The best advice anybody can give, regarding spam or scam phone calls to a non-business phone:
1. Do not answer the phone if you do not recognize the number! If the call was important, the caller would leave a message. Unfortunately, too many folks react ... sort of like Pavlov's dogs when they heard a bell ... and pick up the phone (rather than slobber all over the floor).
2. DO NOT RETURN THE CALL All that does is tell the scammer that you are a prime candidate for the scam, and place your number on a potential sucker list.
Congratulations if you read this far. Go to the head of the class! You have the potential to learn even more about how to deal with unwanted phone calls. BUT, before you read further, make sure you understand and memorize the two points above!
Do you really want to reduce spam / scam phone calls to you?
DO THIS NOT THIS
(Click on the line to see why)If you are disturbed by frequent calls from scammers / spammers. obtain a call blocker app, device, phone, or service. Google (or your favorite search engine) is your friend. Remember, the Do Not Call list is designed to prevent calls from legitimate, registered telemarketers, but scammers / spammers are not legitimate telemarketers, do not register, and they ignore the DNCL or your requests!
If you wish to report scam/spam phone calls to the appropriate authorities, see this updated list of complaint sites, with links to government web pages, at:
http://phonehelp.2truth.com/complaint_sites.html
Remember
The DNC list is NOT a call blocker! Answer_Unfamiliar_NumberInstead of answering, let the call go to voicemail or answering machine. Legitimate callers will usually leave a message.
Press_Number_To_Be_Taken_Off_ListThat works for legitimate telemarketers, but, if you were on the Do Not Call list, legitimate telemarketers would not have called you in the first place. Pressing a number on a call from a telespammer merely confirms you answered the phone and will follow scammer's instructions. That make your number more valuable for even more spammers!
https://consumerist.com/2013/08/27/please-don ... cammy-robocall/
Return_The_CallAt best, returning a scammer's call merely confirms your phone is "live", and your number will be added to a list that will be used by even more scammers. At worst, the call will cost you additional fees, if it is from a foreign country, such as Jamaica (876 area code). Also, scammers are now spoofing Caller IDs, so the number you see may not really be the number that called you. It might belong to an innocent, third party.
https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/spoofing-and-caller-id
Argue_With_The_CallerCall center employees have probably heard your argument many times. They may either continue to try to scam you, or they will hang up ... but will also make sure some other scammer calls your number, later.
Blow_Horn_Or_Whistle_into_PhoneWill irritate the scammer. The scammer may then add your number as a "spoofed Caller ID", so others think YOU are calling them, and YOU may hear retaliatory horns or whistles if the irritated called person calls YOU back!
https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/spoofing-and-caller-id
Forward_Call_To_Government_OfficeNot too swift. All that does is tie up a line at the govt office, and record YOUR number as the forwarding number! Realize that your congress person knows phone scams are a problem, and also knows the FCC and FTC have been assigned the task of upholding the laws concerning this problem. Instead, you should report the problem via normal channels to the FTC or FCC.
Give_Scammer`s_Number_To_Other_ScammersMay not be a good idea. The first scammer might have used a spoofed phone number, and, if you give it to other scammers, all you are doing is causing more calls to and problems for an innocent person.
https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/spoofing-and-caller-id
Get_New_Phone_NumberEventually, after getting many scam calls, some people think their only recourse is getting a new number. That is not true. The "new number" is probably somebody else's "old number", and will come accompanied with its own baggage (and calls).
Give_Up_Landline_(If_You_Have_One)The scammers and spammers call BOTH cells and landlines. Although it might seem easier to block such calls on a cell, there are landline devices and procedures that can be used to limit or block calls. Keeping your landline means you would not have to tell all your relatives & friends that phone number is no longer yours.
~~~~~~~~
Please reply to this post, on 800notes.com, to let us know you read it, or have taken suitable actions to protect yourself.
