Spam phone calls with local numbers

[Eric B]

We gave up our landline several years ago as well. Started out having the service on the cheapest rate available when we moved into our current house to support the fire/burglar alarm, but noticed that taxes and fees were more than double the service cost. It wound up being cheaper switching that to cellular as well.

 

[1st Class]

I frankly don’t understand why anyone that has a cell phone still has a land line at all. For business needs yes but, not for personal use only. I use to hear about the cell phones being bad on 911 calls. I can vouch that is not the case. Worked perfectly for me last month.

We ported our old landline number to our cell provider and it works perfectly. Now we keep our cells on “Do Not Disturb” and have it programmed to only let through calls from those in our contacts list. We just turn it off when waiting for a call from someone we know isn’t in our contacts list. This way all calls from those not in our contacts roll into voicemail. If they leave a message we listen to the start of it. If they don’t leave a message it wasn’t worth answering in the first place. Very rarely Willa spammer leave a message!

This killed two problems at one time. Eliminated spam calls and did away with another useless monthly bill.

Our landline is tethered to the cable package -- one price for phone, internet & tv. We have limited options for tv and found it less expensive than paying separately for internet and tv only. We rarely receive calls from anyone but telemarketers on the landline though.

 

[DaveNV]

Our landline is tethered to the cable package -- one price for phone, internet & tv. We have limited options for tv and found it less expensive than paying separately for internet and tv only. We rarely receive calls from anyone but telemarketers on the landline though.

My cable company insisted we also get a phone line as part of our package, too. I've never connected a phone to the line, and I have no idea if it even works. Everyone knows to call our cell phones. There are probably thousands of angry messages from people I don't know waiting for someone when that line does get used. But I won't be the one doing it.

Dave

 

[geist1223]

When we use to have a landline we hooked up our Fax to it. So any telemarketers would get the buzz signal.

 

[VacationForever]

I got a new one today, although not with a local number. It was an 800- number and a recording came on with something like "This is a message from your GPO" (or something that sounded like that), followed by a Spanish recording, after that it said in English that
"This message will not be paid by the provider (or something like that), to continue press whatever..." I assume if I have pressed it it would have gone to a foreign number and start charging me, like Ms. Cleo's fortune telling. Click.

 

[artringwald]

On a smart phone you can block them with the free YouMail app. YouMail has the added feature that will recognize a number in your contacts, and answer them by name with a message like: "Hi Joe, Art is unavailable". My friends want to know who I hired as my personal assistant.

 

[Pens_Fan]

I don't even answer my phone unless I recognize the number.

If it is a legitimate call, they will leave a message and I return the call.

 

[Bucky]

Our landline is tethered to the cable package -- one price for phone, internet & tv. We have limited options for tv and found it less expensive than paying separately for internet and tv only. We rarely receive calls from anyone but telemarketers on the landline though.

My cable company insisted we also get a phone line as part of our package, too. I've never connected a phone to the line, and I have no idea if it even works. Everyone knows to call our cell phones. There are probably thousands of angry messages from people I don't know waiting for someone when that line does get used. But I won't be the one doing it.

Dave

We’ve never packaged just because we have always loved the better picture offered through Satellite providers. But, we just decided to cut the cord and go with Sling TV and a Tablo for local channels and DVR. The package deals always include that inevitable price increase at the end of contract period. Then people start complaining about the huge increase they supposedly didn’t know was coming. We’ve always put our own packages together, I.e., internet, tv and phone and saved many dollars. Unfortunately many people don’t have access to decent internet or local channels so packaging is their only options.

 

[Quiet Pine]

I frankly don’t understand why anyone that has a cell phone still has a land line at all.

Houses built with thick cement block walls can hinder cell phones. You're glad when it's July and 115 outside, but not when you're talking to your cousin in Hawaii. My friend often sees neighbors in their driveways on their cell phones. We maintain a landline for this reason.

 

[Quiet Pine]

You would think in this day and age that the telephone companies could put a stop to this and not allow spoofing of caller ID.

I agree. I asked a phone repairman a week ago, and he had no answer. I'm not able to use Nomorobo because my phone company doesn't support Simultaneous Ring. I can assign Distinctive Rings to family & friends, and that helps.

 

[silentg]

Have been getting threatening calls on land line answer service. Robot says if we don’t call back in 24 The cops will take us into custody.Who is going to call back a. Number like that? Probably should report it to police, but so far just delete them.
Silentg

 

[DaveNV]

Have been getting threatening calls on land line answer service. Robot says if we don’t call back in 24 The cops will take us into custody.Who is going to call back a. Number like that? Probably should report it to police, but so far just delete them.
Silentg

I think that's one of those extortion scams I've read about. Sort of like the IRS scam. Obviously, you don't want to call them back.

Dave

 

[isisdave]

There was a segment on NBC news last week about how bad the location often is with 911 on cell service. The reporter called 911 from an office across the hall from the answering center, but it was reported to be 16 blocks away. Of course this doesn't happen everywhere, but there ARE problems.

theo, the app accesses a database of known problem numbers. Nomorobo does the same thing. I don't see why we can't opt to have the phone service provider do the same thing, and route the call to our choice of voicemail or never-never-land.

 

[clifffaith]

The business line just rang as I'm still lingering over my teacup before going down to my office. Said to Cliff that it was our accountant's office calling, they must be trying to get her tax prep schedule set up. Phone clearly said Welch & Co. Answered the phone and it was a robo call claiming to be from Marriott. I suppose it was just some bizarre convergence of the planets that we happened to be clients of the spoofee. Area code and first three digits matched what we have for her, last four didn't match but she has a staff of half a dozen or more so it must be one of her secondary lines that has been spoofed.