Tech and Talk > Computing Clubs > Team Helix > Unwanted phone calls

Unwanted phone calls

Unless it is a local number, I usually ignore a call from numbers I do not know and let it go to voice mail. More often then not, no message is left. But if it is a "legit" call leaving a message, I will just return the call.
I too am on the Do Not Call list, but I am slowing starting to get unwanted solicited calls. I guess the Do Not Call list isn't working any more.

reply to sortofageek
Any more, I am inclined to check caller ID ... If I don't recognize the number, voice mail gets it. If the call is about something important, they had better leave a message. It took years to "train" my brother in law to actually leave a message instead of hanging up.
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reply to Dominokat
The list isn't working. If you google the phone numbers you'll see people have reported this, to no avail. Nothing is done.

There are phones all over this house and they "speak" so I don't have to look to know who is calling.

It gets old hearing all these bogus callers being announced. I block some of the "singlys" that repeat but these "800 Service" numbers are legion.
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reply to parkut
I have always done that, Bill.

But these wretched people never leave a message and they call every day and every evening, just keep calling, never take a hint.

I am not normally vicious, but did I mention I think I like my new whistle?
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reply to sortofageek
if we aren't expecting an important call, and don't want to be bothered, we just turn the ringer off. then, we just check the call log later to see if we missed any 'real' calls.
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reply to sortofageek
I tried to call you earlier to give you some ideas but now Im deaf!

reply to sortofageek
I too am on the do-not-call list. Fortunately, I can add the number to the auto-reject list on my Samsung Galaxy S.
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reply to Icarus
Well, that will teach you! Properly identify yourself next time instead of being "800 Service" like everybody else!

Also, it's 'bout time somebody started trashing this thread! I thought everyone had the flu or sumthin' they were being so serious 'n all!

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reply to Scilicet
Scilicet, what if that same outfit has kazillions of numbers and they keep rotating. Every time they call you have a new number to block.
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reply to sortofageek
A telecom telemarketer harassed me on the cell phone a month ago, calling non stop at all hours of the day and night AFTER I made the mistake of telling a someone I talked to on the phone that I have a beloved in the islands. I finally answered and explained I wouldn't buy a service off of a telemarketer, no matter how good the deal because I'm not giving personal information that way. The lady was clearly under unbelievable pressure to sell me and was almost, dare I say, abusive. I felt sorry for her, but a company using desperate people that way is evil and I wasn't about to play their game, even though I needed a discount calling service. Sad.

Only once did I get a call on the cell that was obscene and 3 times some weirdo from NYC kept calling me drunk or something and mumbled so bad I couldn't make out anything he said. I finally just stopped answering the phone and he went away.

The scam artists are the ones ignoring the national do not call list, and we need a better way to report them, they need to be caught and arrested IMHO...
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reply to sortofageek
Hmmm! Good question. I suppose you can just hang up, but I am sure that is exactly what you do now.

There is a section here on how to complain: »www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/do-not-call-list or

You might try something like this: »www.mycallsoft.com/callsoftpro.html or this »www.phonetray.com/phonetrayfree.htm
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If you won't stand behind our troops... Try standing in front of them.

See, the thing is, people have hung up on "800 Service" calls. It does no good.

Some are saying certain charities are hiring this group to make the calls. "800 Services" is very aggressive because they get a big cut if people donate.

Does anyone really want a big chunk of their charitible donations to go to the middle man? Does anyone believe it is reasonable to be annoyed twice a day, every day, until they give up and donate?

"800 Service" claims the right to keep badgering us because there is no protection against charity calls. Some are fighting back with "Right to Not Donate" or "I won't donate to anyone who badgers me with phone calls."

No, until now, I haven't hung up. I just screen, don't answer, and deal with the annoyance.

Thanks for the how to complain link, but I, personally, know that. It's just that multitudes have done that in regard to "800 Service", but because they badger us as representatives of charitible organizations, they get past us.

I don't know the other links you posted, but ... if my whistle doesn't stop them ... I'll look into it.

It's really annoying me. I have a friend who calls as a "Private Caller" so don't want to block anonymous callers. I don't ever want to not be available to my family, calls expected or not, so don't want to turn off the ringer.

It really is disturbing my peace.

The good news tonight ... maybe ... is that they called earlier in the day but have not ... yet ... called tonight. Maybe? That? Is? Progress?

All same "800 Service," most recent numbers:

(855) 743-3251
(855) 714-4351
(855) 703-7107
(855) 784-0298
(855) 814-9439
(855) 743-3251
(855) 735-3532
(855) 714-4351
(855) 703-7107
(855) 660-8906
(855) 336-8959
(855) 769-9872
(855) 814-9459
(855) 779-9872
(855) 814-9439
(855) 798-7826
(877) 759-2780

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reply to sortofageek
Don't answer. If you answer, they know you are home that time of day and will bug worse. If it's not a known number on caller id, ignore it... Or do like me, I cuss like the sailor I was...

This has gone on for months and months. Not answering doesn't work. I'm hoping the whistle will.

I'll let you know.
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A friend of mine used to quote bible verses until the caller hung up.

reply to sortofageek
That three part tone that you get when a number is bad is called a "SIT Tone." You might try recording that in your outgoing voice mail/answering machine message and the company's robodialer will think your number is disconnected. I used to have a message like "humans stand by {sit tone} You have reached {number}. This household does not make charitable donations or purchases based on unsolicited phone calls. If you are calling for some other reason, you may leave a message after the tone."

Having the SIT tone in there seemed to eventually reduce hangups and partial messages (where the robo dialer started the pitch as soon as the line answered, not waiting for outgoing message to finish.)

IIRC, there is also a device you can buy to attach to your phone line that you push a button and it will play the tone and hang up.

You might research the phone laws, but I thought even if a company was exempt from DNC list, you could specifically notify them not to call you again and it would be illegal for them to do so.

reply to Scilicet

reply to antbhill2
Your suggestions look very interesting, Anthony. I'm only sort of a geek, though, not a real one like you, so I'm not sure I could figure out how to do the first one.

That phone attachment sounds interesting. I'll have to see if I can "giggle" it.

From what I have read, I'm pretty sure you are right about the laws. However, the reports I'm seeing are that multitudes of people have asked them not to call, but they do anyway. They have been reported properly, but the calls continue. The calls may be hard to trace (spoofed numbers) and are probably originating in India or China or other countries. The DO NOT CALL list we all sign up for is national, right? If so, foreign based telemarketers are a way for companies to get around our laws?

It will be interesting to see if the call I got yesterday (only one call this time) will put a stop to the incessant calls from "800 Service." Others have said these are sometimes robo-callers, but I answered with a grumpy sounding "What?" and a female voice responded saying my name in a questioning manner. I blew the whistle and said "Do not call this number again." Then I hung up.

So she definitely would have found the call unpleasant enough she might hope never to make it again. Hopefully, she had a way to make my request known widely enough it will stop all the calls from that company. I guess we'll see.

I have Comcast Digital Voice. I checked their help forums and see people have been trying to get Comcast to offer a blocking feature which would allow blocking of caller ID labels. In this case they have asked for the ability to block blocks of IDs, such as "800 Se*" or other combinations.

Lots of good suggestions in this thread. Turning off the ringer won't work for me because a family member might need to get in touch with me. It's a great suggestion, though.

I do have the ability to block anonymous callers, but I don't do that because I have one friend who always masks her phone number because of special needs for privacy and I would not want to miss her calls when she has the time to chat. It's also a great suggestion if it can work. It wouldn't block "800 Service," though. Sadly.
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