Dealing with Unsolicited Phone Calls
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unleasHell
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 12, 2020 10:45 am    Post subject: Dealing with Unsolicited Phone Calls

First, I'd like to know what you all do(?)

I registered on the DO NOT CALL List, several times, but that doesn't seem to do much good, so we ignored the calls and typically, it hangs up when the answering machine picks up.

Working at home during the COVID crisis, I now get a better handle on just how many we are getting.

A few times I even listened patiently to their sales pitch and explained I was not interested and asked them nicely to remove me and they said they would, but I doubt they actually do.

I few times I got cocky and said I was not interested and they quickly hang up on you.

Then I recalled that these calls are made by an automatic dialing machine, and when you say "Hello" they switch you over to a real person, so when this happens I hang up as they are switching over to a person.

Then lately, I thought about wasting their time, so I pick/answer the phone and just set it down and come back a minute or two later and hang it up. I figured if they were taking up my time - then I'd waste theirs as well.

I'm a very tempted to act like I'm into whatever they are selling and allow them to schedule a person to come to my house, and then not answer the door or give them a fake address to waste their time even more..

So I wanted to hear what you guys do or think about these annoying calls...
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 12, 2020 11:03 am    Post subject:

I don't answer any calls from numbers not in my "Contacts" list.

I sometimes don't answer even if it's somebody in my "Contacts" list.


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FernieBee
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 12, 2020 11:04 am    Post subject:

FernieBee wrote:
I don't answer any calls from numbers not in my "Contacts" list.

I sometimes don't answer even if it's somebody in my "Contacts" list.



I'm on a cell phone, not a landline.
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Omar Little
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 12, 2020 12:03 pm    Post subject:

Obviously, their bank account is more important than any societal interest or aggravation to others, so I’m not sure why you’re bringing this up.
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unleasHell
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 12, 2020 2:49 pm    Post subject:

Omar Little wrote:
Obviously, their bank account is more important than any societal interest or aggravation to others, so I’m not sure why you’re bringing this up.


I'm bring it up so the Mods can belittle the posters, (good job BTW) this is the only website I've ever seen that does this, as I said, I'm a Mod on two other sites (one a pay site) and SURPRISE, I treat the members respectfully...
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XTC
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 12, 2020 3:00 pm    Post subject:

FernieBee wrote:
FernieBee wrote:
I don't answer any calls from numbers not in my "Contacts" list.

I sometimes don't answer even if it's somebody in my "Contacts" list.



I'm on a cell phone, not a landline.


Very likely that FB’s referring to “Contacts” list on a cell phone, not many people flip through a Rolodex to cross-reference numbers that come up anymore. You can try using “Do Not Disturb” mode if you’re on iOS and allow only calls from your favorites or contacts. For paid apps, there’s the YouMail app which can help filter spammers. Used to get 30-40 spam calls a day, I no longer get any unwanted calls after using Do Not Disturb mode.
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Omar Little
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 12, 2020 3:03 pm    Post subject:

unleasHell wrote:
Omar Little wrote:
Obviously, their bank account is more important than any societal interest or aggravation to others, so I’m not sure why you’re bringing this up.


I'm bring it up so the Mods can belittle the posters, (good job BTW) this is the only website I've ever seen that does this, as I said, I'm a Mod on two other sites (one a pay site) and SURPRISE, I treat the members respectfully...


I’m not sure that you’ve been to very many sites, or that you have a really good concept of satire. Then again, I don’t capitalize the m in mod, so maybe
I am a wee bit less serious...
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trmiv
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 12, 2020 3:18 pm    Post subject:

I turn turn on the option on my iPhone that blocks any callers not on my contact list. If it’s important they leave a message.
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venturalakersfan
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 12, 2020 3:41 pm    Post subject:

I answer and have fun with it. More often they end up hanging up on me.
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 6:03 am    Post subject:

On a related topic, trolling the people who send spam emails is comedy gold. I haven't laughed so hard in a while:
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leor_77
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 9:53 am    Post subject:

trmiv wrote:
I turn turn on the option on my iPhone that blocks any callers not on my contact list. If it’s important they leave a message.


This is the only solution. You'll get a VM if it's important, and if you are expecting a call from someone, you can just temporarily disable do not disturb. Otherwise, peace and quiet.
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 12:07 pm    Post subject:

On a few occasions, I have told them I was interested and then given them the address of either an adult toy shop or Costco.

Sometimes I just go in with the intention of trolling the person, then end up having a random 45 minute (or longer) off topic conversation about life and end up feeling kind of bad that I trolled them.
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 1:19 pm    Post subject:

CandyCanes wrote:
On a few occasions, I have told them I was interested and then given them the address of either an adult toy shop or Costco.

