Junk : Legitimate Phone Calls - Your Ratio ?

[Don Y]

Don't answer?

Dunno. But, perhaps I've got too much of the "commerce economy" mindset; I think in terms of prices to drive behaviors (instead of hoping for compliance with "laws").

[Micky]

That coulld be a problem, but for me, I only got 2 or 3 calls last fall, and 2 years earlier about the same.

[Micky]

There are apps that allow you to send text messages that appear to come from a different phone number from your own. I supppose you can send them to yourself, for that matter.

They do!? Maybe so.

[Micky]

Or 10 months?

There?s good news on the way for at least some of the consumers who have been impacted by this scam: The FTC will be sending checks for $42.95 each to 16,590 victims. It?s releasing these checks as a part of its November 2013 settlement with several entities who have engaged in this illegal behavior.

The comments didn't really start until June, and there were several comments just 5 days ago. Very strange.

;-(

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per Mike Duffy:

I don't have a clue about the "How" part, but I do know that my VOIP provider obliges me by spoofing the CallerID on calls from my cell phone and tablet when they to out over WiFi over VOIP so that the CallerID is that of my home land line phone.

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per [e-mail]:

"Not Effective".... there appears to be a valid semantic issue around my use of "Moot".

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per Andy:

It that's the SIT tone for "Number not in service", I've been using it for several years.

Can't comment specifically on it's effectiveness because I don't have another number without it to compare.... but I do know that my junk calls have risen from almost zero to about five junk calls for every legit call.

[Muggles]

Got another robocall from some spammer that said something like this:

"Hello, we're calling from XYZ business and contacting {empty space supposed to be someone's name they never say} to let you know about an issue you may not be aware of regarding your SS#..."

I wish I could find a way to block it!!

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per Muggles:

I would admonish anybody who let somebody they do not know personally get that far to hang up faster.

Seems to me like an indicator of the total failure of our news media to inform the public is in the wishy-washy advice they give about not doing business with callers before consulting some-authority-or another.

If it were me writing that stuff it would boil down to "Who is calling ? Do I know you ?".... if the caller is unknown, "Click ! ".... no niceties, no civility... just "Click !".

With me, 9 out of 10 times it doesn't even get as far as "Do I know you ?"..... more than about a half-second of silence, and I hang up.

[Muggles]

I don't answer, and almost always let the machine pick it up unless I'm in a "mood" to play with them and then I'll answer, "Pizza hut! Can I take your order? Dine in or carry out? Hello??? click!"

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per Muggles:

I heard a stand-up comic say something like:

"When I answer, I tell them that I've lost my job, the house is in foreclosure, my wife left me, the 12-year-old daughter is pregnant, my son is addicted to drugs, and the dog died.... and *they* hang up on

*me*...

[Micky]

I generally don't hang up on people. I'd say No thanks, Bye.

If it's a charity, I say, Good luck, Bye.

Or maybe, I'm on the Do not call list. Please put me on *your* do not call list. Bye.

Only after they've lied to me or done something similar would I hang up on them.

I can't do that. My phone number for the last 32 years is one number off from a Greek sandwich shop, and callers would just order their food. Despite the fact that the place is open to 2am, I don't think I've ever gotten a call later than 11:30, and only once or twice later than 10, and never when I'm sleeping.

For a long time, when people realized they had the wrong number, 3/4s would hang up without any courtesy, but that changed about 6 or 7 years ago. Now 9 out of 10 apologize, "Sorry" or maybe longer. It's possible I changed to saying "You dialed wrong" then but I don't think I started with that until later.

[Micky]

That's a good one!

"I already did. Check your records." Maybe that's not good.

How about "He told me there would be no charge."

blah-blah

"You're going back on your co-workers promise?"

[Muggles]

LOL Gloom, dispair ... sounds like an old country HeeHaw tune.

[Muggles]

For some reason I can't get the robo call to say anything to me when I tell it, "Pizza Hut, Can I take your order?"