Home land security non-Valk. Please read

[da prez]

  I received a call from 769-287-0053. An Asian voice Identified herself as an agent for Homeland Security and Border protection.   Phone number is a Mississippi area code. I was told I have a complaint and charge lodged against me.    I am sorry I ended the call to soon.  I told her it sounded like a scam.    I should have played along and had fun with her. I guess I needed to sound scared. I bet I could have solved the issue with a credit card payment. I bet it would have been a reasonable amount.

                                                  da prez

[carolinarider09]

I have not gotten a call like that in recent days.  Our landline (run via internet) usually gets about six or seven calls a day from these "telephone marketers" and almost all have a foreign accent.

They only ring the landline four times before stopping the call.  I try to answer so I can chew them out and also I figure that they get charged for a completed call.

And yes my phone number is on the "Do Not Call" list.  So you can see how efficient the Federal Government is in enforcing the rules they put into place.

Oh and ever call has a number that is related to someone. somewhere in the USA.  Again, it's illegal but no one in the Federal Government does a thing to enforce the rule they instituted to protect us from this crap. 

[0leman]

The problem is that these calls are from foreign countries.  The Gov can't stop them.  The callers are spoofing local US phone numbers. 

I have been lucky that I only get 2-4 calls a week.

[Serk]

You guys still answer the phone for numbers you don't know?   

[f6john]

You guys still answer the phone for numbers you don't know?   

This! Sometimes I will answer calls from 859 area code because of doctors offices and a few other business offices sometimes call for reminders, other than that no answer from me. I haven’t had a land line in 10 years.

[old2soon]

     I git calls from numbers I no recognize I do NOT answer. I have an extensive list of Folks I KNOW along with medical and other Needed numbers. Here lately some incoming calls the phone beeps to alert me to a voice mail. Go thru the rigamoroll and NOTHING there! Those incoming calls have dropped off some as I block those nuisance #s. Some do leave voice mails and IF those V Ms were to be believed I've won several millions from the Thai lottery or I owe a serious amount of money to deception central. Or those calls willin to make "great deals" on siding and storm windows!  Yup telemarketing and scams have stepped up a LOT!  RIDE SAFE.

[klb]

I will answer an unknown number on my cell sometimes knowing it is probably a scammer. I have a soundboard from the movie Full Metal Jacket on my computer and use the phrases to answer the scammer with. After a few replies from Sgt. Hartman they end up cursing at me sometimes in their native language. I have learned some of their language so I can really piss them off.

[Farside]

  I don’t answer calls that I don’t recognize most times, especially out of an area code not recognizable. I actually received a “Face time” call from overseas yesterday. A 63+ number, really surprised me. Wife said I should have answered Nah

[scooperhsd]

On my homeline (it has been a VOIP line for something like 10 years now) - I have it setup that it will answer and then the caller needs to enter a random digit before it will get completed (if we're at home to answer - otherwise it goes to voicemail). We get about 3-4 calls per month on it now.

My cell phone (Tracfone) has nomorobo on it - calls that are not legit are almost completely eliminated. Wish I could say the same about political texts - I've recently started doing the "Stop to end" - not sure how much that is helping.

Wife is using Boost - practically zero spam calls and political texts go to a spam folder.

MIL old number - we have that on our same VOIP company, with the same "press random digit to connect" about 30-50 calls per day that do not complete. Even if they do - with MIL's dementia they won't get a "good" conversation with her....

[da prez]

  i have a lot of items for sale as I am down-sizing.  I had a Texas Joe on the screen. he was calling about one of the boats.  If I was not in a hurry , I would have played with her.

                                                 da prez

[DIGGER]

I got a call recently from what the phone ID said was a telemarketer.   I let it ring till they quit then called the number to see if they would answer and immediately this guy answers.   I talked a while with him and we realiized he was just somebody else.   So the scammers were using his active phone number for telemarket reasons.  The guy swore up and down he did not call my number.  Dont know how the telemarketers do that but seems they did.

[carolinarider09]

 So the scammers were using his active phone number for telemarket reasons.  The guy swore up and down he did not call my number.  Dont know how the telemarketers do that but seems they did.

Yes, on my "phone" 99% of the calls show a legit name and number.  It is a real number in that it is actually related to the name on the screen but the scammers can make that happen. 

Again, I don't mind answering them if I am not busy and telling them they are ..sd.jfajd;lja;sj; f;lkasj;ljsd;lf.   

So, in reality there is no way to ignore these calls unless you only answer the phone if you know the calling party.  Could be an issue with safety in some cases.  Just my two cents.

[Willow]

I answer with "Good morning", "Good afternoon", or "Good evening".  If I get no response for several seconds or I get the tone associated with a dialing machine, I hang up.

Isn't it interesting the terminology we still use?  I haven't for years dialed or hung up a phone.  Most of us probably have no idea what lock, stock, and barrel truly means.

[Rams]

As we all know, one can keep a phone number if one has moved so, I've lived several different area codes since I got my first and only cell phone and have retained that number ever since.

Anyway, a few months ago, I was getting bids/quotes for a project, getting phone calls from numerous area codes but the vast majority were from contractors.   Long story short version, since I was getting all these calls and due to my project and getting lazy, I didn't check the number.   The caller left a message on my voice mail but due to the background noise and my bad hearing I couldn't understand.   Now, please remember I'm dealing with the construction project and a lot of different people.  So, I returned the call.

Turns out, the callers area code was from some island out of the US.  That phone call was going to cost me several hundred dollars I discovered after calling it.   Foolish me.

I immediately called my cell phone provider and informed them of this scam.   They were very helpful and marked that call on their records as Scam Call and I didn't get charged for it.  But, the person I spoke with advised me to look into a service they provided where my phone settings would only ring if the caller was in my contact list.   All callers have the opportunity to leave a voice mail message but, very few scammers do.   I love this service and it's free.  Correction, it's in the settings on my iPhone.

Note to friends that might call me:   My voice mail has a message that says, please leave a message and if you don't or can't, don't bother calling back.   So, if you happen to not get hold of me because my phone didn't ring, that means you're not in my contact list.   Please leave a message and I'll call you back (especially if you're giving away money).  

Rams

[Hook#3287]

I have 2 cell phones, one for work and one for personal use.

Unless I know who's calling, I never answer.

"Just Leave a message, maybe I'll call"

My ringers are off. The reason is due to "group texting".

Years ago that invasion into my privacy required I shut my ringers off and I liked it.

On the other hand, when I call someone, if the line owner does not identify themselves, most cases I will not leave a message.

It's amazing to me how many so called business and professional people do not ID their message.

I will call twice, as most scammers will not, and many times the second call gets answered.

[cookiedough]

A few years ago, actually several years,  I had to give my cell phone number for my mom due to medicare and other over age 65 programs since my mom was not capable of answering the phone and she was outta her house over 7 years ago, no phone, no comprehension of ability to understand anyone.  EVER since that phone number was given out,  I get at least 10 calls per week all asking me about medical stuff and if I was OVER age 65.    I said NO, so stop calling and hang up before they click the phone down on me. 

Is very upsetting these scammers pray on older people who may or may not have the common sense to hang up on them and tell them to F off like I do!