Sometimes I just go in with the intention of trolling the person, then end up having a random 45 minute (or longer) off topic conversation about life and end up feeling kind of bad that I trolled them.





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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 5:15 pm    Post subject:

Being on a DNC list doesn't matter, as the phone solicitors always spoof the caller ID. Further, the calls all too often emanate from overseas, over VOIP.

Just pretend you're interested. Sometimes I get calls in Mandarin using a recording (similar to "Hi, I'm Rachel from card services"). I wait until the recording is over, then start with the standard "ni hao" greeting. I then let them ramble on.

They key is to piss them off by wasting their time. Boiler room sales scammers absolutely hate people who feign an interest and waste their time.
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 5:21 pm    Post subject:

It's pretty simple, I don't answer unless I know who it is. Then I check my voicemail if one os left. Any number that proves suspect after the fact, I just block.

That way I don't waste my time trying to waste their time, which actually is a bigger waste of my time than theirs.
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 5:25 pm    Post subject:

I'm rude. I answer. When I hear a sales pitch. I hang up and make a note of the number. I answer when KOST is playing the $1,000 keyword contest. Mostly I let calls go to voicemail. If it's important they'll leave a message.

Lately, I've been getting a lot of messages on my cell saying my Netflix has expired and needs attention, I have an undelivered package at FedEx, I can get the miracle pill for weight loss. All kinds of text I don't answer. Someone sold my number.
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 7:04 pm    Post subject:

I was gettin fake Social Security issue calls for about 2 wks. I would wait til the person answered and it would instantly become obvious that I was talking to someone from Hunan Province. I answered one such call out of a dead nap on my couch and hesitated for a second and asked, "Wait, this is the Social Security Administration?!" and the dude instantly hung up rather than continue on because he could tell from the tone of my voice that I knew it was a scam. Then another operative called me back and soon as I said, "Hello!", he hung up. They kept trying this every day at the same time. I wanted to hear their voices, but I only got two of em to speak. The 2nd guy sounded a little more Guangdong than Hunan to me. I couldn't get past the initial claim that there was some fraud going on w/ my SS and give my your name and SSN. Yeah...ok, dude with the thickest accent that the SS Admin could possibly have working for them. Sucks because older people fall for that kind of thing.
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XTC
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 7:17 pm    Post subject:

jodeke wrote:
I'm rude. I answer. When I hear a sales pitch. I hang up and make a note of the number. I answer when KOST is playing the $1,000 keyword contest. Mostly I let calls go to voicemail. If it's important they'll leave a message.

Lately, I've been getting a lot of messages on my cell saying my Netflix has expired and needs attention, I have an undelivered package at FedEx, I can get the miracle pill for weight loss. All kinds of text I don't answer. Someone sold my number.


Those keyword contests for radio stations are a revenue generator since they can package listener information to marketers.
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DaMuleRules
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 8:32 pm    Post subject:

XTC wrote:
jodeke wrote:
I'm rude. I answer. When I hear a sales pitch. I hang up and make a note of the number. I answer when KOST is playing the $1,000 keyword contest. Mostly I let calls go to voicemail. If it's important they'll leave a message.

Lately, I've been getting a lot of messages on my cell saying my Netflix has expired and needs attention, I have an undelivered package at FedEx, I can get the miracle pill for weight loss. All kinds of text I don't answer. Someone sold my number.


Those keyword contests for radio stations are a revenue generator since they can package listener information to marketers.


It's a shame that such ruses still work.

People still do Publisher's Clearing House after all these years . . .
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 9:04 pm    Post subject:

trmiv wrote:
I turn turn on the option on my iPhone that blocks any callers not on my contact list. If it’s important they leave a message.



May I ask you how do you do that? Thanks.
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jodeke
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:05 am    Post subject:

DaMuleRules wrote:
XTC wrote:
jodeke wrote:
I'm rude. I answer. When I hear a sales pitch. I hang up and make a note of the number. I answer when KOST is playing the $1,000 keyword contest. Mostly I let calls go to voicemail. If it's important they'll leave a message.

Lately, I've been getting a lot of messages on my cell saying my Netflix has expired and needs attention, I have an undelivered package at FedEx, I can get the miracle pill for weight loss. All kinds of text I don't answer. Someone sold my number.


Those keyword contests for radio stations are a revenue generator since they can package listener information to marketers.


It's a shame that such ruses still work.

People still do Publisher's Clearing House after all these years . . .


