Does reporting unwanted calls work?

[Ronin13]

Somehow lately I seem to be getting inundated with unwanted robo and sales calls even though I confirmed I'm on the Do Not Call registry. This week alone I've filed 3 complaints with the FTC. But two questions come up, and I figure there are probably a few here in the know:
1- Does the Do Not Call Registry even work anymore? Do any companies even vet the calls before making them to ensure they're not violating this?
2- Do FTC complaints even do anything at all?

Ideally I'd love to make it so I don't receive these calls to begin with, but that's like saying "I don't want any more junk mail in my email or mailbox" but that's a pipe dream.
It's especially frustrating when the phone goes off at 3AM (like I got this morning).
72670

[TRnCO]

Since Oct. 3rd I've had 22 calls all from a (303) 929-XXXX number. I don't answer them and put each on my "reject" list in my phone. BUT every one of these calls has been a slightly different number, but all with (303) 929-XXXX. Frustrating to say the least. STOP CALLING!!!!!!!!!!!! If I don't recognize the number, I will NOT answer. Anyone that knows me can leave a message or send a text.

[MarkCO]

If they get enough complaints about a particular company or organization, yes they do prosecute. But that threshold is pretty high. And never say "yes" on any of these junk calls.

I use "Should I answer" which lets you block nuisance calls and in many cases, others have already flagged them. But some of the Robo calls like TRnCO mentioned spoof cell numbers. Once I blocked enough of them, I stopped getting the calls.

https://www.shouldianswer.com/

[68Charger]

There seems to be a rash of robo/scam calls using fake caller ID credentials.... they appear like they are cell#s in the same area as your number.

This is painfully obvious when you live 800 miles away from said area, but haven't changed your phone# yet.... I've been getting them almost daily from 719-371-xxxx (which is Pueblo/Canon City)

very annoying, and I can black list each one, but they don't re-use numbers anyway (they don't own the number they're pretending to be)... I sometimes wonder if I should answer them with "Federal Communications Commission, fraud division" and see if they'll blacklist my number instead.

[SuperiorDG]

Since Oct. 3rd I've had 22 calls all from a (303) 929-XXXX number. I don't answer them and put each on my "reject" list in my phone. BUT every one of these calls has been a slightly different number, but all with (303) 929-XXXX. Frustrating to say the least. STOP CALLING!!!!!!!!!!!! If I don't recognize the number, I will NOT answer. Anyone that knows me can leave a message or send a text.

I get the same thing but with my first 6 numbers. I usually just do the quick text thing that I can't talk now. I've even had someone call me with the same first 6 numbers and say I called them first.

[StagLefty]

I got one last week that came up with a name and # of someone I have on my contact list and it was a spam call !!!

[hollohas]

I've even had someone call me with the same first 6 numbers and say I called them first.

I've had the same thing happen. I think the fake numbers they use can actually be real numbers. They're somehow spoofing the caller ID.

[Gman]

The Do Not Call Registry is an enormous joke, and the telemarketers, primarily off-shore, know it. They're easily spoofing caller ID. If the call is from the same area code and prefix, it's likely a marketing call.

I had a guy that had the same area code and prefix as mine that kept calling me to tell me he had just received a call from my number. I kept telling him that it wasn't me. I finally had to block his number because he never could understand what was going on and was being a spam caller of his own.

Now you can pay for a service that will screen and block these calls. I found the crowd-sourced apps really sucked.

The thing that really bothers me is when I block these numbers on Verizon. Verizon is kind enough to then notify me that they blocked a call from X number, and sometimes allow them to leave a voicemail even though the call was supposedly "blocked".

[Great-Kazoo]

Since Oct. 3rd I've had 22 calls all from a (303) 929-XXXX number. I don't answer them and put each on my "reject" list in my phone. BUT every one of these calls has been a slightly different number, but all with (303) 929-XXXX. Frustrating to say the least. STOP CALLING!!!!!!!!!!!! If I don't recognize the number, I will NOT answer. Anyone that knows me can leave a message or send a text.


