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Spike in telemarketing calls?
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I've noticed a massive increase in the number of calls to my private number, many of which originate from what appears to be a local number. Six months ago it was one every other day or so, now it's between five and ten daily. When I answer on the rare occasion it's usually health insurance related, always from a different number, and always identified by my caller ID service as "spammer."

Anyone else having this problem recently? I heard about a report recently that explained how telemaketers achieved some major victory regarding the do not call list, but never looked into it.

The devil made me do it the first time, second time I done it on my own - W
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [sphere] [ In reply to ]
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I live in Jersey, and my home number the telemarketing calls have increased 200% (a very scientific test came to that number) in the past few months. Apparently, in Jersey, this is a big problem.

Both my cell phones have increased a lot too.. and they're not Jersey numbers (PA and NYC) so I think it's going on everywhere.

I talk to myself because mine are the only answers I'll accept - George Carlin
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [sphere] [ In reply to ]
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sphere wrote:
I've noticed a massive increase in the number of calls to my private number, many of which originate from what appears to be a local number. Six months ago it was one every other day or so, now it's between five and ten daily. When I answer on the rare occasion it's usually health insurance related, always from a different number, and always identified by my caller ID service as "spammer."

Anyone else having this problem recently? I heard about a report recently that explained how telemaketers achieved some major victory regarding the do not call list, but never looked into it.

Yes and same thing, insurance. About "an interest I expressed in new insurance" or something similar. The number is from the same exchange area but slightly different each day / week.

"I think I've cracked the code. double letters are cheaters except for perfect squares (a, d, i, p and y). So Leddy isn't a cheater... "
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [Tatonka] [ In reply to ]
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Tatonka wrote:
I live in Jersey, and my home number the telemarketing calls have increased 200% (a very scientific test came to that number) in the past few months. Apparently, in Jersey, this is a big problem.

Both my cell phones have increased a lot too.. and they're not Jersey numbers (PA and NYC) so I think it's going on everywhere.

What's the number ? I get 215-802- XXXX often

"I think I've cracked the code. double letters are cheaters except for perfect squares (a, d, i, p and y). So Leddy isn't a cheater... "
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [sphere] [ In reply to ]
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sphere wrote:
I've noticed a massive increase in the number of calls to my private number, many of which originate from what appears to be a local number. Six months ago it was one every other day or so, now it's between five and ten daily. When I answer on the rare occasion it's usually health insurance related, always from a different number, and always identified by my caller ID service as "spammer."

Anyone else having this problem recently? I heard about a report recently that explained how telemaketers achieved some major victory regarding the do not call list, but never looked into it.

Occasionally I'll answer one by mistake. If there is a real person on the end, then sometimes I like to place an order for pizza.

Swimming Workout of the Day:

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2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [Leddy] [ In reply to ]
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Number of times I or my wife have inquired anywhere, at any time in the last decade or so, about health insurance: 0

The devil made me do it the first time, second time I done it on my own - W
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [Leddy] [ In reply to ]
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Leddy wrote:
Tatonka wrote:
I live in Jersey, and my home number the telemarketing calls have increased 200% (a very scientific test came to that number) in the past few months. Apparently, in Jersey, this is a big problem.

Both my cell phones have increased a lot too.. and they're not Jersey numbers (PA and NYC) so I think it's going on everywhere.


What's the number ? I get 215-802- XXXX often

Oh.. I meant my cell phones are PA and NYC numbers... but I do get a bunch of 215-689-xxxx calls to my PA cell phone

I talk to myself because mine are the only answers I'll accept - George Carlin
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [sphere] [ In reply to ]
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North Carolina. I get a shitload. If it’s a person I make all sorts of bizarre noises.

******************************
If I don't, who will? -Me
It's like being bipolar in opinion is a requirement around here. -TripleThreat
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [sphere] [ In reply to ]
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It's one of the newer scams. A free app called Hiya is effective at cutting those down drastically, at least in my experience and the reviews I read for it. Download it and set your device settings to allow Hiya to filter or block calls based on what it has identified as spam. In iPhone that's Settings>Phone>Call Blocking & Identification>Enable Hiya, not sure what the path is in Android, but I'm fairly certain it's also available for Android. The call can still go to voicemail so you get notification if it's legit, otherwise Hiya will greatly reduce the number of these calls that ring through to you. I was getting the same ~5-10/daily for a while, so I loaded Hiya and it reduced it to a couple a week.

You can report these all day long to the FCC, but they don't really care to do anything about it. The networks of scum that run these things are elusive and just pop up somewhere else the moment they're found. If people would stop being stupid and falling for it, they'd have no incentive to keep trying to scam people, but there are too many stupid people.



sphere wrote:
I've noticed a massive increase in the number of calls to my private number, many of which originate from what appears to be a local number. Six months ago it was one every other day or so, now it's between five and ten daily. When I answer on the rare occasion it's usually health insurance related, always from a different number, and always identified by my caller ID service as "spammer."