They have called multiple times and leave no message. I called the number and the announcement said no available agents and that they would call tomorrow or if I wanted I could add my name to their "Do not call list". I did so..we will see.
The best advice anybody can give, regarding spam or scam phone calls to a non-business phone:
1. Do not answer the phone if you do not recognize the number! If the call was important, the caller would leave a message. Unfortunately, too many folks react ... sort of like Pavlov's dogs when they heard a bell ... and pick up the phone (rather than slobber all over the floor).
2. DO NOT RETURN THE CALL All that does is tell the scammer that you are a prime candidate for the scam, and place your number on a potential sucker list.
Congratulations if you read this far. Go to the head of the class! You have the potential to learn even more about how to deal with unwanted phone calls. BUT, before you read further, make sure you understand and memorize the two points above!
Do you really want to reduce spam / scam phone calls to you?
DO THIS NOT THIS
(Click on the line to see why)If you are disturbed by frequent calls from scammers / spammers. obtain a call blocker app, device, phone, or service. Google (or your favorite search engine) is your friend. Remember, the Do Not Call list is designed to prevent calls from legitimate, registered telemarketers, but scammers / spammers are not legitimate telemarketers, do not register, and they ignore the DNCL or your requests!
If you wish to report scam/spam phone calls to the appropriate authorities, see this updated list of complaint sites, with links to government web pages, at:
http://phonehelp.2truth.com/complaint_sites.html
Remember
The DNC list is NOT a call blocker! Answer_Unfamiliar_NumberInstead of answering, let the call go to voicemail or answering machine. Legitimate callers will usually leave a message.
Press_Number_To_Be_Taken_Off_ListThat works for legitimate telemarketers, but, if you were on the Do Not Call list, legitimate telemarketers would not have called you in the first place. Pressing a number on a call from a telespammer merely confirms you answered the phone and will follow scammer's instructions. That make your number more valuable for even more spammers!
https://consumerist.com/2013/08/27/please-don ... cammy-robocall/
Return_The_CallAt best, returning a scammer's call merely confirms your phone is "live", and your number will be added to a list that will be used by even more scammers. At worst, the call will cost you additional fees, if it is from a foreign country, such as Jamaica (876 area code). Also, scammers are now spoofing Caller IDs, so the number you see may not really be the number that called you. It might belong to an innocent, third party.
https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/spoofing-and-caller-id
Argue_With_The_CallerCall center employees have probably heard your argument many times. They may either continue to try to scam you, or they will hang up ... but will also make sure some other scammer calls your number, later.
Blow_Horn_Or_Whistle_into_PhoneWill irritate the scammer. The scammer may then add your number as a "spoofed Caller ID", so others think YOU are calling them, and YOU may hear retaliatory horns or whistles if the irritated called person calls YOU back!
https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/spoofing-and-caller-id
Forward_Call_To_Government_OfficeNot too swift. All that does is tie up a line at the govt office, and record YOUR number as the forwarding number! Realize that your congress person knows phone scams are a problem, and also knows the FCC and FTC have been assigned the task of upholding the laws concerning this problem. Instead, you should report the problem via normal channels to the FTC or FCC.
Give_Scammer`s_Number_To_Other_ScammersMay not be a good idea. The first scammer might have used a spoofed phone number, and, if you give it to other scammers, all you are doing is causing more calls to and problems for an innocent person.
https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/spoofing-and-caller-id
Get_New_Phone_NumberEventually, after getting many scam calls, some people think their only recourse is getting a new number. That is not true. The "new number" is probably somebody else's "old number", and will come accompanied with its own baggage (and calls).
Give_Up_Landline_(If_You_Have_One)The scammers and spammers call BOTH cells and landlines. Although it might seem easier to block such calls on a cell, there are landline devices and procedures that can be used to limit or block calls. Keeping your landline means you would not have to tell all your relatives & friends that phone number is no longer yours.
~~~~~~~~
Please reply to this post, on 800notes.com, to let us know you read it, or have taken suitable actions to protect yourself.