Spam calls and texts are driving me fing crazy anyone have suggestions?

After repeated data breaches that no company really seems to give a s— about my phone is blowing up with literally hundreds of spam calls and texts month. I get and make MAAAAYBE 2 or 3 important calls per month, 180-200 of the rest are literally all spam. Anyone have any suggestions, apps ect that they have found refuge with? I really don’t use SMS that much either, mostly it’s via signal, discord whats app, ect…

Just to put it out there I run CalyxOS on a Pixel 5a.

sxan,
@sxan@midwest.social avatar

Yet Another Call Blocker is in F-Droid.

NABDad,

This is not advice.

I hated spam calls. Got them constantly.

I decided to just fuck with them mercilessly. I’d answer almost every time. Even if I had to drop whatever I was doing. My single overriding goal was to keep them on the line as long as possible and then, once discovered, piss them off as much as possible.

I’ve been doing this for years. No YouTube channel or anything. I didn’t record the calls. Just a personal hobby of mine.

If I was at work, I’d try to keep them talking while I ignored them and kept working. If I wasn’t busy, I’d interact more.

Initially, it seemed to cause a massive increase in spam calls. Like, it seemed fairly obvious to me that I was getting more calls because I was responding. Since I enjoyed fucking with them, I didn’t mind getting them any more.

I always figured I was at least tying up one scammer for as long as possible.

After awhile all my calls were hangups. I’d answer, and then they would immediately disconnect. I know that happens sometimes because the robo caller calls multiple lines at once and drops all but the first one that answers, but it started happening every time for me.

A few months ago I read about some scam call networks getting busted. I wondered if it would have any effect.

Seems like it has. I don’t even get one call or week anymore.

yesdogishere,

yea i answer and string them along for ages. since i am not well, my voice and tiredness always shows through, but im quite lonely so i quite enjoy these long rambling chats. i always try to be helpful and ask them lots of questions, and always say yes to whatever they want. but i never give out bank account numbers etc. but i always say "yes i will contact my lawyer and they will cut you a cheque,. how much do you need? pls, let me help?" etc etc.

thezeesystem,

I use the app “should I answer” on Google play store. It worked pretty well for my partner who isn’t really that smart with that kinda stuff and used to get lots of calls. But it helped her a bit mitigating it.

nameisnotimportant,
@nameisnotimportant@lemmy.ml avatar

I like it too but I wish they would stop harrasing you with their database update, it’s so annoying!

thezeesystem,

Oh forgot I turned that notification off. So I only update it once in a while.

Pyro,

I have a Pixel 5a too and the call screening option is a godsend.

XbSuper,

If you ran standard OS, your phone would handle it for you. It’s my favourite thing about my pixel.

So I guess my suggestion is to revert back to the standard pixel OS.

lvxferre,
@lvxferre@lemmy.ml avatar

Note: this depends a lot on which governments you pay taxes to (country, state/province, city). With that in mind:

  • Check if there’s a “do not call” list where you live - i.e. a gov-enforced list of numbers that you are forbidden to call for advertisement. If there is one, put your number there.
  • Do not answer spam calls at all. Usually it’s easy to identify them, but there are some applications for this, like this (it’s in F-Droid so likely available for CalyxOS). By simply not answering those calls, your number gets marked as “inactive” by the advertisers/spammers/telemarketers, so the frequency of the calls gets lower over time.
  • Get a new phone number, redirect all legitimate contacts to your new number, and trash away the old one.
Atemu,
@Atemu@lemmy.ml avatar

gov-enforced list of numbers that you are forbidden to call for advertisement. If there is one, put your number there.

As a scam caller from some country the US has no influence over, that would be a great resource!

lvxferre,
@lvxferre@lemmy.ml avatar

I believe that it should still reduce the likelihood of spam calls - because you don’t advertise where you aren’t selling stuff, and if you’re selling stuff you don’t want to piss off the local government.

For reference: where I live the “do not call” list is from the state. Most of those spam calls come from people in other states controlled by the same republic, thus not subjected to the rules of my state - and yet the “do not call” list still does its job.