Anyone else having this problem recently? I heard about a report recently that explained how telemaketers achieved some major victory regarding the do not call list, but never looked into it.
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [sphere] [ In reply to ]
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I've been having the same issue here in VA, to my cell phone. The calls all appear as the same area code and prefix as my cell. I'll block the number, but they will call again as the last 4 numbers always are different. They are always for student loan refinancing (I don't have any student loans)

I answered it a few times to see if I could talk with someone (press 0). It is always answered by someone with an Indian accent, and as soon as I say I want to be taken off their list they just hang up.
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [Spartan45] [ In reply to ]
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Spartan45 wrote:
The calls all appear as the same area code and prefix as my cell. I'll block the number, but they will call again as the last 4 numbers always are different.

The good news is that if you block one of these numbers every day for the next year, then they'll only have 9634 numbers left to call you from.

"The right to party is a battle we have fought, but we'll surrender and go Amish... NOT!" -Wayne Campbell
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [sphere] [ In reply to ]
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In Colorado and we get 5-6 per day, almost always from the same locations: Arlington, TX, Dillon, CO, Breckenridge, CO, Some shit hole, VA. And a handful of toll free numbers. I won't even answer the phone unless it's a number I recognize or caller ID from someone I know. If it's a legit call, they'll leave a voicemail.

--------------------------
The secret of a long life is you try not to shorten it.
-Nobody
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [Spartan70] [ In reply to ]
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Spartan70 wrote:
I've been having the same issue here in VA, to my cell phone. The calls all appear as the same area code and prefix as my cell. I'll block the number, but they will call again as the last 4 numbers always are different. They are always for student loan refinancing (I don't have any student loans)

I answered it a few times to see if I could talk with someone (press 0). It is always answered by someone with an Indian accent, and as soon as I say I want to be taken off their list they just hang up.

Same thing here in Florida. I've learned that if I get a call from an 850-832-xxxx number, I just ignore it. I do get legitimate business calls from all over the US, so I have to answer the phone when it rings.

There was a while when it seemed that I would often get a phone call from an area code that I had called within the last week or so. But that may have been a coincidence based on the number of phone calls that I was making at the time.
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [MidwestRoadie] [ In reply to ]
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While I can't say for their (FCC's) motivation to do something about it, it is really a tough thing to solve as these spammers are just spoofing random numbers so on the receiving end we don't know exactly where it originates. They like to try and use local and close numbers to your own cell to get you to answer. I've had 3 in a row (within minutes of each other) with the same area code and first 3 digits as my cell (last 4 were different) call.

I've mistakenly answered a few times (worst is my work cell where I should be answering because I do get calls from numbers I don't know that is work related). Credit card interest offers, "won" a free stay at a resort due my qualifying stay (a lady who once I repeatedly asked where I stayed to qualify...she kept trying to go through her script then hung up on me, no accent there and sounded like a local, or rather a well spoken native english speaker, US accent).

A few times a guy with a Indian accent or so stated there was a problem with my computer with "Windows" on it. Decided to play along and asked which one, he stated "the one with Windows" running on it. I still egged him on and said which one (repeated the same thing as before). Went to explain I've got 1 work laptop, 2 personal laptops and 1 desktop all with Windows in the house...you've got to be more specific as to which one? He told me to shut the F-up and then we got into a swearing match (he eventually hung up on me before I could get to personal insults...I was about to work that way).

Now if I accidentally answer a spam call I'll immediately hang up.
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [Spartan70] [ In reply to ]
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Spartan70 wrote:
I've been having the same issue here in VA, to my cell phone. The calls all appear as the same area code and prefix as my cell. I'll block the number, but they will call again as the last 4 numbers always are different. They are always for student loan refinancing (I don't have any student loans)

I answered it a few times to see if I could talk with someone (press 0). It is always answered by someone with an Indian accent, and as soon as I say I want to be taken off their list they just hang up.

Those guys are a total scam. They spoof the numbers so they look like they are coming from all over, Iowa, MN, IL, NY, but they all originate in CA. I think I actually got that particular group to stop calling me. I called them back 4 or 5 times in a row when they keep hanging up on me. Told them that every time they call me I call them and every time I will be meaner and nastier, that I would save my calls for when I was taking a dump so I didn't waste any of my valuable time. Kept asking for the address and name for service when I sued them. Gave them a description of the poop I was taking. ... That pretty much stopped.