I get the same thing but with my first 6 numbers. I usually just do the quick text thing that I can't talk now. I've even had someone call me with the same first 6 numbers and say I called them first.


I got one last week that came up with a name and # of someone I have on my contact list and it was a spam call !!!


I've had the same thing happen. I think the fake numbers they use can actually be real numbers. They're somehow spoofing the caller ID.


All this happens when you answer the phone, respond, OR if you call the number and do a Do Not Call when prompted to. I did it 1x, which sent my number out to who knows how many people calling or texting they received a call from my number.


The best way to avoid any issues is DO NOT ANSWER YOUR PHONE, IF the call has no I.D. If you don't recognize it but the prefix seems familiar. If it's that important a call, they'll leave a voicemail.

[SuperiorDG]

FCC: Americans Get 2.5 Billion Robocalls A Month
http://denver.cbslocal.com/2017/11/29/robocalls-fcc-crackdown/

[Bailey Guns]

Once...just once...I'd like to be left alone with one of these phone scamming assholes. Then I'd challenge the DA to charge me and find a jury that would find me guilty.

[TEAMRICO]

I have been getting them and I just have a blast annoying them. Talk in circles, say nonsensical things. Ask for free stuff and zero % interest rates!!! I just blurt out random things about being in Canada etc etc.
Frustrate them.

[Gman]

I have been getting them and I just have a blast annoying them. Talk in circles, say nonsensical things. Ask for free stuff and zero % interest rates!!! I just blurt out random things about being in Canada etc etc.
Frustrate them.
The vast majority of calls I get are true 'robocalls'. There's no live person on the other end, even though the recordings try to make it seem like there is. Sometimes it's just background noise from a call center somewhere.

[cstone]

Responding to unwanted callers: Don't. But if you do, here is what you should say:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiXSenizbKo

[brutal]

Yup, spoofed caller ID. I get probably 6 per day with my mobile prefix.

You're not in my contacts list, or an expected caller, you get rejected.

[pickenup]

I call myself, at least that is what my caller ID says. It is my name with my number.
Never answered it, afraid it might send me into another dimension. (Matrix style?)

I hate spammers.

[TFOGGER]

I get at least 30 calls a day to my business number, a mix of people trying to fax spam me on my voice number, dead line calls which hang up after a few seconds, and true robocalls. Any number I see more than once gets blocked in perpetuity, but with VoIP and caller id spoofing, it's like trying to bail the water out of the Titanic with a teaspoon. Phone spammers are high on my list of potential subjects for gruesome medical experiments.

[CS1983]

Got a call from myself the other day. Was too busy talking to myself to talk to myself, so I sent myself to voicemail and then sat there and thought about what I'd done. I mean, I know how I hate getting sent to voicemail and yet I did it to myself anyway.

[mb504]

I have this call blocker on my mobile phone: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.greythinker.punchback.donotdisturb

It updates from the FCC spam caller list and has the option to just send to voicemail.

[Rooskibar03]

If you are an AT&T customer with an iPhone there is a great app called ATT call protect. Catches a lot of spam and marketing calls.

[Eric P]

If you are an AT&T customer with an iPhone there is a great app called ATT call protect. Catches a lot of spam and marketing calls.

Same with android.

[Eric P]

If I do pickup and get a real person, I will waste their time and end the call by saying I have tracked their location and suggest they don't show up to work the following day unless they want to be on the news...click

[StagLefty]

I love the call about my "windows repair"(computer) I use my best India accent and tell them all my windows are fine and the screens also.
Click !!! haha

[Gman]

Just got another one with the same Area Code + Prefix. I dumped the call and got the same recording as 90% of them with her same annoying voice...

"Because you've stayed at one of our resorts in the past..." Nope. Never. Not going to work on me to buy some BS vacation package. But they'll keep trying as long as they can get away with it.

[Aardvark]

GMan, it was that resort where you bought the winning lotto ticket before going on yor free cruise where you met the disposed Nigerian king that offered you extended warranty on your car sold by his brother in New Jersey who also can refinance your house once you settle with the collection agency. Remember?

