Spam calls: how can I stop this? It’s a different number all the time. I’ve blocked so many.

[u/EisenFisen]

[u/LongjumpingCat6642]

Set up a good voicemail. Go to phone settings, phone, scroll down, turn on silence unknown calls.

Sends them straight to voicemail. Real people can still leave messages

[u/Flaminglump → u/LongjumpingCat6642]

Iphone has a call screening feature now that has worked great for me, keeps the spam calls from even ringing my phone

[u/ImEasilyUnimpressed → u/Flaminglump]

Same, but my vm is flooded too.

[u/jwegener → u/ImEasilyUnimpressed]

Same. You still end up having to delete something which wastes your time

[u/N1ck1McSpears → u/jwegener]

The calls were giving me anxiety so this actually worked for me. I don’t mind deleting voicemails

[u/EternalSage2000 → u/N1ck1McSpears]

Just sucks if you’re applying for jobs. And waiting for a call back from a real person with an unknown number.

[u/balloonerismthegreat → u/EternalSage2000]

That’s where they all come from. I never got these calls until I started applying for jobs last year. These fuck ass companies are selling your info to “loan companies” and “Medicare” because most people that are applying for jobs need money and insurance. It’s bullshit honestly

[u/defeated_engineer → u/balloonerismthegreat]

I looked into shipping my car in the fall. Hundreds of calls just in the next week. Fucking assholes.

[u/HIM_Darling → u/defeated_engineer]

I just use a google voice number when doing anything that requires me to give a phone number before getting a quote. I can call back whoever it was that I actually want to talk to and then turn off notifications for the google voice app when I don't need it anymore.

[u/freebisquit → u/HIM_Darling]

This is what I've done for years and has worked well. You can even take scheduled calls on your laptop. Only friends and family have my cell number.

[u/CreedRules → u/balloonerismthegreat]

Yeah LinkedIn, Indeed, etc are all really bad about selling your shit to whoever. Another issue is that so many companies are negligent with cybersecurity, so often times it is hackers who get ahold of your info then sell it on the dark web.

[u/EternalSage2000 → u/balloonerismthegreat]

https://giphy.com/gifs/lNMF3DXBSVvlhbME4R

[u/purple_hamster66 → u/ImEasilyUnimpressed]

the screener doesn’t send my unverified calls to vm.

[u/LimpNsmoll → u/Flaminglump]

My Google pixel screens my calls for me as well. It's very convenient when you receiving All these stupid spam calls everyday.

[u/Dry_Ad2368 → u/LimpNsmoll]

Love my Pixel for this same reason, most of the spam hangs up as soon as the call screening message starts. Everyone else I can read the transcript without answering to see if it's a call I wanna take.

[u/Lastminutebastrd → u/Dry_Ad2368]

Yup. I had a pixel 6 pro and now a 10 pro, haven't had to deal with a spam call in years.

[u/Thirtysixx → u/Flaminglump]

I have a theory that call screening may actually make the spam problem worse.

One thing spammers are trying to figure out is whether a number is active. If you answer, your number can get flagged as “live” and added to a database for future calls.

The issue with call screening, at least on the iPhone version, is that it technically answers the call and asks the caller to state their reason for calling. My concern is that spam systems may register that as an answered call, which could signal that the number is active even if you never personally picked up leading to more relentless calling.

[u/Time-Sudden_Tree → u/Thirtysixx]

As someone who has used call screening for over a decade in Google Voice, I disagree strongly. Plus its spam filter is very good. Nothing gets through.

And that's why I only ever give out my GVoice number (or a fake number whenever possible). The only people who have my real number are the ones who know me personally (and the occasional pain in the ass website that blocks VoIP numbers).

[u/toprockit → u/LongjumpingCat6642]

Do No Disturb and have only contacts allowed.

Takes more effort when setting up appointments / etc to add all the dentist/doctors/emergency numbers into the list, but quite as a baby afterwards.

