There is a complete network of criminals making these calls from "spoofed" numbers so they cannot be reached or even reported. They are trying to get your voice recorded so they can commit fraud using your "yes" answers and any info you give them. Your government is worthless in getting rid of these criminals through The Do-Not-Call List....and the phone company WILL DO NOTHING
Step one: Get caller ID)
Step two: Notify all your friends and family you will NOT ANSWER ANY CALLS THAT DO NOT HAVE THE CALLER'S NAME ON THE PHONE SCREEN. These creeps do not want to waste time ringing numbers that refuse to answer and they will remove your number after a while. However, the worst ones are those that leave messages on your answering machine... cause you have to listen to find out who called. (Sigh).
I blame the phone companies for this misery these people are causing. The phone companies are capable of finding out who these people are....after all somebody is paying for the phone service. Waking people up, interrupting them when they are busy and all the other miserable service we are paying high prices to the phone companies for....too bad a phone is a necessity.