All I want to do is block all calls from a certain list of area codes. Simple but apparently we can utilize men on the moon easier. ANYONE out there have a workable solution, I have even tried to put just specific area codes into the call blocker application and that does not work.

[chachee52]

Originally Posted by tummyman

My Verizon cell phone is constantly receiving SPAM robo calls from specific area codes such as 877, 844, etc .etc. Sometimes the phone rings and then they leave a stupid voice message that they can help me with income taxes or I have been approved for a loan that I did not request. All baloney. and sometimes the hone doesn't ring but a message is left. I have called Verizon corporate but the only relief they can give me is to spend an added $3.99 per mont per line to be able to block specific area codes. Other than that, they suggest using their spam blocker to send any phone number not in my contacts list to voicemail. That does not work when doctors are calling and using a phone line that is not their main number. It doesn't work for a number of things. All I want to do is block all calls from a certain list of area codes. Simple but apparently we can utilize men on the moon easier. ANYONE out there have a workable solution, I have even tried to put just specific area codes into the call blocker application and that does not work.

I use Verizon Call Filter App. I don't upgrade, just use the free one. Works well. Randomly something gets blocked that I don't want, but not much. Most MD offices now have the "Health Care" attached to the number so it comes through. But the app shows you the number that it blocked, and if it is something that you actually use, you can unblock it and if it's the MD office, they will call back and will get through.

[MeredithMan]

...I get a lot of garbage calls on the cell. If it is a number I don't recognize, I simply don't answer. If it is legit and important, they will leave a message. The majority don't leave a message and usually after several attempts with me not answering, they go away. There are too many scams and crooks out there whereby once you answer, the sophisticated ones can record your voice or certain words, (the word "yes", for example), and then use that to do all sorts of nefarious things.

[TheProfessor]

There is some software/companies that may help.

LINK

And sadly. Change your telephone number. Which is a pain.

[TiltonBB]

Originally Posted by TheProfessor

There is some software/companies that may help.

LINK

And sadly. Change your telephone number. Which is a pain.

How well does it work?

I know the robo dialers change their fake phone numbers constantly so blocking a number won't stop them. Answering the phone, telling them you have no interest, please take your number out of their dialer and do not call again does no good. I have asked callers "Does your family know you are a criminal? Every call you make without checking the Do Not Call registry is a Federal crime" That makes me feel better but doesn't stop the calls.

I kept the cell phone number I have had since 1995 and it is from an area code (in a nearby state) where I had a home 20 years ago. I get 5 to 7 calls a day from that area code and 99% are junk so I don't answer them and I dump the call. But it is a pain in the neck to have to check the phone when it rings in case it is a call I want.

It is time to make spam callers subject to the death penalty. I'm OK with that!

[TheProfessor]

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

It is time to make spam callers subject to the death penalty. I'm OK with that!

The telephone companies can easily stop these calls.
But they do not wish to. As the telephone companies get income from these calls.

US Congress could also stop all of these calls. But the phone companies lobbyests "contribute" too much money to our elected officials.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

How well does it work?

I know the robo dialers change their fake phone numbers constantly so blocking a number won't stop them. Answering the phone, telling them you have no interest, please take your number out of their dialer and do not call again does no good. I have asked callers "Does your family know you are a criminal? Every call you make without checking the Do Not Call registry is a Federal crime" That makes me feel better but doesn't stop the calls.

I kept the cell phone number I have had since 1995 and it is from an area code (in a nearby state) where I had a home 20 years ago. I get 5 to 7 calls a day from that area code and 99% are junk so I don't answer them and I dump the call. But it is a pain in the neck to have to check the phone when it rings in case it is a call I want.

It is time to make spam callers subject to the death penalty. I'm OK with that!

If it's an important call they will leave a message, no message means robo call. I don't answer any number I don't recognize, sometimes I don't even look.
I kept my landline just for this reason. If I have to give a phone number on any kind of form or for any reason, I give my landline. I shut off the ringer and never answer that phone, just check messages.

[tummyman]

I finally got to someone at Verizon. Here's the deal....they have a software app that will make the spam better. However, it just smooths over the problem. But if you will pay an added $3.99/month, then you can get their "premium" app that will block all calls from a specific area code. So they want to make money off us for something they can immediately fix. NFW !!!!!!!!!! There are specific 8XX area codes where all this crap comes from, but you need to pay to stop them. And it is illegal to boot as has been pointed out in prior posts, but the phone companies allow this to go on as long as they can make more money off subscribers. And it isn't unique to Verizon...same issue on T-Mobile. Bottom line..they don't care and would rather have all this crap using their bandwidth than fix the problem. Customer service is an oxymoron !!! Just pay your bill and shut up.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by tummyman

I finally got to someone at Verizon. Here's the deal....they have a software app that will make the spam better. However, it just smooths over the problem. But if you will pay an added $3.99/month, then you can get their "premium" app that will block all calls from a specific area code. So they want to make money off us for something they can immediately fix. NFW !!!!!!!!!! There are specific 8XX area codes where all this crap comes from, but you need to pay to stop them. And it is illegal to boot as has been pointed out in prior posts, but the phone companies allow this to go on as long as they can make more money off subscribers. And it isn't unique to Verizon...same issue on T-Mobile. Bottom line..they don't care and would rather have all this crap using their bandwidth than fix the problem. Customer service is an oxymoron !!! Just pay your bill and shut up.