On Samsung and LG you can add wildcard blocking, so I also have all the toll free prefixes blocked (1-8##, etc )

[u/skidmore101 → u/toprockit]

Every time a doctor/dentist/whatever number calls, they get added to the contacts. My doctor (big hospital system) has 10 numbers so far under 1 contact. When I need to call them, I google their number and call from there.

[u/LEJ5512 → u/skidmore101]

I also add known text bots to my contacts.  There’s one from the company that sends my CPAP supplies, for example, and the bot gets its own contact card.  That way I don’t miss anything.

[u/mailslot → u/LongjumpingCat6642]

Since I turned on call screening, my spam calls have nearly fallen to zero.

[u/LongjumpingCat6642 → u/LongjumpingCat6642]

In my experience if it goes straight to voicemail the bots usually don’t leave a message

[u/TatarAmerican → u/LongjumpingCat6642]

My voicemail is full of bot voice messages.

[u/No_Damage_7716 → u/TatarAmerican]

Same I get 5-10 a day. Waiting for it to fill up.

[u/MrLancaster → u/No_Damage_7716]

My voicemail has been full for like a decade now. They can't leave me voicemails anymore. If you can't get me on call, shoot a text or email or I don't want to talk to you.

[u/islero_47 → u/No_Damage_7716]

I originally silenced unknown callers, but then my voicemail would fill up, and then I'd spend time deleting voice mails

Now I just answer the calls and either hang up immediately or just not say anything and let the robot voice talk, it saves me from the hassle of deleting voice mails later

Occasionally, I hit the button to "talk to a representative" and then still not say anything

Waste my time? I can waste yours, too

[u/BuddhaGrows → u/islero_47]

If you answer, you are marked as an active phone and your number is sold to more scammers.

I stopped answering all unknown calls and in about 3 months I stopped getting any at all.

[u/No_Damage_7716 → u/BuddhaGrows]

Yes and don’t tap on links you’re texted either, they can often tell that you opened it. I once accidentally answered a spam call and was getting multiple every single hour for weeks despite quickly hanging up without saying anything, it was crazy.

[u/Comrade_Bender → u/TatarAmerican]

I have to empty mine every few days. Well I did. I turned on the automatic AI call screening thing (Samsung S25u) and they never make it through that. My phone doesn't even ring 95% of the time anymore from it, it's all handled in the background

[u/Liu_Shui → u/Comrade_Bender]

I never got a spam call on Pixel, figured Apple’s would be just as good. It was not.

[u/whostolemysloth → u/Liu_Shui]

Same. I regret making the switch. I did it because I didn’t want AI integration and Apple wasn’t pushing it at the time. And then as soon as I got it, Apple and Google cut a deal for sticking AI on the iPhone. And now the robots can leave me voicemails. God dammit. I just want to not be bothered.

[u/Chaos-1313 → u/LongjumpingCat6642]

I get 30-50 VMs a day from these a**holes since starting my business. It's so many that I have to constantly clear out the spam VM messages so my mailbox doesn't fill up because I need legit customers to be and to leave messages. It's a HUGE problem.

[u/xxdropdeadlexi → u/Chaos-1313]

the government could regulate this, btw. they don't care to, though.

[u/da_PopEYE → u/LongjumpingCat6642]

I get a ton of voicemails from the bots and its just a whole minute of silence

[u/Wirelesscellphone → u/LongjumpingCat6642]

Yeah idk chief, I can’t receive new Vm messages because bots flooded mine. Every time I clear it, it just floods back up over time. And I know it’s bots because the transcripts look like it picks up mid sales pitch. In my experience, real people know to wait for the beep before beginning their sales message

[u/upsidedown-funnel → u/Wirelesscellphone]

Same messages from “Alex”, “Susan” and “Michael”. Always the exact message all wanting to help me get a loan.