[KAPA]

Hi this is Allison from the warranty department and yours is expired but I can sell you some scam shit if you are dumb enough to keep listening.

[OtterbatHellcat]

You stayed at one of our resorts...blah blah....

Using a 303 prefix.

Fuk you.

[Gman]

GMan, it was that resort where you bought the winning lotto ticket before going on yor free cruise where you met the disposed Nigerian king that offered you extended warranty on your car sold by his brother in New Jersey who also can refinance your house once you settle with the collection agency. Remember?
Oh, yeah. [hahhah-no]

[Seamonkey]

I have been getting them and I just have a blast annoying them. Talk in circles, say nonsensical things. Ask for free stuff and zero % interest rates!!! I just blurt out random things about being in Canada etc etc.
Frustrate them.

+1
I've dusted off my list of ways to annoy them, waste their time etc from the '90's

[Ronin13]

Some of these responses are great! I do the boat routine:
"Hello, I'm XXXXX from XXXXX with a great offer for you!"
Me: "Let me stop you right there, I gotta ask about the free boat."
"I'm not sure what you're talking about, we don't give away boats."
Me: "Don't lie, I got a call from you guys last week about a free boat, and now you're telling me you don't do that anymore!? I'd like to speak with a supervisor."
Supervisor: "Hello sir, how can I help you?"
Me: "Yes, please remove me from your list and don't call this number again."
Supervisor: "Of course, sir. Sorry for the inconvenience."
Great Success!

[rondog]

Being a hermit has its perks I guess, only real calls I get are from the wife and sometimes the grandson. So most others I just ignore. Usually have the ringer turned off anyway. Robocalls and spam emails just seem to be part of life anymore.

[ben4372]

I used nomorobo for my home phone it worked fantastic. Even stopped most political calls. The home is free. I'm to cheap to pay for my wireless phone. https://www.nomorobo.com/signup

[68Charger]

I got a call the other day that was (353) 040-xxxx
Pretty sure they were spoofing caller ID from another country.

According to the reviews of nomorobo, these spoofed calls aren't blocked.

Need a service that only allows a whitelist of calls thru, all other calls go to a VRU for authentication. Pretty much the only way to stop them all, but inconvenient for people calling you for the first time.

[Denver_AR]

There seems to be a rash of robo/scam calls using fake caller ID credentials.... they appear like they are cell#s in the same area as your number.

This is painfully obvious when you live 800 miles away from said area, but haven't changed your phone# yet.... I've been getting them almost daily from 719-371-xxxx (which is Pueblo/Canon City)

very annoying, and I can black list each one, but they don't re-use numbers anyway (they don't own the number they're pretending to be)... I sometimes wonder if I should answer them with "Federal Communications Commission, fraud division" and see if they'll blacklist my number instead.

Also getting robo-calls where originating number matches the NPA-NXX as my cell. I've had good luck with NoPhoneSpam app. It allows you to setup wildcard rules such as match 719-371-****. As I don't know anyone with same NPA-NXX as my cell phone, this works for me. Note - It actually sends these calls to voice-mail, but in practice I only get a small percentage of VM compared with the number of incoming calls before using the app.

[Punkface]

I've been getting a ton of calls from numbers with the same area code and prefix as my phone number. Goddamn spoofers. Downloaded the Hiya app for android and set it to automatically block numbers that started with the same area code and prefix. Fuck robocalls and spam.

[Monky]

I answered the other day.. the prefix was the same that a lot of the office cell phones we have use.. it was the IRS.. I started laughing at the guy with his middle eastern accent.. and he started screaming 'fuck you'

[Ronin13]

I answered the other day.. the prefix was the same that a lot of the office cell phones we have use.. it was the IRS.. I started laughing at the guy with his middle eastern accent.. and he started screaming 'fuck you'

That's fantastic! I always tell them "Come and get me then, I dare you!" Damn ISIS.

[TFOGGER]

I wish I had this guy's coding skills


http://youtu.be/EzedMdx6QG4

I would do this in a heartbeat