Give Me a Break!
As ridiculous as it seems, I cannot answer my phone if I don't recognize the number on caller ID. I am being besieged with telemarketing calls: forty-five calls in the short month of February, and as of today, I have received 23 calls in March.
Some calls I receive are local numbers, and others appear on my caller ID with names I recognize, but they are not those individuals: their numbers have been "cloned."
Technology is allowing the telemarketing industry to legally stalk and harass citizens. If someone rang our doorbells two, three, or four times a day, local authorities could deal with them.
Ignoring the calls is not working and being on the Do Not Call registry is not working. Disconnecting the phone is the only solution to this frustrating situation; however, I don't want to go to that extreme.
How do you handle this annoying problem?
Thank goodness for caller ID!! We get a ton of calls like that too. The number seems to have increased recently - Fletch said it is like elections are just around the corner and the political calls have started (equally annoying). We just ignore them and don't answer the phone.
ReplyDeleteHiya is a great app for cellphones; it recognizes most telemarketer calls and automatically blocks them; the ones it misses I can block in the app.
ReplyDeleteNancy, we purchased Panasonic phones several years ago, with caller ID, that helped some. Now if a number comes up numerous times, hubby has that set to give a busy signal to the telemarketer, we can hear the buzz of the busy signal. So we don't answer. All my quiltly friends numbers are on a different ring tone than family and other friends. Not fair that we have to do all of this.---Julia in NE
ReplyDeleteI'm with you Nancy! We've kept our landline for a number of reasons, but mostly we only get telemarketers and political robocalls. And I've renewed our DO NOT CALL listings every year. It does not good. Same with our cell phones. The most recent has been a recording (starts mid-sentence) telling me to call back immediately because their is a fraud alert or other legal term out on my name. Our local TV station just did a story on that scam.
ReplyDeleteWow - that is extreme. I only have a cell, so I don't know if that makes a difference.
ReplyDeleteI think not answering is the only thing your can do. Maybe give loved ones a ring code. Ie - Let the phone ring once. Hang up. Wait 30 seconds and then call again
I have the same problem. I've called the FTC, the BBB, the local police station, and Verizon. Blocking numbers does not help. The scammers have robo-dialers with thousands of numbers. I watched several youtube videos regarding this problem. The videos recommended: answer the calls and waste their time. Ha! My time is valuable, too.
ReplyDeleteI've got the same problem. They've learned to use familiar names and numbers-even our own. It should be against the law to bother people this way. I'm on that registry too-to no avail.
ReplyDeleteNancy i agree with you. We do a reverse phone number look up and many are labeled high risk for fraud. Ugh. DOnt people have nice things to do with their lives? THen I have a block caller option in my phone settings so I choose that.
ReplyDeleteI meant the FCC not the FTC in my previous post.
ReplyDeleteI have a smart phone, an Android. There is an app I use called "Calls Blacklist". Any junk calls or texts, I go to the app and block that number from calling again. Works great and it's free!!!
ReplyDeleteI have my iPhone set to automatically send calls that are not in my contacts list to voicemail. If the caller doesn’t leave a message, I Block that number. It doesn’t bother me at all not to answer my phone!
ReplyDeleteI've just started to place the phone down and not hang up. about 15 minutes I hang up figuring if it costs them money they will remove the phone number? Time will tell if this works.
ReplyDeleteWe only have cell phones, and I'm not one of those people that carry it with me! I never answer my phone unless I'm right there, and I check to make sure it's someone in my call list. If not, I don't answer....if it's a real call, they'll leave a message! This drives my hubby crazy; he wants to answer every single call! He loves to talk on the phone....so it's hard for him to ignore the ring. I grew up with a father saying, "Telephones are for business purposes only! You get 2 minutes!" Yep....cured me instantly! lol
ReplyDeleteSame problem as you and it sounds like everyone else has. I am so tired of these phone calls. I’ve had seven just today! It really annoys me when they’re on my cell phone. If you find an answer, please let us all know. I renew the do not call registry every year on all of our phone numbers to no avail.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Betsy
I just don’t answer. Hugs,
ReplyDeleteFrustrating for sure, I wish there was an answer. I hate the ones that just ring once and then stop...it is spooky but those are robocalls and I wasn't quick enough to answer. Gene has been getting some on his cell phone and i have to research how to block those numbers:(
ReplyDeleteSame problem here so we dropped our land line.
ReplyDeleteIt is ridiculous! I agree, it is harassment!
Going to cell only is the your only recourse, I'm afraid!
I dis onnected the landline and only have a cell phone. I use two different ringtones on the cell: if you are in my contacts list it rings with a pretty ringtone and if you aren't in my contacts it rings with the default tone.
ReplyDeleteClearly you are not alone! We don't answer calls from unknown numbers. Later, Keith goes back and blocks them.
ReplyDeleteBut the whole situation is ridiculous. Why is it legal for businesses to bother people. We PAY for our phones. Shouldn't we be in control?
Oh dear. It is terribly frustrating getting those calls. I keep a wee radio by the phone, I ask the caller to wait a moment while to go turn off a saucepan, or some other invented errand, then 'put them on hold' with the radio playing. I come back after a few minutes and hang up. LOL
ReplyDeleteOh boy it seems like everyone is having problems with this. I found that if I don’t answer the phone they seem to stop calling. I figure that if it’s someone I know they will leave a message and I will call them back. I had heard from someone that if you don’t answer ever they stop calling, and it seems to be working for me.
ReplyDeleteUgh -- for some reason I don't get a lot of robocalls. Husband gets way too many. We each have cell phones. I don't get all that many calls from friends either... And we gave up land lines a long time ago. Hope one of these suggestions will help you.
ReplyDelete