Robo-calls

[Ale-8(1)]

We all get 'em, I suppose, in all flavors.

There's the recorded voice of the sweet young lady saying she's calling about my credit card balance . . . there's no problem but she can save me money and (click).

Another young lady informs me that since I have stayed at their resort many times I have been awarded a TOTALLY FREE WEEKEND (click). I have never stayed at the resort in question.

A nice young man with the fulfillment department advises that my reward package is ready for shipment (click). Yeah, right.

The one I've been getting several times a day for several weeks, from a different number/location every time, is from a senior citizen who, with concerned voice, says " . . . hello? . . . uh, hello? . . . hello? . . . " and that's all. I assume he just wants a response for whatever devious scheme will follow.

Another version I hang up on are the ones that you can tell are actually "live" from a call center who, when I don't say anything, start a conversation by addressing me by my first name, as if they're my long-lost buddy.

Some are kinda entertaining, but I've learned to never make any response whatsoever, not a single sound, or more will follow.

I wish my 'phone had a "hang up button" I could press without "answering" the call at all . . . a disconnect of some sort. Is there such a thing? I really don't want all that crap going to my voice mail.

:?

 

[Bull Barrel]

I always play along if I am not doing anything. Ties up their lines and an person.

 

[loaded round]

Fortunately I have caller announcement and caller I.D. If I don't recognize either the caller or the phone number, I let it just go into voice mail and delete at the end of the day. To old to sweat the small stuff!

 

[gasbag]

I have caller ID and don't answer a number I don't recognize.
Why would someone call me that doesn't know me? What a mystery.
I also have on my cell phone a spam call blocker that works off a national database
of reported spammers. My phone goes <beep> and blocks the call.
If I momentarily lose all mental abilities and answer a call I don't recognize, if it is a spammer
I press an icon and it is blocked and placed on the list.
Life is good.

 

[mikewriter]

I have had to rudely explain to a couple of these callers in the past two days that we are in hurricane recovery mode right now, and don't have time for crap calls!

Mike

 

[rugerguy]

what gets me is when you actually do listen to her tell you they can "save" you on your credit card, and you do actually wait to talk with a "live" person, and they go through all their 'spiel' and then you tell them the interest rat e you presently have and they finally say they cannot beat that, why did they even bother to call, let alone KEEP calling????? duh............crap for brains :?

."..may their beds become infested with the fleas of a thousand camels".. 8)

 

[57springer]

I always play along if I am not doing anything. Ties up their lines and an person.

Yea really , can be fun playing along :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Colonialgirl]

Answer and just keep hitting the *# keys on your keyboard and they think they hit a fax terminal.

 

[GP100]

I tell them, I'm a serial killer looking for my next victim, and I haven't tasted blood in a while.. They hang up every time.. Can't figure out why?

Was it something I said? :?

 

[Merle1948]

We all get 'em, I suppose, in all flavors.

There's the recorded voice of the sweet young lady saying she's calling about my credit card balance . . . there's no problem but she can save me money and (click).

Another young lady informs me that since I have stayed at their resort many times I have been awarded a TOTALLY FREE WEEKEND (click). I have never stayed at the resort in question.

A nice young man with the fulfillment department advises that my reward package is ready for shipment (click). Yeah, right.

The one I've been getting several times a day for several weeks, from a different number/location every time, is from a senior citizen who, with concerned voice, says " . . . hello? . . . uh, hello? . . . hello? . . . " and that's all. I assume he just wants a response for whatever devious scheme will follow.

Another version I hang up on are the ones that you can tell are actually "live" from a call center who, when I don't say anything, start a conversation by addressing me by my first name, as if they're my long-lost buddy.

Some are kinda entertaining, but I've learned to never make any response whatsoever, not a single sound, or more will follow.

I wish my 'phone had a "hang up button" I could press without "answering" the call at all . . . a disconnect of some sort. Is there such a thing? I really don't want all that crap going to my voice mail.

:?

my Verizon cell has the hang up option......

 

[Fox Mike]

If I don't recognize the number I either just ignore it, or if I just want to screw with them I just hit and hold the "*" button for count of 10. Most 'robos' never ring long enough to activate the answer machine.

 

[Pat-inCO]

I have mine set to go to the answering machine, every time.
I can hear what they say and if it is someone I know, or want to talk with,
I pick up. Otherwise it gets deleted.

OH, I forgot. My message starts with "Hi, this is Pat, and I have the
answering machine screen all my calls. I also tell them it is on the "do
not call" list .

I still get from one to three per day, but none with a message. 8)

Not optimal, but an improvement.

A few that I have used:
~ Them: Do you owe more than two thousand dollars on your credit
card? Me: None of your (BLEEEEEEP)ing business = click

~ Them: We can lower your monthly house payment! Me: REALLY?!
You are going to get them to PAY me to live here? = click

~ Them: Congratulations you have just won $xxx,xxx. All we need is
your account number and we will wire it to you. Me: REALLY?! You think
I'm some dumb (BLEEP) that has no brain. = click

~ Them: Congradulations you have . . . and I interrupt with "What are
you wearing" = click

~ Them: Do you . . . and I say "HOLD ON . . . just a second . . . " and I
put the phone down and walk away. Usually hear the beep beep beep
in a few seconds.

I also called them back in thirty seconds and they are suddenly quiet.
That must have done something because the number of messages from
robo calls has gone to almost zero.