Trev625,

I kept my phone number from a different state so everyone that calls from that area code can be ignored. I also have AT&T’s ActiveArmor app (free) and it blocks most of them. I used to get 2-4 a day but I’m down to 1ish a week now.

Answering vs not answering didn’t really ever make a difference for me, but I’ve heard lots of things like don’t answer and they’ll think the line isn’t real or answer but play the do Do DO sound effect or answer but leave it silent. Not sure if any will help.

cheese_greater,

Airplane mode or MySudo

SuiXi3D,
@SuiXi3D@kbin.social avatar

I know they don’t have the best reputation, but Truecaller’s ‘Voice Assistant’ feature has been a godsend for me. The basic bot answers calls from unknown numbers and transcribes their response before ringing, and only if they don’t hang up. I’ll look at my phone to see I have a few missed calls from unknown numbers, only to find that Truecaller intercepted them all and they hung up once they heard the message that the call was being screened. It’s great.

Folks that call for legitimate reasons that aren’t in my contacts generally leave a message and I get the call once they’ve left it. Folks that are in my contacts ring as normal.

SuckMyWang,

Have you tried not receiving them?

SecretPancake,

I had a similar attack of spam calls for a while. It started the moment I answered one call and continued for months. Simply not answering was not enough. Blocking specific numbers does not help either because they change every time. I then blocked all calls not in my address book for a few weeks and that helped. I could then disable the block again and for a year only got an occasional call here and there but could ignore it based on the area code. Now it finally seems quiet.

I’m on an iPhone. Could not find any other way that would help me block spam calls that is not expensive and/or privacy invasive. So blocking everything is the only option.

stealth_cookies,

Is there any pattern to the numbers they are coming from? For example, many of the calls i get spoof my area code and first 3 digits so I block those numbers automatically.

I’ve also used an app called Mr. Number in the past to screen potential spam calls for me.

xilliah,

If you’re in the US isn’t there that law that allows you to request to be put on the black list? And if anybody ignores this list you can receive damages.

variants_of_concern,

Most of the people calling you are scammers pretending to be political or charity campaigns using sketchy urls each time asking for money so I doubt they care about breaking the law more than they already are

Sabata11792,
@Sabata11792@kbin.social avatar

Wait, damages? I could have been rich last election cycle.

Trainguyrom,

The federal Do Not Call list is effective at weeding out legitimate companies trying to sell products that should be illegal, but scammers obviously have no need to respect the Do Not Call list. Unfortunately this is a problem with many sides, including captive regulators, insane wealth disparities between nations, cultural conflict, and problematic network protocols, so it will require action from multiple angles to fully stamp out

rdyoung,

Maybe it’s time to change your number. If you want to keep your current one maybe port it into something like google voice where it can sit and eventually the spam will stop.

I have my main number that I’ve had for over a decade on GV and then I have my direct number that I give out sparingly, mechanics, plumbers, etc that need to contact me and I need to receive the call, my GV number is set to not ring at all aside from messagea.

yenahmik,

Lol, like that would stop the spam.

I’ve found whenever you get a new number, it was probably abandoned by someone with credit issues and/or stalkers.

I think the only thing you can do is put your phone on silent for everything except whitelisted numbers and have it go directly to voicemail for everyone else.

rdyoung,

It actually will stop it eventually. I have a work number on GV as well and it receives zero non work calls. Similar with the direct number on both work and personal phone. Work phone gets calls every so often about real-estate I definitely don’t have anything to do with and my personal line gets zero spam.

Yes, porting a number into GV and letting it sit along with leaving it on don’t ring at all anywhere will eventually clear that number up. It may never be zero calls but if you keep answering it the calls will keep coming.

If you want a better chance of a clean number, look for area codes that are more recently allocated, this will make it more likely that others haven’t used it before you. You’ll probably have a decent chance by grabbing a number from GV directly or through number barn or the like. Find a number that has been sitting around for awhile and you’ll probably be fine.

rosymind,

You can sometimes get a fresh number. I got lucky with mine (keep my junk phone for club-cards and the like)

DudeDudenson,

I just started blocking each number that called/texted one by one. Most call centers have 5 or 6 numbers they use at most so eventually you just stop getting the calls/messages

It took almost a year but now if I get a call I know it’s something I should pick up 95% of the time

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