I'm surprised you got a real person to talk to!
There is no such thing as customer service anymore unless they can sell you something!

[webmaster]

I have my iPhone set to send calls from numbers that aren’t in my contacts directly to voicemail. That solved the problem for me. The robo callers don’t leave voicemails.

[chachee52]

Originally Posted by tummyman

I finally got to someone at Verizon. Here's the deal....they have a software app that will make the spam better. However, it just smooths over the problem. But if you will pay an added $3.99/month, then you can get their "premium" app that will block all calls from a specific area code. So they want to make money off us for something they can immediately fix. NFW !!!!!!!!!! There are specific 8XX area codes where all this crap comes from, but you need to pay to stop them. And it is illegal to boot as has been pointed out in prior posts, but the phone companies allow this to go on as long as they can make more money off subscribers. And it isn't unique to Verizon...same issue on T-Mobile. Bottom line..they don't care and would rather have all this crap using their bandwidth than fix the problem. Customer service is an oxymoron !!! Just pay your bill and shut up.

See post #2. The free part works just fine.

[TomC]

You can set your phone notifications (I suppose there is some model dependency) to ring calls only from your contact list... If a genuine call comes in from someone not there... they will certainly leave a message. I find this is the best of both worlds. Friends, family, and businesses with whom you have a previous relationship all ring through. The "microsoft help desk", fake IRS nonsense, incessant requests for charitable contributions, and so on... all go without notice...

[bobkatfly]

Originally Posted by TheProfessor

There is some software/companies that may help.

LINK

And sadly. Change your telephone number. Which is a pain.

Do you use this service? Free or paid plan? Any good? Services like this worry me. You have to give them the information scammers, phishers etc want. Who knows where it goes from there.
I use a custom ring tone on my phone which is a favorite song. If i get a call from outside my contacts, I let it play until the call times out. I enjoy it. Not answering these calls over the years has seen my nuisance calls go down to about one per week. For medical, financial and other important contact info, if they're not in your contacts, there are usually customer portals where messages can be checked

[Lakes Region Guy]

I sometimes answer robo calls in a foreign language. I usually hear an instant click. I plan to learn a little Russian so I can use it for the robo calls.

[Descant]

Originally Posted by Lakes Region Guy

I sometimes answer robo calls in a foreign language. I usually hear an instant click. I plan to learn a little Russian so I can use it for the robo calls.

Sounds like fun. Hold back the Russian when the airline calls to say your flight was cancelled/delayed, or at least, report to us how the FBI/TSA interview went. Your call is being recorded for "training and qulaity". LOL

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by Lakes Region Guy

I sometimes answer robo calls in a foreign language. I usually hear an instant click. I plan to learn a little Russian so I can use it for the robo calls.

Maybe I will try to answer as a police officer.

[Bear Islander]

I use Nomorobo. It costs $3 a month but works well. They keep an updated list of robo caller numbers and block them from calling you. It's not 100% every now and then one gets through.

[Descant]

Years ago, I had a call blocker that I installed between the outlet and my landline phone. Cost was maybe $10.00. The idea was that the blocker indicated to the computewr caller that there was no such connection and the computer would delete tha number from its call list. After awhile the number existed in very few data bases and it could be disconnected if you wished. Are the call blockers for cell phones similar? I.e. after a few months can you just discontinue the service?

[ghfromaltonbay]

My brother ordered units called SENTRY for me and my Dad. It plugs into the landline and monitors calls. You can program it for numbers you want to receive by entering the contact number and hitting the ACCEPT button. This allows all your contacts to ring thru normally. If the unit doesn't recognize the #, it only rings once and the caller hears a recording saying this user doesn't accept solicitors. If you are not a solicitor, hit 1 and this generates a special ring. Most callers don't bother. If I get unwanted calls, I can hit the REJECT button and these calls are blocked in the future. Works great!

[Lakegeezer]

Google's spam blocker that came with my Pixel phone app works well. It blocks most spam. If one gets through, you can tag it as spam and if enough people do that, it is added to their filter. There is also a feature which speaks to unknown callers, asking them the purpose - which has lost me a few important calls but overall is worth it.

[Nautique2001]

Originally Posted by tummyman

My Verizon cell phone is constantly receiving SPAM robo calls from specific area codes such as 877, 844, etc .etc. Sometimes the phone rings and then they leave a stupid voice message that they can help me with income taxes or I have been approved for a loan that I did not request.

Originally Posted by chachee52

I use Verizon Call Filter App. I don't upgrade, just use the free one. Works well.

For weeks, my husband has been inundated with the same spam calls on his Verizon phone as tummyman--same area codes, same leaving of messages.

Thank you chachee52 for the suggestion of the Verizon Call Filter App! He installed the free version and so far is having good results with it: 3 days and counting of calls blocked and no messages.

Give it a try!