Spam / Robo / Marketing Calls - How to avoid these?

#54

Call never connects, they just give missed calls, looks like these may be scam which charge back when we can them back

#55

Glad I rarely call back missed calls especially if it’s a crazy number. My area code is either 704 or 980, so if it doesn’t start with those numbers, I’m not calling back

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#56

found a sort of workaround solution for landline… Using my Phone service SIP provider (Callcentric), setup a IVR for callers to Press 1 for call to continue. If caller is a human and wants to continue to talk, will need to press 1. Will keep changing these options regularly. This (hopefully :crossed_fingers:) should take care of spam/robo calls for landline.

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#57

for android and iphone users you can use
true caller
identify most spam call

#58

I think that’s the one built into my phone.

#59

I know truecaller works in India but doesn’t seem to work that well for me in USA. Even after setting spam callers as spam

#60

AFAIK T-mobile blocks these in the US, not sure about other carriers

#61

Verizon is the worst of the lot… Lot of spam calls… I also have a spare AT&T, get calls only from my contacts, not a single spam or robo.

#62

Get something that makes them think the number is out of use.

#63

How do you set up an IVR?

Can you do it on a mobile?

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#64

IVR was possible on my old old Nokia E71 ( yes… Nokia :smile: ) this should be possible on rooted / Jailbroken - Android and iOS devices respectively, though have no idea since I have not tried JB in recent times.

As for IVR on Landline, there are 2 ways – use service provider IVR ( Callcentric has it… Note that I am.not advertising them, been using them for quite sometime but never tried looking into thier services till now ) OR setup via the RPi or a Voice ATA device (this is cumbersome, I tried RPi - took a lot of my time)

All calls are answered immediately and an announcement is provided to caller to Press 1 (or any digit, you can also upload some fancy announcement :wink:). If its a genuine caller, he / she will surely press 1. If its a spam / robo / scam, these are left there, terminated when there are no entries made.

#65

There is no way of knowing which ones a genuine call Vs spam, and is a selective process on Google Voice, and tough since there is lot of Caller ID spoofing going on…

#66

If my memory remembers… I think or may be I heard there is some kind of call screening available on Android. Google Pixel has some kind of Call screening via Google Assistant… Have not seen or tested it… I am in Apple’s Walled Garden :apple:

#67

You don’t know? :joy:

#68

Google / Android has only basically 2 methods:

  • Google Voice can call screeners, you see number, name, and decide if to accept. Google Voice itself independently is from my experience pretty good at detecting robo calls and filtering itself, hinting all the networks probably could also. So what you could do is block all incoming calls (actual phone calls) from other than your address book, and give out just Google Voice to the general Internet (people you don’t know) and filter that way. You’d receive calls from people you don’t know from Hangouts.
  • Android can block calls based on criteria, the one I am most familiar is only accept calls from those you know, so the most common version is put into “do not disturb” mode and it only rings for calls in your address book.

None of these are perfect.

Currently I have an utter wanker calling from 888xxxxxxx rotating the last 4 digits a few times a day to my ATT number. They can fuck off, or I suggest place them here:

#69

Meant to edit my comment and say phone companies use either one. But I think the main one is 704

#70

A lot of places have 2 area codes

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#71

Oh interesting. I’ve never had two before :man_shrugging:. Lived in 5 different area codes, but never a big city…

#72

My area has 3 area codes, this ia very common as more and more customers add to network.

#73

I am planning to start publishing GV as primary number for my cell and forward calls to my cell, it’s pain since I need to change it in lot of places for banks, school, office, utility… :tired_face: to see if these reduce the number of spam calls… gradually, change my cell number permanently.