I do notice that many of the calls on the caller id are invalid (all zeros,
my number, my area code - my prefix and 1234 or 0987, etc) :shock:



Being retired you have choices in how you handle it.

 

[akbluz]

I used to hate getting all the calls conducting a survey.... I used to say "I don't do surveys" but now I just hang up. We recently got Caller ID so I can screen calls - if I don't know the number it goes to the answering machine. Most never leave a message.

 

[#1rugerman]

Got one a few days ago that said that he was deputy so and so and that I needed to call him back as soon as possible, I called the county sheriff office and asked if they had a deputy so and so, nope, gave them the phone number, etc. no more calls from that deputy. Been on the no call list for years, government uselessness, doesn't work now, has never worked!

 

[WAYNO]

It is so bad, I now have my ringer shut off, and the answering machine volume at zero. I'm getting 30+ calls a day. Most of them now are from slimy insurance people trying to sell me a medicare supplement. The first words on my outgoing message are "Telemarketers Hang Up Now". Most of them do hang up, but when I look at my caller ID, I see I've had dozens of calls each day.

These scammers and telemarketers are talented. They can now call me and trick my caller ID into saying the call is from someone I know. So with the volumes on my ringer and answering machine at zero, if I received legitimate calls, I wouldn't know it.

 

[blume357]

Good you enjoy playing with these crooks... my solution, which I admit is not as much fun is to never answer the phone cold.. If I'm near the phone and see it's someone I know on caller ID and I feel like talking to them I will answer... other wise they have to leave a message... now here is the really out of the box part... I not only do this with my home phone but also my business. To get me in my business, which I've been running for close onto 35 years... you must leave a message...

 

[Ruger Redhawk]

I'm glad we're not the only ones getting these calls. I ignore them if I don't know who's calling. If it's a known Spam our phone block lets it ring once ,then it cuts them off. The caller ID is worth it's weight in gold.
I get them on our home phone and my cell. I very seldom give my cell number out so I know it's a Spam call so I just ignore them.

What gets me when one call is blocked not two seconds later it rings again from a different number. I'm constant doing a reverse number look up. The other day I got a Dir assistance from California and the next day the same title but from NC. There again our block handled them.

That National No Call Registry is a joke.

In the last month or so I'm getting all kinds of Spam emails. I unsubscribe several times to the same one. I do the same one over and over again then I block them on my computer. I've got it down usually to only one or two a day.

 

[Paul B]

"That National No Call Registry is a joke."

Ane a ver dirty joke at that. :x About four years ago I had serious problems with an HP computer. Even paid for an extended warrantee, the whole shebang. Computer crapped at least once a week sometimes two or three time a week, once twice in one day. finally their techie said it it happens again, send it in and we'll check it out. This after fighting with it for a year and a half. Well sure as God made little green apples, mosquitoes and cockroaches that computer quit again. When I called and let them know about how it was supposed to be sent in to be checked out and repaired, HP's techie from Boomerang Buns India said they would not allow me to send it in. I flat told them they could refund my money on their no good extended warranty and not only would I not buy another HP POS but would everyone I know in the world wide web what a bunch of rip off artists you are. I even tried calling their head office and get shunted to Boomerang Buns. Can't even file a legitimate gripe with those S.O.B.'s. Now they call me at least once a week wanting my banking info to deposit my refund. I tell them to cut me a check and mail it to me. "Oh no! We cannot do that sir." Nonstop calls. Got really urinated one day and it would have made every Marine drill instructor proud. The result, 37 phone calls from them in two hours, each one with a different number and area code. Maybe it's a good thing I don't really know where they are. It could get messy.
Now add that to all the one the OP posted, yeah I get those too and then some. Now somehow, HP or whoever they are have gotten my cell # too. Makes one wish that certain types of homicide should be legal.
Paul B.

 

[redhawker]

Most of the time, when I get them, I'll tie up their line for a minute or two because I figure that's a minute or two they aren't scamming someone. I say when I get them because I've gone from several a day to maybe one or two at most. How, you might ask? I recently switched to Spectrum and they had a thing called "nomorobo" which somehow detects these calls and blocks them. Usually all I get is one ring and I know that nomorobo has blocked another one. It's not perfect, some get through, but it sure cut down on them.

 

[Golfswithwolves]

If a live caller intrudes onto my phone I put the receiver down and let the caller listen to Rush Limbaugh or Hannity on the radio until the caller goes away.

 

[Mega Twin]

They must be getting alot of people to bite,as many calls that they make.
I wonder if it's those "work from home"people,and they get paid on commission,or from the number of calls that they make?

 

[Kevin]

We put my parents on our cell phone plan. Yesterday they called and said they are now getting 4 and 5 robo calls a day. Apparently my dad got fed up and decided to answer one and try to fool around with them like y'all are saying here. I think that just alerted the computer to the fact the number is active and someone will answer. I don't answer them at all and get far fewer calls because of it.

 

[Pat-inCO]

Consumers Union has a "solution", but it looks more like a way to get you
to provide your information so they can get money from you.
http://consumersunion.org/end-robocalls/solutions/

All these places with "solutions" that . . . may . . . or . . . could . . . help,
just drive me nutzo.
To me, don't call it a solution unless it FIXES something. :roll:
And DON'T do it in a way to collect data. :evil: