Dealing with Phone Scammers--HELP!!! Needed

[Friends just call me Ross]

Yesterday morning, some phone scammers began calling our UNLISTED home phone.

Couldn't understand the first caller, accent too strong.

Second caller said they were a computer company going out of business and wanted

to refund me some money.

I politely told them I wasn't interested and that I hoped their company would soon be better.

 

The third fourth fifth sixth seventh eighth ninth tenth....fourty-eighth callers were all asked 

never to call me ever ever again and to please remove my number from their call list.

 

The calls continue...every two minutes.

 

We simply don't pick up.

They are using a fictitious phone number, so I am at a loss as how to block it.

The first few dozen came in as blocked by the callers.  The next few came in as out of the area.

That is when they started using a phishing number.

 

Any suggestions as to what I can do to stop the constant harassment would be GREATLY 

appreciated.

 

[Sylv]

How frustrating! Have you contacted your phone provider?  Maybe they can help. 

[New World Explorer]

19 minutes ago, Friends just call me Ross said:

Second caller said they were a computer company going out of business and wanted

to refund me some money.

Try to report this to appropriate authorities

How annoying!

[Tortuga]

We have an ISP phone service so we are able to use NoMoRoBo and it filters most of the calls. 

We don't answer ANY incoming call, we let it go to voicemail. Most of the scammers stop calling when they realize no one is answering.

[dove]

Don't know if you would want to do this, but a while back I just started taking my phone off the hook in the morning. I still get some to my cell  but they are more easily dealt with from there., don't have to run as far to see who's calling, ring not as loud, et.. 

The times I've forgotten to do it I got a lot less, even to none. I wondered if they began to think it was a dead number..

Another thought may be to have all calls routed to your answering machine on the first ring..

[Kristian]

Yes, you should contact with the phone provider, explain what happens and they'll tell you how to act exactly.

[Friends just call me Ross]

I guess I will try to call Verizon in the morning.

 

Taking the phone off the hook only stops it for a little while.

 

We can't keep the phone off the hook, because our regular hay customers

use that number to call and tell us they are coming for hay.

 

Thanks for the suggestions!!!

[Stavro]

Answer the call, say "can you hang on just a minute", then put down the phone and leave it off-hook with their line tied up for about ~30 minutes.

 

You will have a tied-up line for a while, but you'll be completely off their list within a day.

[nanceebgd46]

Hi Ross,

 

I don't know if you have ever heard of a device in the marketplace called CPR CallBlocker?  I saw it

demonstrated on the cable channel....QVC....the best of the shopping channels I believe.  I checked on the internet

and QVC and WalMart had the lowest price.  This stops unwanted scammers by disconnecting those

calls.  The device stores 6,500 of the most known telephone numbers they use....it is a great!!! product, becuase

it does exactly what it says it will do.  QVC's price is $69.92 and WalMart charges $79.99.

 

It might be a good idea for you to go on the internet and see pictures/customer reviews etc, etc.

I hope this helps....it's just an idea.....I totally understand and agree that those scam calls will drive

you to drink.

[Tortuga]

Some people have used it as a personal territory and witnessed to them..

[dove]

That could work if they're not recordings, which most seem to be these days..

[boodles]

This is part of an ABC News article from March 2017. 

 

FCC warns consumers about new 'Yes' phone scam

 

The Federal Communications Commission is warning consumers about a new scam that is hooking consumers with just one word: Yes.

According to the FCC, the scam begins as soon as a person answers the phone. A recorded voice or an actual person asks: "Can you hear me?" And the consumer responds, "Yes."

 

"The caller then records the consumer's 'Yes' response and thus obtains a voice signature. This signature can later be used by the scammers to pretend to be the consumer and authorize fraudulent charges via telephone," an FCC news release said.

 

The FCC advised consumers to immediately hang up if they receive this type of call. It also said that if consumers had responded "Yes" to a similar call in the past, they should keep an eye on all financial statements for any unauthorized charges.

 

The FCC also shared the following tips:

 

1. Don't answer calls from unknown numbers. Let them go to voicemail.

 

2. If you answer and the caller (often a recording) asks you to hit a button to stop receiving calls, just hang up. Scammers often use these tricks to identify, and then target, live respondents.

 

3. If you receive a scam call, write down the number and file a complaint with the FCC so we can help identify and take appropriate action to help consumers targeted by illegal callers.

 

4. Ask your phone service provider if it offers a robocall blocking service. If not, encourage your provider to offer one. You can also visit the FCC's website for information and resources on available robocall blocking tools to help reduce unwanted calls. Consider registering all of your telephone numbers in the National Do Not Call Registry.

 

 

Edited December 1, 2017 by boodles
Trying to make the font the same size...

[GrumpysWife]

When I was working, I handed the phone to my mentally challenged client. She loved to talk on the phone and no one ever called her. She was thrilled. 