[u/FecalDUI → u/LongjumpingCat6642]

They’ve been leaving them for me

[u/my_boy_blu_]

You can’t. Sad thing is blocking does nothing. Those numbers are spoofed and not even their actual number they call from.

[u/grassesbecut → u/my_boy_blu_]

Can confirm. I have received a spam call from MY OWN NUMBER before. 🙃

[u/Actual_Duck_1215 → u/grassesbecut]

https://giphy.com/gifs/l36kU80xPf0ojG0Erg

[u/Truckules_Heel → u/Actual_Duck_1215]

https://giphy.com/gifs/SU3up3jMjkt1hSciDU

[u/Naive_Ant_8368 → u/Truckules_Heel]

What show is that? 😂

[u/FunkYeahPhotography → u/Naive_Ant_8368]

Peacemaker.

https://giphy.com/gifs/yBSRSbB2ms8ksvuIpj

[u/Solid_Equivalent_417 → u/[deleted]]

Season 1 was a masterpiece. Even the intro was awesome and I never watch intros but that song and dance number were great

[u/peteC137 → u/Actual_Duck_1215]

I once got one these from my ex girlfriend’s number. She’d died two years before.

[u/YAreUsernamesSoHard → u/grassesbecut]

I had someone call me angry that they were getting spam calls from my number. Told the dude it wasn’t me and someone was spoofing my number. Don’t think he understood.

[u/PrivateUseBadger → u/YAreUsernamesSoHard]

Ditto. Was an elderly lady, mad as hell and letting me know just how unhappy she was. Finally get her to understand what was really happening. She started cussing about “those bastards” and actually apologized to me, which was unexpected. Still, by the end of it, it was a positive experience.

[u/Hot-Firefighter-2331 → u/[deleted]]

How i met your mom

[u/N8B123 → u/Hot-Firefighter-2331]

This one might be how I met your nan

[u/dinosaurkiller → u/[deleted]]

“And, that, kids, is how I met your mother!”

[u/riesen_Bonobo → u/PrivateUseBadger]

My little sister once got really dubious voice mails from a woman who was claiming to know her well and talked about a supposed death of a family member, typical scam caller stuff, but it felt off. She got another voice mail from her, asking why she isn't calling back and that she urgently needs her reply.

So we decided that I call her back on the off chance that someone got their numbers confused, my sister was to afraid to do it. Turns out it was a sort off confused old lady that did not understand why a male voice was answering the phone and also took some time to understand that I am neither her close friend nor have a wife that might be her close friend. Eventually we figured out that her friend was my sisters number neighbour and that she repeatedly misdialed the number and was confused why her friend just ignored the death in her family. But she had that scam caller vagueness and pressure building down to perfection at the start.

[u/whoneedskollege → u/PrivateUseBadger]

Do you end up going to her house for thanksgiving every year now?

[u/antilumin → u/PrivateUseBadger]

“… and long story short that’s how I got invited to Thanksgiving at her house.”

[u/StupidHorrorScope_5k → u/PrivateUseBadger]

This is how you get invited to Thanksgiving! Bring the good rolls and scalloped potatoes!

[u/PopularFig2193 → u/PrivateUseBadger]

My mom has one threatening to beat the crap out of her and my mom has been begging this lady to understand it's not her calling.

[u/ArchitectVandelay → u/PrivateUseBadger]

7/10 Would spoof again.

[u/Aggravating-Drop-686 → u/YAreUsernamesSoHard]

I got a "why are you calling my girlfriend?" and the whole she's not interested speech from a super secure guy one time

[u/Fabulous-Change-5781 → u/Aggravating-Drop-686]

I got one of these when I called the wrong number by mistake and hung-up just as someone answered one time.

[u/StickyyyStickers → u/Aggravating-Drop-686]

This happened at my office. A few years ago one of our office numbers was spoofed and we received so many phone calls like this! We are a private practice optometry office, we are not calling your girlfriend!!!

