UPDATED: Well... looks like I've l̶o̶s̶t̶ won the battle against scam callers

[m k]

Area code, completely overlooked that and assumed the rest.

Here mobile phones have never had area codes, first it was a service provider thing, now it's floating.
At the beginning the whole country had a single code, analog NMT time.

So when USA had area codes we had double zeros and country codes.
Or first long distance indicator here was 9, possibly other 9 for internationals, dial phones so no other signs.

An anecdote, here some still have their original mobile numbers, the number part being 4 or 5 digits.
Cost is also a bit different.

Other anecdote, my number has 7 digits where last 6 are the old landline.
Last 6 must read 3+3 or I can't recognize it.

[Whales]

CID is very easy to spoof in Australia.  One of my providers has a (very thin) protection against this: you have to receive a call to the number (with a robot reading out a verif code) before you can claim it as one of your CIDs, but after that you can use it on anything you want.  Another provider I once dealt with was a bit more cautious, but after I explained to them how this other provider did it they said "ok sure we can do it too then".

Fun fact: I've never gotten a single scam or robo call on my desk phone (NSW 02 number, ~3 years or so) or my SMS-to-email gateway mobile phone (~1year).  Somehow I've ended up very lucky.  Maybe it's because I also turn them off regularly?  Not sure.

[exuvo]

I used to get spam calls from many countries but never my own. I now use NoPhoneSpam on android to block every country that is not the one i live in.
You can get it on f-droid or https://gitlab.com/bitfireAT/NoPhoneSpam/ if you want to compile it yourself.
Set the mode to "allow calls only from this list" then add 0* entry for in-country calls (i assume this is a standard?) and +YourCountryCodeHere*. To allow some countries add entries ex +34* for spain.

It also has a setting to allow calls only from contacts but i have not tried that mode.

[andy2000]

Something does need to be done about scam/spam calls, but the worst phone problem I ever had when when my number got on a debt collection list.  They would often call several times a day looking for some lady I had never heard of.  I'd always tell them that they had the wrong number, and to put me on their "do not call list".  That would usually stop it for a while, but it would always start up again eventually (presumably after the file got sold onto some other company).  I ended up having to change my phone number to make it stop.

[SiliconWizard]

I rarely give my phone number to web sites and stuff like that.... except for shipping, carriers often need a phone number.
I've also been getting increasing spam calls. Given who is suppoed to have my number, I can only assume that either carriers or the companies I've given my phone # for shipping reasons to have either sold, or at least leaked, my number.

I suspect a good fraction of these calls also actually come from your phone provider itself, either directly or sold to thid parties. While they should be the ones to protect your number at all costs IMO.
Fuckers.

My current mobile phone has a pretty good detection for suspected spam calls though, it puts them in spam 99% of the time with no false positive so far. But the way it works, it flags suspected spam calls (and SMS), but does not block them (for obvious reasons, it could be wrong), so you still receive them. You can blacklist phone numbers though, but spam calls keep rotating the originating number anyway, so it's a lost cause.

It's gotten so bad that a law has been passed lately for this - so far I'm not sure if it's purely national or on a EU level, I'll have to check. Basically it makes it illegal for companies to make unsollicited calls... not altogether, but just at certain hours (basically evening and night.) What it will trigger is 1/ unsollicited commercial calls will probably increase rather than decrease, but during work hours - yay, and 2/ spam will keep happening at all hours from companies/people that don't care about doing something illegal.

[schmitt trigger]

The length of time it took me to read this thread, I actually received a couple of scam calls. Scary!

And no. I didn’t answer.

[thm_w]

Another useful feature would be to only accept calls from those in my contacts, but again, not a feature that's available in the native phone application.

Exists natively on iPhone.

That's all well and good but I don't use Apple devices, mostly because they don't do what I want them to.

Lots of third party apps or options, one was mentioned above by exuvo.
This page has some more options: https://www.alphr.com/only-allow-calls-contact-android/

[m k]

We have a national election next Sunday, no calls.
One more plus for multi party system.

[Black Phoenix]

I live in China, and phone numbers being caught in scam/advertising lists is as easy as you buying a SIM card and doing his registration, to the point that as soon you go to Hong Kong you even receive calls as soon you arrive there (happen to me 2 weeks ago) since all mobile operators sell their lists of numbers.

Operators have predefined lists who change the name of the caller on your phone for delivery services, police and government numbers automatically and you even receive system messaged popups in your phone saying that the number is recognised as spam or international, so care must be taken.

My rule of thumb is simple. If it is not on my contacts list, or I'm waiting for a delivery I don't answer any phone. If it is government or police they will call you again in less than 10 min (or even more times until you answer the call). Other than that I don't answer any phone call.

