[TITAN308]

Finally had to change my number today. I've only had it since November of 2015 when I switched providers.

I guess I just got unlucky, but in last 30 days I've been getting upwards of 5+ calls a day of the following:

- the IRS is apparently filing a lawsuit against me and I need to call back ASAP
- dead air
- my credit card limit has been increased I need to call and confirm (I don't own any credit cards)

Oddly enough I've only gotten 1 of the Microsoft Support scam calls.

Of course the telephone number is always different when they call, so blocking would not work. Also, of course, every rep who has actually been on the other end is named Bob, or Alex, or some other mundane American name but has an accent so thick they are like out of a cliche cartoon.

For the record anytime I am required to give out a phone number, online or otherwise, I give one of my old numbers from a different provider. No one got my current number buy very close friends and family.

On the occasion I got an actual scammer on the phone I would have my fun with them, but even that got boring and old after a while. Seriously, India can kiss the fattest part of my arse.

 

[awanatech]

I've been getting the calls for about a month that the IRS is ready to file a lawsuit against me also. Sometimes 4-5 calls a day, then several days with no calls. My younger son was thinking I'm about to go to prison when he heard me replay one message when I got home earlier this week. Their are different callers, but all have heavy accents (sounds like mid-eastern?) and the phone numbers usually have my same area code & prefix numbers. They've been threatening for so long, I figure they'll be coming for me any day now.

 

[TITAN308]

Well I am fortunate that I don't use a phone for work or a business or something else that needs to be established. I feel the pain for people who just can't up and change their number because of the headache it would cause.

These scammers are the scum of the earth.

 

[zetor]

I don't have a landline and don't have to put up with that. The only calls I get now are from the NRA and they are relentless. I got a life membership about a year ago but want more...more...more.

 

[TITAN308]

Oh this is on a cell phone. I haven't had a landline in close to 8 years.

 

[GM404]

Oh this is on a cell phone. I haven't had a landline in close to 8 years.

Extreme Call Blocker application. I have mine configured so that if it's a known spam/junk #, it's hung up on...I don't even know they call (the app has a spam/FCC database that is updated daily). If it's any other number (that is NOT in my contacts list), it's sent straight to voice mail. If it's important, they will leave a message. My VM message says something to the effect of "if you do not leave a message, I will not return your call" So...even though I technically have 2 numbers (Republic Wireless also uses an "underlying number") I haven't gotten a spam call in a very long time.

 

[Mstr-Chris]

I never received any spam calls to my cell until I switched to AT&T a few years ago. Fortunately I was running Cyanogenmod at the time and used the built in blocker. I've since transferred that number to another Google voice account and use Project FI with my original Google voice number. The robo calls have been diminishing with only a few remaining from my original number. All of which go straight to voicemail.

 

[CoffeeMate]

I've been getting the calls for about a month that the IRS is ready to file a lawsuit against me also.

They say "Do not disregard this" so I do.

 

[CardsFan]

I've been using "NoMoRobo" in conjunction with my AT&T landline for several months and pretty happy with it. Numbers that are known to be bogus will ring once and be disconnected. If a call gets through, enter the number on their site and usually within 24 hours it will be blocked from there on out. It's free for landlines.

It has drastically cut the amount of B.S. calls I get through the day. If phone rings just once, I know I can ignore it.

 

[awanatech]

They say "Do not disregard this" so I do.

That's what I've been doing also. I haven't even tried to return any calls. My wife started to call back once, but then decided against using our number to initiate a call to them. It does seem like the numbers are cell phones registered in So. California.

 

[dcannon1]

I believe if you answer any of these calls your number gets flagged as being active and you will get even more calls. I ignore calls from any numbers I don't know. If it's a legit call they'll leave a voicemail.

 

[StarJack]

I've been using "NoMoRobo" in conjunction with my AT&T landline for several months and pretty happy with it. Numbers that are known to be bogus will ring once and be disconnected. If a call gets through, enter the number on their site and usually within 24 hours it will be blocked from there on out. It's free for landlines.

It has drastically cut the amount of B.S. calls I get through the day. If phone rings just once, I know I can ignore it.

I have had the same experience with them.

 

[awanatech]

I believe if you answer any of these calls your number gets flagged as being active and you will get even more calls. I ignore calls from any numbers I don't know. If it's a legit call they'll leave a voicemail.

We have not answered any of them. They all go to our answering machine. These are all automated calls, just different voices & phone numbers. But that's why I haven't called back, and made sure my wife doesn't either. I didn't want to confirm that ours is an active number and get on the list for more calls.

 

[Adam5]

I ignore calls from any numbers I don't know. If it's a legit call they'll leave a voicemail.

I do the same thing. If I see more than two calls with no voicemail left, the number gets blocked.

 

[mog]

So if nobody had your number, what is changing it going to do?

 

[bdee]

I believe if you answer any of these calls your number gets flagged as being active and you will get even more calls. I ignore calls from any numbers I don't know. If it's a legit call they'll leave a voicemail.

This. Just don't answer calls from people you don't know, and over time the marketing databases with your number on it mark your number as inactive.

 

[TITAN308]

So if nobody had your number, what is changing it going to do?

You don't have to give out your number for your number to end up in some giant database. However I do think the number was previously owned before I received it because on occasion I would get calls asking for the same person from different people (like one was a camera shop).

There is always chance my new number could wind up being randomly added, but so far so good. My new number is also not one of those "easy to remember", you know, like 333-3233. I purposefully picked out the most random no rhyme or reason phone numbers they offered.

 

[AtlPhilip]

NoMoRobo works...

 

[TITAN308]

I don't use a smartphone.

 

[moe mensale]

- the IRS is apparently filing a lawsuit against me and I need to call back ASAP...

If you actually listen to the call they refer to themselves as the "Internal Revenue Services" - plural - not the Internal Revenue Service. Obviously still a robo scam but I thought I'd just throw that out there. Also, the (real) IRS does almost all of its sanctioned extortion by mail.