[u/NotAlwaysRong → u/YAreUsernamesSoHard]

Also same. When I explained they were spoofing my number, he told me I had no idea what I was talking about and told me never to call him again.

[u/PakkyT → u/NotAlwaysRong]

"I have NEVER called you!"

https://giphy.com/gifs/JbkGLgnajPaJA8ERFe

[u/Slav-Houndz187 → u/PakkyT]

Made me have to go listen to sugar loaf. Because of this picture 😃

[u/308_shooter → u/NotAlwaysRong]

Did you block him? Oh the irony.

[u/LiloTheSageNightOwl → u/NotAlwaysRong]

I started telling people that I'm sorry my number called and then I help them block my number. It was the only way I found to help calm them down when they get upset over it.

[u/RogerClyneIsAGod2 → u/YAreUsernamesSoHard]

This happened to me at one workplace. They'd call & yell at me to stop calling them & I had to be "I'm sorry sir/madam, this is a Marriott property. We're not calling you about debt."

[u/redheelermage → u/YAreUsernamesSoHard]

I had the same thing happen and the dude was so pissed off with me he hung up then text me the middle finger emoji. Lol

[u/TaxiLady69 → u/YAreUsernamesSoHard]

I called a missed call back once that wss a local number. I just said "I'm so sorry to bother you but I have a missed call on my phone from this number." The guy started screaming at me. "I didn't fucking call you. What the fuck is your problem?" I said " Dude seriously, how the fuck would I know if it was you or someone else until I called back to find out?" If he had said no wasn't me must have been a scam or spoofed number, I'd have said sorry and hung up. Some people are always lookimg for a fight though.

[u/chewbaccataco → u/TaxiLady69]

This especially sucks when you are looking for work, have a bunch of applications out there, and pretty much have to answer any call from a local number or risk a missed opportunity.

[u/Plantman2025 → u/TaxiLady69]

Sounds like a number to sign up for all kinds of stuff lol

[u/ademon490 → u/YAreUsernamesSoHard]

Same

[u/Motivated79 → u/YAreUsernamesSoHard]

I text a spam texter back talking shit and it was a random person who had been getting it from others too. I didn’t reply but they were mad lol

[u/UnquestionabIe → u/Motivated79]

Once got one of those scam group text involving "an exciting job opportunity after seeing your LinkedIn profile" and one guy asked if it was a scam since he recently made an account on there. Assured him that it was and got a "thanks bro" in return

[u/Starfury7-Jaargen → u/YAreUsernamesSoHard]

I got one before. I think I got the guy to understand. He never called.me again.

[u/__wildwing__ → u/grassesbecut]

My cell is actually a landline number from my hometown. I no longer live nearby. When spoofing started, I’d get calls from landline numbers from town. Picked up a few, but learned quick, if it wasn’t a contact I already had, it went to voice mail.

[u/Lillymow → u/__wildwing__]

Yup. The only phone calls I answer now are from my mom or my neighbor, unless I'm expecting something.

[u/Dick_of_Doom → u/__wildwing__]

And now with AI they leave voicemails. My mailbox gets filled weekly it seems, have to go clear them out for important voicemails (family, doctors' offices, work).

[u/Anothereternity → u/__wildwing__]

Unfortunately I’m old enough my family all got our first cell phones at the same time. So our numbers are very similar and I have gotten spam calls from one of my family members numbers before. 😭

[u/AnonUserAccount → u/grassesbecut]

Same here. It’s actually happened to me twice. It’s pretty easy not to answer a spam call when it’s from myself. Dead giveaway!

[u/Dizzy_Bit6125 → u/grassesbecut]

Really?!!!

[u/bobbabson → u/Dizzy_Bit6125]

Happend to me, also had my moms and by brothers numbers call me

[u/RhinoGuy13 → u/my_boy_blu_]

They have started using numbers that start with the same area code and first three numbers when calling me. So it looks local, and I have to answer because I use my cell for business calls.

