Verizon and Robocall Annoyances

[mr__ed]

For quite a while I've been deluged with scam callers accessing my cell phone. It's become so pervasive that I often don't even answer, and sure enough, when I check missed calls they're not from any of my contacts. So that means that virtually all calls received by my phone are illegitimate and unwanted. I contacted Verizon tech service to see if they could help. The tech recommended changing my number, but I refused that because I knew the scammers would eventually find me. He agreed and then mentioned an app that could be installed that could minimize these calls.


The main problem is I would need to dump my flip phone and get a smart phone in order to use the app. I really prefer my flip phone and have no other reason to own a smart phone. Unfortunately, these scammer criminals may force the issue. But I'm going to hold out as long as I can! 😉

[mr__ed]

I bought my smart phone less than a week ago. So far, no scammer calls at all. If I still had my flip phone, I would have already been deluged with many unwanted calls.

As a plus factor, my new phone also works out well with my personal heart rhythm monitor. I previously needed to use my iPad for that purpose.

[free_radical]

mr. ed wrote:
For quite a while I've been deluged with scam callers accessing my cell phone. It's become so pervasive that I often don't even answer, and sure enough, when I check missed calls they're not from any of my contacts. So that means that virtually all calls received by my phone are illegitimate and unwanted. I contacted Verizon tech service to see if they could help. The tech recommended changing my number, but I refused that because I knew the scammers would eventually find me. He agreed and then mentioned an app that could be installed that could minimize these calls.


The main problem is I would need to dump my flip phone and get a smart phone in order to use the app. I really prefer my flip phone and have no other reason to own a smart phone. Unfortunately, these scammer criminals may force the issue. But I'm going to hold out as long as I can! 😉

Dont need smart phone..
I never answer any call unless its someone I know,just let it go to Voice mail.

If you get some repetitive Scammers just give their number to guys who like to play with them and Troll Scam them back

You can find many on YT
Such as
https://youtu.be/5lkmL_zZlO0


https://youtu.be/AuayDyJ1ODI

[mr__ed]

My new Samsung Galaxy J3 was only $168 at the Verizon store and so far, no robocalls. I'll see if the blocking lasts. That was the main reason I got a smart phone, but I'm still happy with it in general.

[bighatnohorse]

The new phone my DW got has built-in spam call identifier. Moto G8 at Costco for under $300. It's a very nice phone. The identifier still lets the phone ring but shows on the screen as "Possible Spam Caller".

[mr__ed]

Well, I just picked up a new Samsung Galaxy J3 smart phone at the local Verizon store today. The very knowledgeable sales person also installed the app that is supposed to limit scam callers. Hopefully it'll work well. Being somewhat of a techie, I'm also enjoying the new phone thus far. Now I have something new to play with. :C

[johnhicks]

https://www.cnet.com/news/verizon-to-extend-its-free-robocall-spam-and-call-blocking-tools-to-all-customers/

[Durb]

T-Mobile shows the caller as "Spam Likely" on my phone but it is only about 50%. I saw a tease on a stock show this morning that Verizon was going to attack the spam problem; never saw the report.

[turbojimmy]

p220sigman wrote:
You might be surprised. My 82 YO mother got a smart phone about a year ago. Once the grandkids taught her how to use it, she loves it. She mainly just facebooks and plays some games, but commented over the holidays that she loved being out somewhere and just being able to look something up like a store's closing time. Her most recent discovery is starting to use the navigation capabilities when she travels.

My dad is 77 and absolutely refused to get a phone, even though my mom has had one for years. He said he couldn't think of a single good reason to have one (despite having to rely on the kindness of strangers fairly regularly to call us when his 20-year-old car breaks down).

I work for AT&T so it cost very little for me to call his bluff. I got him a smart phone for his birthday a 2 years ago. It was hard for him to hide his disgust when I gave it to him. I'll admit that he's been slow to adopt it, but he now uses it for e-mail, navigation and tuning into DirecTV Now. He'll make an occasional phone call but still refuses to text. Baby steps...

[p220sigman]

You might be surprised. My 82 YO mother got a smart phone about a year ago. Once the grandkids taught her how to use it, she loves it. She mainly just facebooks and plays some games, but commented over the holidays that she loved being out somewhere and just being able to look something up like a store's closing time. Her most recent discovery is starting to use the navigation capabilities when she travels.

[mr__ed]

OP here. I've read with interest all of your replies. It appears a smart phone may be in my future, but it still irks me that these scammers have won, in a sense, that to fight them I need to buy something I don't normally need. Who knows, maybe I'll learn to enjoy a smart phone after all.

[Dutch_12078]

My wife and I both have the "Call Control" app installed on our Android smart phones, and it does a very good job of weeding out the spammers and scammers, as well as the political and charity calls. And you don't need to spend a lot of money for a smart phone. Our refurbished LG Stylo 3's were just $60 from Tracfone, and they do everything we need them to do and more...

[2oldman]

T18skyguy wrote:
Spam calls are the number one annoyance for American consumers. I want them out of business period.

Yeah, that'd be nice, but as long as there's money to be made, ain't gonna happen. Enforcement is just too difficult.

[T18skyguy]

chuckbear wrote:

T18skyguy wrote:
I use Truecaller, which has the largest database of spammers. I got the paid version. Well worth it, and it also blocks spam sms, text, all of them. Money well spent to avoid all the aggravation.

I am also using Truecaller and find it does a great job of blocking annoying callers. IF I don't recognize a number, I don't answer. Check the number later and block it. Truecaller will either automatically block it or tell me it's a spammer and let me block it. It also allows you to report spam number so they can add them to their database. Chuck

It's really a shame that we're all at the point we're afraid to answer our phones. There should be a law that should stop all this. Forget the Do not call list, but an outright ban on any telemarketing. Yes they can go outside the country, probably already are, but there should then be a system that flags international calls. Spam calls are the number one annoyance for American consumers. I want them out of business period.

[ljr]

2012Coleman wrote:

ljr wrote:
I’ve been using RoboKiller. It doesn’t just block, based on a huge database. It redirects calls to amazingly creative recordings designed to waste the caller’s time. I’ve come to look forward to telemarking calls so I can later listen to the recorded conversation. Some of them are hysterical.

I also installed RoboKiller - it does nothing against the recorded spam calls that you normally get. I got one live caller that was duped by the robot conversation, but over 50 spam calls that only play recordings. Uninstalled before the trial period ended.

I rarely have one get through unblocked. Perhaps half are a human being who gets duped by the recording. Some of them catch on more quickly than others and end the call in a few seconds. Others last for several minutes.

I’m guessing that the choice of who gets your number decides what kind and how many calls you get.