[gnuarm]

I'm honestly just sick of the interruptions. I don't have time for this shit. Maybe sending everything to voicemail initially might be the way to go. Scammers almost never bother to leave a message, particularly as a lot of those scam call centres don't accept incoming calls.

I have an Android and there is some sort of anti-spamming going on by Google.  I'm not sure it actually blocks the call though.  I think it just sends them to voicemail.  I will get a notification that a voicemail was left, but the phone never rang.  This is only slightly better than the phone ringing.  It's still a disruption.  I still have to check the voicemail to see if it was something I need to respond to.

I used to answer every spam call, with the intent of taking up their time.  Sometimes this was rewarding, with the spammer cussing me out.  Once, when I was getting a lot of calls offering me a low interest rate on my credit card or low prices on medications, a spammer was trying to sell me prescription medicines and I interrupted by asking him if he'd like to get a lower interest rate on his credit card.  I actually got him to give me his credit card number and date!  What a fool! 

Who says you can't scam a scammer?

But I'm at the point where I'm giving up trying to fight them.  I don't think they "buy" phone numbers.  They mostly call me from area codes and exchanges that match mine.  One guy called me about my credit card and I let him think I was an old guy, somewhat feeble minded, and put the phone on mute while I "went to get my card".  He hung up and called back.  Lather, rinse, repeat.  All three calls were from different numbers, but the same area code and exchange as mine.  I think they just make up numbers.  No need to buy them when you can spoof them.

[gnuarm]

It's baffling how difficult it is in modern times to contact a stranger, for example if you have something business-related. You can't call because telephone system have been terrorized dead, you can't email because of exact same reason. Basically it's back to snail mail or personally visiting.

You read your mail? 

[gnuarm]

Keen to hear how others manage these nuisance callers.

   1) NEVER answer a call unless you KNOW exactly who it is. If you do answer a call from a SCAMMER, you'll go right back to the top of not only their call list but also all of the list of all of the other SCAMMERS.

How do they know if you answer, or your phone does?  I get so many 5 second voicemails with no message, that I don't take the time to clear them off anymore.  It's dozens a day!

    2)  NEVER, EVER, EVER give your phone number to your doctor's office or any other business.  Take my word for it, they ALL sell their data to other companies (quaintly referred to as their "business associates") and your data will spread like wildfire.

That's a bit hard to do. 

    3) Block the phone number of EVERY unknown caller that you get a call from. (You can later unblock the number if it turns out that the call was legitimate.)  Tele SCAMMERS do change their phone numbers periodically but after a time they seem to reuse their old numbers again.  So if you block them after the first call, you'll never be bothered again.

Blocking numbers is pointless.  They don't have numbers they use.  The number that appears on your phone is spoofed.

    4)  Re-read rule #2!   I don't care what excuses or reasons they offer, do NOT give them your phone number or you will be on everyone's call list.

Some obviously do call random numbers using a bot.  Sometimes it's hard to get past the bot.  They don't want you wasting their time!

 

  Over the last 20 or so years I've tried every combination and technique but the rules above are the only thing that has worked.

      I was particularly upset to find that at least two of my Dr's offices were "sharing" my information, in direct violation of the Hippa Act.

HIPAA only applies to your medical information.  A phone number is not medical. 

[gnuarm]

I wish there was a way to charge callers say 10 cents to call me. That would cut down on spam calls!

Cheers,

Corby

Get a 900 area code or a 976 exchange number. 

[gnuarm]

We have a national election next Sunday, no calls.
One more plus for multi party system.

In the US, the politicians are exempt from the no-spam laws.  LOL

[Jeff eelcr]

I received 0 calls today from any scam callers.
This is much better than the 30+ calls of most days.
I have tried many things but last 3 days I did not pick
up any call if I did not know the number calling.
Jeff 

[Halcyon]

I'm wondering if this particular scam call centre has finally removed my number from their rotation. It's gone from at least 1 call per day, to practically zero in the space of a few weeks.

Maybe they finally got the hint that there is no human at the other end of my number to try and scam.

[james_s]

That's all well and good but I don't use Apple devices, mostly because they don't do what I want them to.

Apparently neither does the device you do use, although I'd be surprised if there was not a way to configure it to do that.

I've had my iPhone set to only ring on numbers that are in my contact list for years, it's great, it's such a basic feature I assumed every phone had it. Unknown numbers silently show a banner on the screen and go to voicemail.

[Halcyon]

That's all well and good but I don't use Apple devices, mostly because they don't do what I want them to.

Apparently neither does the device you do use, although I'd be surprised if there was not a way to configure it to do that.

I've had my iPhone set to only ring on numbers that are in my contact list for years, it's great, it's such a basic feature I assumed every phone had it. Unknown numbers silently show a banner on the screen and go to voicemail.