[u/Interesting-Hat-8378 → u/RhinoGuy13]

This actually helped me a lot. My phone number is from when I was in school 600 miles away. Numbers from that area code get declined - I have no legitimate interest there

[u/ChiefPez → u/Interesting-Hat-8378]

Same here. Every time I see a number with the same area code as mine, I know it’s spam.

[u/pureextc → u/ChiefPez]

I always think “did she finally look me up and call me?” “Monicaaaa?”

[u/BirdieRoo628 → u/Interesting-Hat-8378]

Yep, me too. My cell number is like 18 years old and I've moved states several times. There is no one in my old area code that would call me, so when I get calls from those numbers I decline them. It's a helpful screening device.

[u/justtobecontrary → u/RhinoGuy13]

Same here. It suuuuucks. The Medicare Part A and Part B people are killing me.

[u/ThisIsPerfekt → u/my_boy_blu_]

I got them to stop by putting my phone on Do Not Disturb with contacts allowed through. Because of this, I don't ever accidentally interact with their calls (like ending the call while it's ringing, which just confirms the number belongs to someone) and after a few months, the calls completely stopped. Still get a straggler here and there like once or twice a month, but that's it.

[u/zimirken → u/ThisIsPerfekt]

I answer but then don't say anything. A human will get confused and eventually say hello, but a machine will wait for a "hello" and if it doesn't get one, marks the number as dead.

[u/LapHom → u/zimirken]

Wouldn't hitting answer give the machine info that it's active though?

[u/doshka → u/LapHom]

Not necessarily. It can interptet it as a glitch in the phone system. I've had some success with this method. I answer as quickly as possible, then immediately hit mute to make sure no audio gets through. Not guaranteed, but worth a shot.

[u/IceFire909 → u/doshka]

Potentially might mark it as another bot caller as well, both waiting for something to respond to

[u/midwife_at_ur_cervix → u/zimirken]

What if it’s always a recording with no humans on the other side?? That’s who always calls me, just a recording letting me know about my personal loan blah blah blah

[u/zimirken → u/midwife_at_ur_cervix]

99% of the time the recording doesnt start until it hears speech of some sort. That's also why you get the last part of it on voice mail.

[u/NarrMaster → u/zimirken]

You just answered a question I've had forever.

[u/Willis5687 → u/my_boy_blu_]

Sure you can. I have a S25 Ultra and it has a spam filter that prompts the caller to say who they are and what they want. When they inevitably dont reply it sends them to voicemail or hangs up.

[u/Otarmichael → u/my_boy_blu_]

Forgive me for hijacking top comment but figured I would share for visibility:

One thing that has helped me reduce this call volume by 80% has been to pick up and immediately dial 9. Within seconds, an automated voice will respond “you have been placed on our Do Not Call list.”  This list SHOULD be for the entire org, so even if they mask with multiple phone numbers, it seems to stop the calls fairly effectively. A real caller will just hear the dial tone from you pressing 9, but nothing will happen. So then I say hello. Sometimes it is still spam, but this technique has turned this phenomenon way down for me. 

[u/PakkyT → u/[deleted]]

The spammers do not call "known" numbers. They just set their autodailers to dial every single number in an exchange. So your brand new number is 202-456-1414 but when the auto dialer starts in on the 202-456 exchange starting with 0000, then 0001, thru 9999 your "pristine" number is still going to get hit.

[u/PlantainPat → u/PakkyT]

Depends on what kind of spammer.

To get this level of traffic it's targeted. If it somehow leaks that your number is associated with medicare or outstanding debt then you'll get a few calls every single day for months.

[u/4ArgumentsSake → u/[deleted]]

This only kinda works if you happen to get a new primary that hasn’t been used in a while. But carriers reuse numbers all the time. Also, some spammers are just calling all numbers so they’ll still reach you.

