How do you handle telemarketer calls?

[AnotherMike]

Here's a simple method that turns the telemarketers own autodialers against them.

There is a three precise, sequential tone sequence in the telecommunications world that's called a Status Information Tone, or SIT message. The "vacant number" SIT message is the one that you hear when you dial a disconnected number (the boo-bee-bee sound) just before the voice recording "...the number you have dialed is no longer in service...".

So I simply recorded a new outgoing message on my voice mail - one that starts with the SIT message and then immediately "Don't hang up! Due to all the spam calls I've been getting I have been forced into responding to voice mail messages only. So leave a message at the beep that includes when I can call you back".

When the telemarketers automatic dialer hears the SIT message it hangs up, marks the number as disconnected (in other words takes your phone number off their list) and goes on the next call.

After a couple of months I stopped getting calls... I stupidly put the outgoing message back to normal (without the SIT message). The peace lasted for about a year. I re-recorded the outgoing message (with the SIT message) and just left it there.

More info on SIT tones (in case anybody is interested) is here: https: // en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_information_tone

I'll add the disconnected number SIT message audio file to this posting.

Mike

[van-gogh]

MSHAPPYCAMPER,

I posted in this forum a few times in different ways how to BLOCK Calls and TEXT on iPhone and gave the phone number to Apple.

So the best for both phones can be found on the web browser called DUCKDUCKGO, download the browser and click on the FACE of the DUCK as this will take you into a sub-menu of security features for computer and iPhones.

Once opened up pan down the page and you will find this message:

Privacy Browser App
Our private browser for mobile comes equipped with our search engine, tracker blocker, encryption enforcer, and more. Available on iOS & Android.

CLICK on Blue letters and it will walk you through being more secure on your phone.

Now if you have an iPhone, you should be able to find my post by searching the iPhone TEXT block, if not I'll return and send screen photos. I have close to 600 blocked calls and text still come through but no tones turn on.

If you need more let me know and do you need the apple 800 number?

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by bob caldwell

Don't recognize the number, don't answer......that's what voice mail is for if it's something important.....I also do a reverse directory check....

If I don't recognize the number they can talk to the answering machine for 15 seconds, then it hangs-up on them.

[NCC-1701A]

Originally Posted by bob caldwell

Don't recognize the number, don't answer......that's what voice mail is for if it's something important.

^^^^^^^This is my solution. If they aren't in my personal directory, I don't answer. They can leave a message, which they virtually never do.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by NCC-1701A

^^^^^^^This is my solution. If they aren't in my personal directory, I don't answer. They can leave a message, which they virtually never do.

I was surprised last winter, a woman left several messages in Chinese.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by Dogman635UT

MSHAPPYCAMPER,

I posted in this forum a few times in different ways how to BLOCK Calls and TEXT on iPhone and gave the phone number to Apple.

So the best for both phones can be found on the web browser called DUCKDUCKGO, download the browser and click on the FACE of the DUCK as this will take you into a sub-menu of security features for computer and iPhones.

Once opened up pan down the page and you will find this message:

Privacy Browser App
Our private browser for mobile comes equipped with our search engine, tracker blocker, encryption enforcer, and more. Available on iOS & Android.

CLICK on Blue letters and it will walk you through being more secure on your phone.

Now if you have an iPhone, you should be able to find my post by searching the iPhone TEXT block, if not I'll return and send screen photos. I have close to 600 blocked calls and text still come through but no tones turn on.

If you need more let me know and do you need the apple 800 number?

That does not work on my computer, all it does is open the explanation of features in the search engine.

[AnotherMike]

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

I was surprised last winter, a woman left several messages in Chinese.

Ive been getting those for over 2 years - about 1 or 2 a month. According to a chinese friend the callers are a chinese scam group targeting other chinese... mostly customers of J.P Morgan / Chase and other major banks.

[EdInArk]

Originally Posted by NCC-1701A

^^^^^^^This is my solution. If they aren't in my personal directory, I don't answer. They can leave a message, which they virtually never do.

Some of us have posted above, but if the number is not in my contact list or my recently outgoing calls my phone doesn't even ring. Some still leave messages, but I clear them out at my leisure.

[Ob1quixote]

Sometimes I will adopt the accent of the sweatshop they are calling from and start trying to sell them leaf guards for their gutters.

[jloletsride]

Originally Posted by zonie911

Hopefully, it will. The only problem that I can see with that (and I have tried that, too) is so many calls are computer generated calls...

They know that we don't want to talk to them, but they get paid by the answered call. They play switch up phone numbers, from the area code in which you live. So you can never be really sure, if it's someone that isn't on your call list, and just someone that has never called you before, but you may wish to speak to... Even if you hang up quickly, they still register that as an answered call and they get paid for that answered call..................evil!

I always answer my phone with "This is ________ (insert your first name or Mr/Ms and last name) " and the robo calls register that as a company type answer, and they hang up. They are listening for a "hello" type answer to register as a private number. I also click the button on my phone to then register that number as spam, and I no longer receive calls from that number.

[EdInArk]

Originally Posted by Ob1quixote

Sometimes I will adopt the accent of the sweatshop they are calling from and start trying to sell them leaf guards for their gutters.

My wife used to own an embroidery shop, and I'd always try to sell them logo shirts. One local remodeler called one night and I got all the way to the owner's name, but when I asked for his home phone number they balked.

Well, they called me at home.

[Doc Burry]

A free service for your home residential phone is called NoMoRobo, you go online, and you simply look up what phone service company you have, then select that service and put your phone number in. It stops millions and millions of calls that are on file as Robo calls. It does ring, just one time, and my wife and I look at each other and we smile an say “Robo!” It is also available for cell phones but it’s $1.99 a month now summer getting smarter they use local numbers they get through but a lot of times we just hear one ring and that makes us happy!

[zzotte]

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

I bought one of the VERY loud referee whistles that came in yesterday. I just had a call and when I determined that it was a telemarketer I blasted him for about 5 seconds with that whistle and hung up. Hopefully he will take my name off his call list!

Don’t you worry, he just your number to another million of them

Seriously just install att or Verizon span blocker apps also if you get a call you don’t recognize wait for a message if none block it

Zzotte

[Greg12]

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

I bought one of the VERY loud referee whistles that came in yesterday. I just had a call and when I determined that it was a telemarketer I blasted him for about 5 seconds with that whistle and hung up. Hopefully he will take my name off his call list!

Intuitive or AI (artificial intelligence) is used by them. You just think that you are talking to a person. What a warrior! You blasted an electronic device with a horn! Yes, they sound real but ask them an off topic question and it will hang up.