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.

punkwalrus,
@punkwalrus@lemmy.world avatar

I pretend to be another call center. Or an IVR.

“Thank you for calling Punkadye Laboratories and Archives. My name is Terry. May I have your GSN number please?”

I don’t know what a GSN number is; just something that I made up. Once in a while, I get an actual person, but I insist that I have “their latest GSN or a recent invoice,” before I continue. I have “a call center voice,” and can reasonably fake gender neutral.

Sometimes I answer, “Thank you for calling Punkadye Laboratories and Archives. Please listen closely, as our menu options recently changed. If you know the number of your party’s extension, you may dial it at any time. If this is a billing question, please press 1. If this is technical support, please press 2.”

Rarely does the call get past the press one part. Often this cuts the latest wave of calls quickly.

rip_art_bell,
@rip_art_bell@lemmy.world avatar

as our menu options recently changed

They’ve ALWAYS changed… 😭

ook_the_librarian,

How is it recent? This is recorded. When you said “recent”, did you make a little note take that word out it a month or so?

kent_eh, (edited )

The person who recorded our IT department’s ivr message hasn’t worked here for almost a decade, but the message still says “the options have recently changed…”

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.

Railcar8095,

Pixel phone user, the built in spam blocker seems very reliable. When something goes through I use the call screening feature.

lolcatnip,

This is the reason why I won’t consider anything but a Pixel. I’ve tried other phones a couple of times but ended up replacing them with Pixels for the spam blocking.

Juvyn00b,

This right here. Got a pixel a year ago… Holy shit. Was wondering why I literally get zero spam calls after formerly only owning Samsung phones… Google Assistant screening everything is just fantastic for my ADHD brain.

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.

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.

Vej,

I like answering them and asking if their parents are proud of them.

pan_troglodytes,

so, your mileage may vary but here’s what I do:

  • people I want to talk to are in my contacts list
  • I ignore all other incoming calls
  • voicemail is a filter. use it.
DirigibleProtein,

If they don’t leave a voicemail, then it’s either spam or not urgent.

Fuck the people (like my boss) who say “You’re so hard to get hold of”. Send a message or leave a voicemail, you caveman.

lolcatnip,

Or a debt collector. Fuck those people.

BurningRiver,

I keep my voicemail full. Text me if you need to talk from a number I don’t have in my contacts

variants_of_concern,

My phone app does a good job of labeling suspected spam calls and texts so I just set it to auto ignore all those and that’s been pretty good so far, but I’m just using the default phone app on samsung,

when I had pixel the Google phone app was nice because it would auto answer if it was maybe a real number and only ring once they said why they were calling so if it wasnt important they would just hangup without you being bugged

rdyoung, (edited )

Nice to see the reddit attitude making it’s way here. OP is downvoting all of the correct answers and the bad advice is getting upvoted.

To everyone reading this. If you don’t want spam calls stop answering numbers you don’t recognize. You should also go to your carrier and opt in to whatever spam blocking service they offer (should be free).

I would also advise as I did in another comment to keep your real number on GV or similar with decent spam protection/blocking and use a direct number you can burn if needed.

AlecSadler,

I use T-Mobile Spam protection and configured it to send every unknown number directly to voicemail.

For any telemarketing, spam, etc. calls they get directly ignored without being sent to voicemail.

I’ve been lucky to only have one false positive in 5 years now, cost of doing business.

rdyoung,

I don’t have that level of protection turned on and I get very few calls. Both my work and personal numbers are on GV so if somehow either of my direct lines start getting spam bombed I can burn them and get new ones. Thinking about it, I should maybe be prepared and grab one to park as I’ve advised so I have a fresh and clean one ready to go.

Railcar8095,

the bad advice is getting upvoted.

But… You are the most upvoted comment… And seems good advice… I’m so confused

rdyoung,

At the time of that comment I and all of the other legit advice was getting shit in and downvoted by OP and others.

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

cmnybo,

I just don’t answer unless the number is in my contacts list. If it’s important, they will leave a voicemail and I will call back. Spammers almost never leave a voicemail.

linearchaos,
@linearchaos@lemmy.world avatar

Pick up the phone, say nothing and mute it. Unless you have a good reason to answer it, leave it be. Hang up after 30 seconds of they dont. The more sophisticated spammers will write you off as an automated system.

If it’s a human who should reach you, they’ll assume it was a bad connection and say hello after 10 seconds or so.

rosymind,

Tried this a couple of times, but they kept calling my junk phone. I got like 7 or 8 calls the day after Thanksgiving. I block the numbers, but the next number will just be one or two digits different

I keep the junk phone for things like shopping clubs, pharmacy reminders, etc. I have a seperate number for people and trusted sources (though I realize that anyone can be compromised. I’ll get a fresh number once that happens again)

Anyway, point is- I dont think they’re human scammers. At least not the ones calling me

rdyoung,

It’s bad advice. Just stop answering the ones you don’t recognize. If you have android, Googles phone app is pretty good at giving you the name of the company that is calling you (assuming it’s not spoofed). It’s also pretty good at flagging calls and texts that might be spam. If you are waiting for a call from your mechanic for example, it will usually show you that its Firestone or NTB or whatever calling.

Stop answering spam calls and they will eventually go away. If they don’t go away or seem like they are waning, you might have someone fucking with you and it’s time for a new number that you don’t give out to anyone. I do the same with email. I have ProtonMail and I have a few aliases that I use for specific purposes, if/when one them is leaked/sold/traded/whatever, I will temporarily pause that address and eventually it will get flagged as a bad one and they will stop coming.

rosymind,

They do not go away. I have literally forgotten about this phone to the point of it being dead/drained for an extended period of time… they calls never stop

rdyoung,

Have you turned on spam protection from your carrier? And as I said in another comment, if you port the number to GV or the like and let it sit, it will eventually stop getting calls. It also depends on what you mean by extended periods of time and if you then start answering the calls even when you aren’t expecting a call or don’t recognize the number.

rosymind,

I’ve answered two recently, but hadn’t answered them for about 6 mo to a year or so.

Before that- probably 3 years ago, now, I contacted the carrier about spam texts from websites and that stopped, though I still get spam texts from numbers (mostly political)

This number belonged to someone who was ditching creditors, so I think they eventually sold the number and it just gets passed around. Half the reason I keep it is so that it doesnt get released to someone else (it’s like something out of a pass-it-along horror movie)

Most of the time I dont care, but occationally I leave the volume up for some reason and end up with a 6am wake up spam call. I can ignore it 90% of the time

rdyoung,

This is bad advice. All this does is is flag the number as in service and it will get even more calls.

Aside from the advice I gave in another set of comments, you could and should check with your cell provider and turn on spam blocking if they offer it.

I have a total of 5 numbers across 2 phones, 2 at GV and 1 at textnow. I get very very few spam calls and texts. I very rarely answer the phone for a number I don’t recognize, I let it go to vm and then if it’s legit and important I’ll consider calling them back. I keep my phone on silent and all calls and notifications go through my watch so I am not listening to the phone ring especially when I am working.

Chozo,

All this does is is flag the number as in service and it will get even more calls.

That's not how it works. If the number rings at all, it's in service. They know your number is valid before you even pick up.

rdyoung,

That’s not how that works. Maybe you don’t understand how these call centers work. These days it’s usually a bot dialing a list of numbers and flagging any with a person answering as one for a real person to call to sell/scam/whatever.

I’m hoping for your sake that you are just being pedantic and hyperfocusing on my verbiage instead of the overall message.

variants_of_concern,

They usually hang up as soon as you pick up most of the time, just bots checking if it’s a real number for some reason

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.

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