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Is anyone else here experiencing an unusual number of scam, soliciting, unwanted phone call lately?
Our phone number is unlisted and lately we have been receiving numerous unwanted calls, this has also been happening also on our cell phones, both mine and my wife's, a lot of times when we answer the phone there is no one there, what the ^*%# is going on?:angry:
They're computer-generated random numbers. It doesn't matter if your number is unlisted. It also doesn't matter if you put your number on the "do not call" list,the computer calls are untraceable,usually from US or off-shore spam banks. Once you answer even one,the computer remembers your number and recycles it to every other computer on their spam network. That's why ,at first,there appears to be nobody there when you initially answer. If you stay on the line saying "Hello,hello?",the computer detects an answer waiting and directs your call to a telemarketer. They just gotcha. The only way to stop it is to immediately hang up if you don't get an immediate reply. The spam computer then disengages and goes on to the next random number. So much for the fed's Do Not Call list.
I dumped my landline because there was no way to deal with the unwanted calls. And it was getting so bad with my cell phone that I had to block all callers except those on my contact list. Sure it sends the odd, legitimate caller to my voice mail but if their call was important, they'll leave a message. And if I'm expecting an important call, I unblock the phone until the call comes in and then quickly change back.
I just don't answer... or hang up right away. . Easier than blocking and unblocking. checking voice mail.. (people still use that? )Quote:
Originally Posted by Wahoo
did the same thing about 2 months ago, and nice to have quiet at supper time now, looked at it and think in the last 2 years we had 3 people we know call us at home, rest call or text our cell phones. funny how I had forgot about it already until this came up.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wahoo
but something the wife was doing at the end was the same as Topher said, when you do pick up the phone don't say hello, just wait and then the phone hangs up.
we got tired of the duct cleaning companies calling us and the paving companies, good one is we live on a dead end street, about 10 homes on each side and we'd get the call from the paving company that they where working on our street and would we like our driveway done, I say let me check where on a dead end street and phone would go Click.
Yeah, people still use voice mail, works great. The problem with not answering is the constant ringing. When you get 5 or 6 calls a day, it gets to be too much. But you're right. blocking and unblocking is a lot of work though. - a swipe of the phone and a touch of a button. Takes all of about 3 seconds! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by topher
5-6 a day is alot. . I get that in a month... so I guess blocking makes sense than.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wahoo
My home line is also my business number and I get these calls daily
I have spent some time on the phone with Bell Canada[land line] Bell Mobility[cell phone] have gotten absolutely no where.
Called the Office of The Privacy Commissioner of Ontario-result nothing .
Called the Office of The Privacy Commissioner of Canada with the same result , there is nothing they can do, all I was told is that unfortunately "technology is much farther ahead than legislation" they have had many complaints re this matter , scams of all sorts , telemarketers and unwanted phone calls of all types, and presently there is nothing that the Gov. can do, other than advise not to answer calls from unknown sources.
From what I am told... the 'do not call list' is accessed by people outside of Canada and used as a call list for their telemarketing purposes.
A few years ago I had a new unlisted number, when looking for a new car I left my brand new unlisted phone number at a dealership to set up an appointment, not long after I received a telemarketing call. I called the dealership on the suspicion they were behind it and after a brief time discovered that the salesman was selling phone numbers to marketing companies.
I sure hope you sent a letter to the dealership management threatening a law suit for invasion of privacy. Let them take it up with the salesman. All sales people in reputable dealerships are required to sign confidentiality agreements as a condition of employment which especially includes clientele private info.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marker
No letter. I did something better. I told the manager he lost the sale because of it.Quote:
Originally Posted by trimmer21
3 years ago we received a new number . Turns out it was the number of a chimney cleaning company. Guy still has the number posted on his web site.. Turns out he ripped off his customers and fled the country? Police call looking for him + irate customers, who pre paid for service.
We didn't want to get another new number and have our friends/ family not being able to contact us.
You can get use to anything after a while. :)
Don't ever take part in a survey over the phone. NOt ever. They are designed to collect information for an endless number of products . Any information - ie: male/female, age, how many dependents etc can be used to target potential customers.
Once I took a "supposed" govenment survey over the phone but when asked my name, I declined to provide it. 15 minutes later the same woman called me - I told her I just finished taking the survey with her and she said "Oh - sorry Russ"
my solution is that I have the ringer on silent, if someone wants me they can leave a message or better yet text me , i'll check it once and awhile
That sounds like as much fun as a root canal.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sharon
i like the scam phone calls... its fun messing with them... especially the "microsoft" tech supoport guys... i have had them so frustrated, and even had one guy tell me to go F myself LOL
Had the same thing happen, we took over a dead beats number. In he end it was a lot of fun ! Blowing whistles , just laying the phone down while they talked. Sort of like frying ants under a magnifying glass only no significant life forms were harmed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sharon