I never answer my home phone, no idea why I still have it. Every day there will be 5 or 6, some time 10+ calls that are obviously auto dial that have no message on the machine. I've tried picking up to get to a person on the one that will lower your credit card interest rates. No matter how often I have tried, can never get to a person. No idea how it can be effective for them since they never pick it up.

I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [sphere] [ In reply to ]
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Yes! Also some prerecorded message feom veronica keeps wanting to lower my credit interest amounts. Its annoying as fuck.

who's smarter than you're? i'm!
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [sphere] [ In reply to ]
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The decrease in private land lines has driven telemarketers to buy lists of private cell numbers. Software used buy telemarketers is set up wil a local prefix (to your number), it will ring the number to see if 1) it's valid and 2) if someone answers vs vMail. These results are then stored for further marketing campaigns and or sold to other telemarketers.

Here's one brand of software they use:

Best steps are to register at DoNotCallregistry.org and block the numbers on your phone.
Good luck
Last edited by: LuckyLo: Jan 16, 18 17:36
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [j p o] [ In reply to ]
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j p o wrote:
Spartan70 wrote:
I've been having the same issue here in VA, to my cell phone. The calls all appear as the same area code and prefix as my cell. I'll block the number, but they will call again as the last 4 numbers always are different. They are always for student loan refinancing (I don't have any student loans)


I answered it a few times to see if I could talk with someone (press 0). It is always answered by someone with an Indian accent, and as soon as I say I want to be taken off their list they just hang up.


Those guys are a total scam. They spoof the numbers so they look like they are coming from all over, Iowa, MN, IL, NY, but they all originate in CA. I think I actually got that particular group to stop calling me. I called them back 4 or 5 times in a row when they keep hanging up on me. Told them that every time they call me I call them and every time I will be meaner and nastier, that I would save my calls for when I was taking a dump so I didn't waste any of my valuable time. Kept asking for the address and name for service when I sued them. Gave them a description of the poop I was taking. ... That pretty much stopped.

I never answer my home phone, no idea why I still have it. Every day there will be 5 or 6, some time 10+ calls that are obviously auto dial that have no message on the machine. I've tried picking up to get to a person on the one that will lower your credit card interest rates. No matter how often I have tried, can never get to a person. No idea how it can be effective for them since they never pick it up.


Can't remember whether I read this here for just in my news feed. But this was a great story of a guy getting even with debt collectors that were calling him nonstop.

https://www.bloomberg.com/...ack-with-a-vengeance
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [sphere] [ In reply to ]
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For Android install Mr. Number and use nomorobo.com for your home phone.

Both work perfectly (for me at least) if it rings more than once I know its not a scum-bag telemarketer.
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [sphere] [ In reply to ]
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Yep, very aggravating. I heard a good idea - answer and say, "you're live on the air, what's your story?!"
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [ubdawg] [ In reply to ]
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ubdawg wrote:


Can't remember whether I read this here for just in my news feed. But this was a great story of a guy getting even with debt collectors that were calling him nonstop.

https://www.bloomberg.com/...ack-with-a-vengeance

"Earlier this year, I met Therrien, 33, at a Panera Bread restaurant in central Providence...."

LR Gold!





"100% of the people who confuse correlation and causation end up dying."
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [sphere] [ In reply to ]
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Had one the other day on my cell - it rings a half ring then hangs up and says "unknown." Goes immediately to voicemail and leaves a message with a local number. Of course this causes me to listen and I get a message like "see what I just did there, use this new app to leave a voice mail with your real estate listing to your top clients. After all nobody answers their phone but everyone listens to their messages."

_________________________________
I'll be what I am
A solitary man
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [sphere] [ In reply to ]
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For some background:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/...b2e37492a_story.html

----------------------------------
"Go yell at an M&M"
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [MOP_Mike] [ In reply to ]
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MOP_Mike wrote:
ubdawg wrote:


Can't remember whether I read this here for just in my news feed. But this was a great story of a guy getting even with debt collectors that were calling him nonstop.

https://www.bloomberg.com/...ack-with-a-vengeance


"Earlier this year, I met Therrien, 33, at a Panera Bread restaurant in central Providence...."

LR Gold!



Damn, how did I miss that?
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Re: Spike in telemarketing calls? [ubdawg] [ In reply to ]
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ubdawg wrote:
Can't remember whether I read this here for just in my news feed. But this was a great story of a guy getting even with debt collectors that were calling him nonstop.

https://www.bloomberg.com/...ack-with-a-vengeance

That was a good read.

While I was reading this I received a call on the call id as "Scam Likely" and a local area code in my metro area (nice to see the phone companies starting to label known unassigned numbers or something as such). 20 minutes earlier to that above call I had a scam call with a similar to mine phone number too.
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