[New World Explorer]

1 hour ago, GrumpysWife said:

When I was working, I handed the phone to my mentally challenged client. She loved to talk on the phone and no one ever called her. She was thrilled. 

Boy, you're character... LOL

[ReadYourBible]

Start witnessing to them.

[SheyZ]

Yesterday morning, some phone scammers began calling our UNLISTED home phone.
Couldn't understand the first caller, accent too strong.
Second caller said they were a computer company going out of business and wanted
to refund me some money.
I politely told them I wasn't interested and that I hoped their company would soon be better.
 
The third fourth fifth sixth seventh eighth ninth tenth....fourty-eighth callers were all asked 
never to call me ever ever again and to please remove my number from their call list.
 
The calls continue...every two minutes.
 
We simply don't pick up.
They are using a fictitious phone number, so I am at a loss as how to block it.
The first few dozen came in as blocked by the callers.  The next few came in as out of the area.
That is when they started using a phishing number.
 
Any suggestions as to what I can do to stop the constant harassment would be GREATLY 
appreciated.
 

This is what I did Ross go to Amazon and purchase this... it helps so immensely..
This helps so much with the frustration it was worth the money we've had it for almost a year and I was so afraid my mom would fall if she was up and walking trying to get back to the phone because she has to answer every call.
It already comes with about 5,000 known scam callers blocked and then every time a scammer calls you press the red block button and you're done


Sent from my LG-H901 using Tapatalk

[ReadYourBible]

I'm one hundred percent serious about witnessing.  They will either hang up quickly, or listen.  Either way you win.  I had a door to door salesman come in to our offices and he wouldn't shut up, so I directed the conversation toward the kingdom. I figured he'll either be interested or leave. Sadly, he left. I of course wasn't selling the kingdom, but I did think wouldn't it be something if the fellow came into the truth lol!

[Friends just call me Ross]

8 hours ago, SheyZ said:

This is what I did Ross go to Amazon and purchase this... it helps so immensely..
This helps so much with the frustration it was worth the money we've had it for almost a year and I was so afraid my mom would fall if she was up and walking trying to get back to the phone because she has to answer every call.
It already comes with about 5,000 known scam callers blocked and then every time a scammer calls you press the red block button and you're done


Sent from my LG-H901 using Tapatalk
 

 

That would work on a landline, but our home phone is Verizon wireless.

[Friends just call me Ross]

8 hours ago, cerebral ecstasy said:

I'm one hundred percent serious about witnessing.  They will either hang up quickly, or listen.  Either way you win.  I had a door to door salesman come in to our offices and he wouldn't shut up, so I directed the conversation toward the kingdom. I figured he'll either be interested or leave. Sadly, he left. I of course wasn't selling the kingdom, but I did think wouldn't it be something if the fellow came into the truth lol!

 

There are dozens of different people calling.  About five hung up on me while I was pleading for them to stop calling and remove our number from their list.  

 

I have witnessed to political callers before.  I shall give it a try.

 

[Tortuga]

13 minutes ago, Friends just call me Ross said:

 

That would work on a landline, but our home phone is Verizon wireless.

Have you tried Nomorobo?

https://www.verizon.com/support/residential/consumer-education/robocalls/nomorobo.htm

Edited December 2, 2017 by Tortuga

[Friends just call me Ross]

34 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

Have you tried Nomorobo?

https://www.verizon.com/support/residential/consumer-education/robocalls/nomorobo.htm

 

 

Alas, Nomorobo only works on Verizon for APPLE iPhones. 

I couldn't setup Verizon.

[Tortuga]

12 minutes ago, Friends just call me Ross said:

 

Alas, Nomorobo only works on Verizon for APPLE iPhones. 

I couldn't setup Verizon.

That's too bad.

Our landline is VoIP through Comcast and we signed up for Nomorobo for free.

We have Android phones with ATT and we have not used Nomorobo on them yet.

[Sylv]

Is there a way to set up a "do not disturbe" rule that will still allow calls from contacts through, but no others? I have my phone set to go into do not disturbe from 21:30 until 7:30. During this time it will only ring for two numbers I have flagged as "favorite". (This is on a Samsung S7).

Edited December 2, 2017 by Sylv

[Friends just call me Ross]

44 minutes ago, Sylv said:

Is there a way to set up a "do not disturbe" rule that will still allow calls from contacts through, but no others? I have my phone set to go into do not disturbe from 21:30 until 7:30. During this time it will only ring for two numbers I have flagged as "favorite". (This is on a Samsung S7).

 

 

There is no such feature available on our Verizon home phones.

Great idea, though. 

[Stavro]

10 minutes ago, Friends just call me Ross said:

There is no such feature available on our Verizon home phones.

Great idea, though. 

 

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/setup-interruptions-android-lollipop-do-not-disturb/