Unwanted phone calls

[SockMonkey]

I have been getting phone calls from 757-905-6416. No one is ever there, and after a few seconds the call disconnects. I did a google search, and it says the company is based in Virginia and is selling magazine subscriptions, and won't take no for an answer. I'm on the do not call list, and have no idea how these people got my phone number. Is anybody else getting these calls? Luckily at the moment they're not being very persistent...one call last week and one this week...I just hope they don't pick up their efforts!

 

[terrehautian]

Report it to the people in charge of hte do not call list.

 

[Scutter01]

File Complaint | FCC.gov

Note that every single complaint I've filed there has ALWAYS, 100% of the time, without fail, resulted in "Sorry, we can't do anything about it".

 

[Hiker1911]

Wait for them to leave a message. (Don't pick up the phone!)

For those of us with caller ID, let's screen 'em. If callers with toll-free numbers, or long distance numbers are willing to leave a message, it means you're either a customer, or friend and they've got something to share.

The same goes for local callers that ID with "Unknown Name," and you don't recognize the number, either.

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

I'm on the "Do Not Call" list, too. I don't get many but when I do get a call, I get to a live human and ask them the name of their company and where they are located. It gets me off their list.

 

[Scutter01]

Wait for them to leave a message. (Don't pick up the phone!)

They won't. It's an autodialer and it listens for someone speaking. If it doesn't hear anything (or detects an answering machine), it will hang up.

For those of us with caller ID, let's screen 'em. If callers with toll-free numbers, or long distance numbers are willing to leave a message, it means you're either a customer, or friend and they've got something to share.

Caller-ID is ridiculously easy to spoof. All phone spammers spoof it. Unless you control the PBX that routes the incoming call (and you therefore have access to the ANI information), you can assume that the number you're seeing is forged.

The same goes for local callers that ID with "Unknown Name," and you don't recognize the number, either.

That's about all you can go on. If it says "Unknown", don't answer.

You can build an at-home PBX using Asterix on an old PC with an FXO card to terminate the analog line and it costs next to nothing. This lets you do allllll kinds of interesting voicemail routing hell to incoming calls when you don't recognize the number.

 

[hornadylnl]

If you know someone who you really hate, put their information on directbuy.com. I signed up for info about 2 years ago when we started building my house. They still call every once in awhile.

This is something that would have worked better back before you got to keep your cell number. Right before your contract ends, put that number on every high pressure sales crap you can find. The new owner of that number would really love you.

 

[rhino]

I got a bunch of calls from "withheld" over the weekend. One was just after 04:00 and another about 06:30 and the rest were scattered. I'd think it was someone who actually wanted to talk to me, but they never left voice mail.

 

[snapping turtle]

Go to the boat store or your local sporting goods store. They sell a thing called an air horn. Pick up and wait till you get a person and then press button on said air horn.

It does work well to make people mad at the other side of the line.

If you have an answer machine and want to really mess with people find a disconnected or out of service number: record that message to your answering machine. I had to do that with an old Ex girlfriend as she wanted to start up stuff with the new girlfriend. It worked well since I told people to call and hang up then call right back and I would answer. (WAS back before the caller ID was in vogue)

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Caller ID is your friend. I don't answer the phone if I don't recognize the number.

Now, my wife can't bide the sound of a ringing phone...the rule in our house is if you answer it, you handle it. If they ask for me, the standing response is "he's not available. May I take a message". If its a salesman, it's followed up with "we're on the do not call list. Please do not call again or we'll report you. Thank you. Click"

 

[PeaShooter]

get rid of the landline and go cellular only...

 

[Benny]

This is something that would have worked better back before you got to keep your cell number. Right before your contract ends, put that number on every high pressure sales crap you can find. The new owner of that number would really love you.

What kind of miserable prick would do that for no reason?

 

[Jaredjosh]

I answer my unidentified or 1800 numbers with a greeting such as "Jacks Pizza can I take your order." That usually throws them off and they usually hang up, but if they don't hang up I'll try to take the order until they do hang up. With this method I don't usually get repeat calls.

 

[jetmechG550]

Wait for the human on the other end to start talking and blow and air horn or good quality whistle into the phone.

 

[Scutter01]

Why would you want to deafen some poor schlub making minimum wage? It's not bad enough that he has to work in a call center to feed his family?

 

[patience0830]

Shucks, when my BANK calls me it shows me a number that doesn't ring back to the bank. The gal that owns that # is always surprised when I call her back.

We may be dating soon.

 

[Bill B]

I answer the house phone in Korean...the wife no longer lets me answer the house phone
If it wasn't for the fax machine I would not have a landline...

 

[SockMonkey]

get rid of the landline and go cellular only...

It is my cell phone...we haven't had a land line in years

 

[Scutter01]

Shucks, when my BANK calls me it shows me a number that doesn't ring back to the bank. The gal that owns that # is always surprised when I call her back.

We may be dating soon.

Why not? She knows you've got money.

 

[seamus]

When I still had a land-line I bought my Daughter a copy of Alicia Silverstone's phone from "Clueless" and it had several amusing features. I would answer and when they asked for the "man of the house" I would yell dad! and change the voice to the deep Satan voice and tell them to never call again. It worked pretty well.