Irritating Spam Calls

[MikeyBikey]

Yesterday when I was feeling far from well I had about a dozen spam calls equally split between crypto currency and silent calls. I rang three back witholding my number. Each one was an innocent individual whose number had been spoofed. Today I have had 10 more spam calls so far. I would flog the individuals behind this if it was allowed! {very angry emoji}

 

[s'nic]

Is this a landline in your home or your mobile phone?
Also have you registered your phone to the telephone preference service? That can help reduce cold callers and may help with spam.
I've registered both my phones with them. https://www.tpsonline.org.uk/

I also used my isp's call blocker on my landline, I never have spam on my landline now (callers have to identify themself before the call is put through, even if just saying a name, spam callers do not want to say any name or id, so they give up).

 

[rebrascora]

I simply don't answer my phone if I don't recognise the number.

 

[Leadinglights]

Is this a landline in your home or your mobile phone?
Also have you registered your phone to the telephone preference service? That can help reduce cold callers and may help with spam.
I've registered both my phones with them. https://www.tpsonline.org.uk/

I also used my isp's call blocker on my landline, I never have spam on my landline now (callers have to identify themself before the call is put through, even if just saying a name, spam callers do not want to say any name or id, so they give up).

Unfortunately that doesn't seem to work if calls come from overseas numbers which often spam calls do.

 

[s'nic]

The tps should still help with cold callers tho. The free call blocker from my isp/phone provider has definitely cut out the calls on my landline 🙂

 

[PerSpinasAdAstra]

It's about to get worse unfortunately. AI voice cloning and generation technology together with chatbot technology have advanced to the point where soon those spam and scam calls might sound like you're talking to a real person, who can respond to your questions, but you're actually talking to a computer. The tech is already pretty much there - as far as I can tell the only thing preventing a flood of AI scam and spam calls right now is the cost of the computer hardware needed to do it at scale.

 

[Drummer]

As soon as my husband retired and experienced for himself just how many unwanted calls had been disturbing me every day he bought phones which required the caller to announce themselves before they were put through.
I had told him how bad it was, but until he was on the receiving end, he didn't really understand how wearing it had become.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

It's about to get worse unfortunately. AI voice cloning and generation technology together with chatbot technology have advanced to the point where soon those spam and scam calls might sound like you're talking to a real person, who can respond to your questions, but you're actually talking to a computer. The tech is already pretty much there - as far as I can tell the only thing preventing a flood of AI scam and spam calls right now is the cost of the computer hardware needed to do it at scale.

I’ve been getting calls from ‘Jo’ an pseudo-AI bot flogging loft insulation for a few years. Several recorded phrases based on how you respond, but with telltale pauses. It amused me to offer random replies hatstand barnacle phlebotomy. Or to cheerily greet ‘Jo’ and enquire about the weather, and how her family was.

Our new internet provider means we’ve joined the landline-less community. I think I’d had about one genuine call per year for our previous phone/internet contract, but multiple spam calls every week. 🙄

 

[helli]

I’ve been getting calls from ‘Jo’ an pseudo-AI bot flogging loft insulation for a few years. Several recorded phrases based on how you respond, but with telltale pauses. It amused me to offer random replies hatstand barnacle phlebotomy. Or to cheerily greet ‘Jo’ and enquire about the weather, and how her family was.

Our new internet provider means we’ve joined the landline-less community. I think I’d had about one genuine call per year for our previous phone/internet contract, but multiple spam calls every week. 🙄

Sounds similar to my approach to conservatory sales guys when I lived in a 3rd floor flat. I would engage them for some time with detailed questioning before giving an address starting "20th floor" or something along those lines.
I think it must be a family trait. There is a story of a cold caller visiting my parents' house (in the days when they went door to door) being invited in and offered a tea towel so they could "make themselves useful".

 

[s'nic]

A colleague I used to work with told phone callers he was just the gardener, and the owner was out at the moment