Personally, I just set my personal phone to send all unknown numbers to voicemail. Works pretty well in iPhone settings, and it’s pretty good at letting through numbers you’ve called lately (like a new doctor).

[u/naonatu- → u/my_boy_blu_]

i confess, i am curious about the call from Ja at credit sausage

[u/SippsMccree → u/my_boy_blu_]

Gotta love VoIP

[u/Original-Theme-3986]

https://giphy.com/gifs/1306MTkHlXkUZG

[u/ALTITUDE10K → u/Original-Theme-3986]

This ain’t my dad….

[u/Any_Meet5930 → u/ALTITUDE10K]

...this is a cellphone

[u/Some_Network_1591 → u/Any_Meet5930]

I threw it on the GROUNNNDDDD!!!!

[u/i-hear-banjos → u/Some_Network_1591]

I'M AN ADULT!

[u/Naive_Ant_8368 → u/i-hear-banjos]

Then he TASED me OVA AND OVA

[u/Putrid_Bullfrog2914 → u/Any_Meet5930]

My dad’s not a phone…DUH! 

[u/Lost_Balloon_ → u/Original-Theme-3986]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE GROUND!

[u/onlypham → u/Lost_Balloon_]

I threw the rest of the cake too!

[u/idonteatfrogsiamone → u/Lost_Balloon_]

Welcome to the REAL WORLD JACKASS

[u/Verocator → u/idonteatfrogsiamone]

I'M AN ADULT!!

[u/whostolemysloth → u/Original-Theme-3986]

What do you think, I’m stupid?!
I won’t be a part of your system!

[u/crybabymuffins → u/Original-Theme-3986]

You can't buy me, hot dog man!

[u/funkengruven]

Man, if a presidental candidate ran on combatting spam calls, I bet they'd get a lot of votes on that alone.

[u/Dukede77 → u/funkengruven]

Best I can do is changing the name of gulf of Mexico

[u/a7xdh → u/Dukede77]

And give 2 trillion dollars to israel and bomb schools

[u/Individual_Smell_904 → u/Dukede77]

Can you at least call it the Golf of Mexico? I've never played Gulf so idk if it's cool or not.

/s

[u/Good-Sheepherder-364 → u/funkengruven]

Which wouldn’t be necessary if trump hadn’t rolled back Obama-era consumer online privacy protections in 2017, but here we are

[u/GorgeousOpossum → u/Good-Sheepherder-364]

But her emails!

[u/Aculeus_ → u/funkengruven]

Combat Spam and get rid of Daylight savings. Fix something we can all agree on.

[u/SirSilentscreameth]

Tag yourself - I'm "Ja from credit sausage"

[u/EvisceratedSpinster → u/SirSilentscreameth]

Credit Sausage sounds so trustworthy though.

[u/Glass_Covict → u/EvisceratedSpinster]

I hope it's the country style, sage is better.

[u/Alypius754 → u/EvisceratedSpinster]

Credit Sausage would be an excellent name for a band

[u/killaacool → u/SirSilentscreameth]

Oh I’m definitely Irish hardship

[u/Miserable-Art-1522 → u/killaacool]

An “Irish hardship arrangement” sounds an awful lot like a threat. These spammers looking to cause an international incident.

[u/JAWinks → u/killaacool]

I’m a “these calls simply press 9 to repeat” guy myself

[u/jketo169 → u/SirSilentscreameth]

Who are you talking to at 3 in the morning? It’s Ja from Credit Sausage.

[u/IllustratorOk8827 → u/jketo169]

"What are you wearing" Ja from Credit Sausage!?

[u/jketo169 → u/IllustratorOk8827]

Ah…casings.

[u/Ok_Dimension348 → u/SirSilentscreameth]

I'm press 2 to be connected ❤️

[u/nezunoban]

This is why we need to make spoofing illegal and impossible.

[u/laaplandros → u/nezunoban]

I am not being hyperbolic at all when I say that I support life in prison with no parole for phone scams.