Didn't know that. That may be the reason I'm getting so many BS text scams on my phone. Thanks. I go through the PCH offers. I know it's just for sales. I've gotten some good products from them.
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angrypuppy
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:23 am    Post subject:

jodeke wrote:
DaMuleRules wrote:
XTC wrote:
jodeke wrote:
I'm rude. I answer. When I hear a sales pitch. I hang up and make a note of the number. I answer when KOST is playing the $1,000 keyword contest. Mostly I let calls go to voicemail. If it's important they'll leave a message.

Lately, I've been getting a lot of messages on my cell saying my Netflix has expired and needs attention, I have an undelivered package at FedEx, I can get the miracle pill for weight loss. All kinds of text I don't answer. Someone sold my number.


Those keyword contests for radio stations are a revenue generator since they can package listener information to marketers.


It's a shame that such ruses still work.

People still do Publisher's Clearing House after all these years . . .


Didn't know that. That may be the reason I'm getting so many BS text scams on my phone. Thanks. I go through the PCH offers. I know it's just for sales. I've gotten some good products from them.



I used to know the head of marketing for PCH. Nice woman, but she knew it was a bit of a con game of sorts.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 14, 2020 9:12 am    Post subject:

angrypuppy wrote:
jodeke wrote:
DaMuleRules wrote:
XTC wrote:
jodeke wrote:
I'm rude. I answer. When I hear a sales pitch. I hang up and make a note of the number. I answer when KOST is playing the $1,000 keyword contest. Mostly I let calls go to voicemail. If it's important they'll leave a message.

Lately, I've been getting a lot of messages on my cell saying my Netflix has expired and needs attention, I have an undelivered package at FedEx, I can get the miracle pill for weight loss. All kinds of text I don't answer. Someone sold my number.


Those keyword contests for radio stations are a revenue generator since they can package listener information to marketers.


It's a shame that such ruses still work.

People still do Publisher's Clearing House after all these years . . .


Didn't know that. That may be the reason I'm getting so many BS text scams on my phone. Thanks. I go through the PCH offers. I know it's just for sales. I've gotten some good products from them.



I used to know the head of marketing for PCH. Nice woman, but she knew it was a bit of a con game of sorts.

That's obvious. The giveaway is, to better your chances to win buy, then the products display for about 7 pages. As I said I've gotten some things I really needed from PCH. I didn't know about the KOST keyword.

I have caller ID on my phone. It will sometimes alert you of a scam or sales call.
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unleasHell
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 2020 2:53 am    Post subject:

CandyCanes wrote:
On a few occasions, I have told them I was interested and then given them the address of either an adult toy shop or Costco.

Sometimes I just go in with the intention of trolling the person, then end up having a random 45 minute (or longer) off topic conversation about life and end up feeling kind of bad that I trolled them.


See I like this, that's what I'm tempted to do...
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angrypuppy
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 2020 11:30 am    Post subject:

jodeke wrote:
angrypuppy wrote:
jodeke wrote:
DaMuleRules wrote:
XTC wrote:
jodeke wrote:
I'm rude. I answer. When I hear a sales pitch. I hang up and make a note of the number. I answer when KOST is playing the $1,000 keyword contest. Mostly I let calls go to voicemail. If it's important they'll leave a message.

Lately, I've been getting a lot of messages on my cell saying my Netflix has expired and needs attention, I have an undelivered package at FedEx, I can get the miracle pill for weight loss. All kinds of text I don't answer. Someone sold my number.


Those keyword contests for radio stations are a revenue generator since they can package listener information to marketers.


It's a shame that such ruses still work.

People still do Publisher's Clearing House after all these years . . .


Didn't know that. That may be the reason I'm getting so many BS text scams on my phone. Thanks. I go through the PCH offers. I know it's just for sales. I've gotten some good products from them.



I used to know the head of marketing for PCH. Nice woman, but she knew it was a bit of a con game of sorts.

That's obvious. The giveaway is, to better your chances to win buy, then the products display for about 7 pages. As I said I've gotten some things I really needed from PCH. I didn't know about the KOST keyword.

I have caller ID on my phone. It will sometimes alert you of a scam or sales call.



She disparaged their customer base, calling them"functional illiterates". But they would swamp PCH every year with subscription revenue.

The biz plan was simple, most magazines were willing to give away their magazines for free. They'd still make money on the ads, but then ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulations) demanded that the readers pay at least 50% of the price of a regular subscription. PCH would pocket the subscription revenue and pass the name over to the publisher for fulfillment. The publisher not only would satisfy the ABC requirements for valid ad revenue (which is based on paid circulation), they would also send renewal notices (at full or near full price) out to the subscribers when the subscription ended. Naturally most of the subscribers wouldn't renew with the publisher, and would wait for their PCH sweepstakes mailer for any renewals.

That's what made PCH bank as it was a rinse and repeat business with astoundingly low overhead expense.
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