Switching to Apple would solve that one problem, but introduce others, it's not worth changing my entire workflow just for that. There are third party tools which will do the job, however I don't want to install yet another application. I have put in a feature request to Google, it seems like a pretty easy to implement feature, so we'll see how it goes.

As I mentioned, I'm considering sending all calls to voicemail anyway. My phone does not stop all day so I do need to find a way to deal with interruptions. Friends and family call me via Signal anyway so actual important people know how to reach me directly.

[gnuarm]

I'm wondering if this particular scam call centre has finally removed my number from their rotation. It's gone from at least 1 call per day, to practically zero in the space of a few weeks.

Maybe they finally got the hint that there is no human at the other end of my number to try and scam.

1 call a day is a misdial.  I would love to get my spam calls down to 1 call a day.

[gnuarm]

That's all well and good but I don't use Apple devices, mostly because they don't do what I want them to.

Apparently neither does the device you do use, although I'd be surprised if there was not a way to configure it to do that.

I've had my iPhone set to only ring on numbers that are in my contact list for years, it's great, it's such a basic feature I assumed every phone had it. Unknown numbers silently show a banner on the screen and go to voicemail.

Switching to Apple would solve that one problem, but introduce others, it's not worth changing my entire workflow just for that. There are third party tools which will do the job, however I don't want to install yet another application. I have put in a feature request to Google, it seems like a pretty easy to implement feature, so we'll see how it goes.

As I mentioned, I'm considering sending all calls to voicemail anyway. My phone does not stop all day so I do need to find a way to deal with interruptions. Friends and family call me via Signal anyway so actual important people know how to reach me directly.

Not sure how that would help.  I can easily screen the calls with caller ID.  Anyone who isn't in my directory and is in the local area code is ignored.  But they always end up leaving a voicemail which I have to at least check.  I've given up and have literally hundreds of messages I'll never listen to.  Some might be people I know.

Lately, I've taken to answering, but immediately hanging up.

[paul@yahrprobert.com]

My VOIP provider (Magicjack) has a call screening service that answers the phone and says "This call is being automatically screened. Please press 4 to connect" where the number is random.  It works great. I've gone from about 6 calls a day to zero.  The robots aren't smart enough and the foreign  agents must not connect quickly enough.
  I think you can buy a box for $20 which will do a similar thing.

[gnuarm]

My VOIP provider (Magicjack) has a call screening service that answers the phone and says "This call is being automatically screened. Please press 4 to connect" where the number is random.  It works great. I've gone from about 6 calls a day to zero.  The robots aren't smart enough and the foreign  agents must not connect quickly enough.
  I think you can buy a box for $20 which will do a similar thing.

And install it where?  I haven't had a land line in 20 years.  I would love to have such a device.  But, if they become widespread, they would be easy for the scammers to get past.  They already use voice recognition. 

I sometimes answer the scammers calls to see how much of their time I can waste before they hang up on me.  I have to first answer questions a bot asks.  It verifies my age and other questions.  Then I am passed to a low cost human, the typical boiler room people with foreign accents.  They ask mostly the same questions.  I don't know exactly what they are looking for, but often, I get hung up on.  If I play the game well enough I am asked to give permission for a call back from a "licensed agent", "even if your number is on a do-not-call list...".  That, I am not going to do.  I'm sure it would put my number on a list that gets called even more frequently. 

The point is, they are smart enough to know what is working and what isn't.  They change, adapt and find better ways of getting what they want.  Your "box" solution only works, because not many people use it.  They could build this feature into cell phones, easily.  Once they do that, the scammers will use their bots to listen to what is being said so it can push the right button and the feature will no longer work. 

[Kjelt]

Keen to hear how others manage these nuisance callers.

Got this from another guy, sounds a decent approach:

If I don't recognize the number I pick up with only "Hello?"
If it is a salesperson or anything I did not ask for, I say things like :
" You are calling a company business number, please hang up"

Sometimes just for fun
"You have called  the biological wildfire emergency number, you know it is a federal crime  to call this number without emergency? Please provide your name, jobfunction and company for my report"

Quickly ends this shit.

[gnuarm]

Keen to hear how others manage these nuisance callers.

Got this from another guy, sounds a decent approach:

If I don't recognize the number I pick up with only "Hello?"
If it is a salesperson or anything I did not ask for, I say things like :
" You are calling a company business number, please hang up"

Sometimes just for fun
"You have called  the biological wildfire emergency number, you know it is a federal crime  to call this number without emergency? Please provide your name, jobfunction and company for my report"

Quickly ends this shit.

So you get calls from actual humans?  I wish I were so lucky.

[Kjelt]

Oh yes only humans, who do you get then, chatgtp ?