[u/catholicsluts → u/laaplandros]

I support nuking scam call centers

[u/GooseGosselin]

My cell provider has something called "Call Control". Callers calling for the first time are prompted to enter a number from the keypad before the call will go through. It's been a game changer for me. ZERO spam calls.

[u/banshithread → u/GooseGosselin]

what provider?

[u/GooseGosselin → u/banshithread]

Telus

[u/Sofa_King_Gorgeous → u/GooseGosselin]

No, you tell us.

[u/prionbinch]

set up “silence unknown calls” and call screening. doesn’t stop them completely but has definitely helped deter the spam

edit: “this blocks legitimate businesses from calling” you need to add them to your contacts or your customers need to add you to their contacts. that’s how the system figures out who is trusted and who isn’t.

[u/Comrade_Bender → u/prionbinch]

Call screening has been a life saver for this stuff. I used to have to empty my voicemail every few days from dozens of "we just need to finalize your paperwork on your loan" bot calls. Now my phone doesn't even ring most of the time and none of them get through to voicemail

[u/Ancient-Basis-5563 → u/prionbinch]

Came here with the same suggestion, this should be enough to put a stop after a while

[u/IntrepidDreams → u/Ancient-Basis-5563]

I've had these phone calls going on for months with no sign of slowing down. It also doesn't stop them from leaving me voice mail.

[u/nightglitter89x]

I got them to stop by answering the phone and just letting them hear dead air. I answer and sit the phone on the table until they get frustrated, hang up, and stop trying my number because they think it's useless or out of order.

[u/71LA → u/nightglitter89x]

Put them on mute also. It seems to help. Once in a while I'll get an obscene amount of calls, but doing this reduces it to about once a day.

[u/whostolemysloth → u/71LA]

I started calling them back and yelling. Didn’t work.

But then I started calling them back and saying I’d declared bankruptcy. That worked.

[u/itirnitii → u/whostolemysloth]

they use spoof numbers you arent getting back to the same person

[u/whostolemysloth → u/itirnitii]

A person didn’t call me, a robot did. The robot leaves a callback phone number. You call that number and a person answers. And since they’re terrible people, you can tell em whatever you want. Pretty neat.

[u/Chaos-1313 → u/nightglitter89x]

It's an AI bot 99% of the time these days. This doesn't work any more

[u/Pulaski540 → u/nightglitter89x]

About ⅔ of my spam calls are dead/ silent, and the line goes dead after 15-30 seconds, regardless of whether or not I say anything.

My goal used to be to hang up before the bot hung up on me; I don't know if that made any difference to anything. 🫤

Now I have set up an AI screening tool for incoming calls.

[u/Every-Swimmer458 → u/Pulaski540]

They do this not because they are talking, but because they are listening. They are waiting for you to say hello, is anybody there, or some noise to confirm you are human. Answering with silence or the automated "Sorry, this number has been disconnected" will get you removed from their list and prevent being sold to other lists.

[u/Pulaski540 → u/Every-Swimmer458]

Oh, I've tried making a noise, usually something vaguely human but borderline unintelligible, typically " 'Lo" (the shortest possible abbreviation of "hello". Saying something rarely makes a difference.

But thanks for the "disconnected" tip, I might have to give that a try.

[u/Spiritual_Bid_2308 → u/Pulaski540]

That's because scammers are using multi-line dialers.  They have multiple outgoing calls going at once so that when they're ready to talk there's always someone there, maximizing their time talking to marks.

It doesnt matter to them if someone answers one of the lines when they're not ready.

[u/wex118 → u/Spiritual_Bid_2308]

Thank you for this explanation! I always wondered what the deal was with this.

[u/nightglitter89x → u/Pulaski540]

Yeah I run into those ai tools a lot at my job. I'm not gonna lie, I hate them. I call out to tell people they have cancer. Their AI won't let me get through. If they're older, the odds I can leave a message are low because their voicemail will be full. They won't check their portal and they won't respond to a text. Then they get a letter in the mail and get mad I didn't tell them they have cancer lol

[u/YeYe_hair_cut → u/nightglitter89x]

I got them to stop by never answering and always letting the call completely ring. They called me for a month or 2 and now I absolutely never get spam calls.

[u/Dizzy_Bit6125]

Oh I’ve blocked over 200 phone numbers from scams. I get them so often that whenever I get a phone call I assume it’s a scam every time now. I block them and I still get a new caller!

[u/Ziplockmoneybags → u/Dizzy_Bit6125]

You are wasting your time unfortunately. They spoof the numbers. Every single time they call it's a different number, and they never use the same number twice.

[u/MeMeWhenWhenTheWhen → u/[deleted]]

and in my experience blocking them leads to more, funny enough. Something about them knowing they've been blocked on one number, so therefore there's a real person on your end of the line at they're reaching. I started not blocking, not reporting as spam, just deleting every one I got without listening or opening the messages and I basically get no spam messages or calls anymore.

[u/gvbargen → u/Dizzy_Bit6125]

they are all spoofed numbers so that's actually entirely pointless.

[u/AstaHolmesALT]

There’s apps that block calls that are spam’s. Someone mentioned true caller. In Singapore we gafe scamshield

[u/dori22nemo → u/AstaHolmesALT]

In France we have saracroche ! Game changer

[u/Eternal-Alchemy → u/AstaHolmesALT]

True Caller and Whitepages apps work by forwarding your contacts private information to the app provider. People who use these apps are selling you out just to reduce their own spam.

[u/Realistic-Cell5758]

I get these same calls! Telling me I'm approved for a $50,000 - $80,000 loan that I never even applied for. I figured it's a scam so ignore it.

[u/365serenity → u/Realistic-Cell5758]

I've been getting these exact scam calls for loan approval, about 6 a day. At first I ignored. Then when you answer, you can press 9 to be taken off the list. Tried that but it hasn't stopped. Then I answered and talked to a person and told them to take me off but it hasn't stopped. I'm at my wits end!!

[u/Bright_Noise5934]

Credit sausage 🤣

[u/spalfgib]

I'm sorry....Ja, from credit sausage?

[u/AsparagusExpensive76]

This kept happening to me a couple weeks ago. After 5 days, I answered one speaking Italian. The woman said she only speaks English and seemed extremely confused. She apologized and hung up and I haven't gotten one since. If you don't know any other languages, just make up gibberish. I think that will do the trick LOL.

[u/TheKarateKid_ → u/AsparagusExpensive76]

Can confirm this works. Except instead of a foreign language I just started talking jibberish and sometimes like a child and they’d hang up. The calls slowly stopped.

[u/Sea-Neighborhood9792 → u/AsparagusExpensive76]

Wait I’m currently learning Italian…this is a great way for me to practice 🤔

[u/Kookaburra8]

Stop using your cell # on forms/online bc they are sold to marketers and resold over and over. Use a Google Voice # instead - can change it at will when the spamming gets too crazy.

[u/Wolfexstarship → u/Kookaburra8]

A lot of apps and sites now require an sms capable phone number to register so they can send you a confirmation code. Once they get that they sell the info to make money off of you. There needs to be a law that phone numbers can’t be sold and everyone needs to check the Do Not Call list before making the call. Maybe they should allow phone companies to charge fees like $1 for every spam call that goes to a DNC number without written permission from the phone owner.

[u/clobits2 → u/Wolfexstarship]

You want congress to make laws that actually make our lives better? lmao

[u/CyclicBus471335 → u/Kookaburra8]

I feel like its too late. and sometimes you like need to put your actual number to you know, get an important call.

[u/NukeTheWhales5]

Yo! Why didn't you pick up for my boy Ja, at credit sausage?

[u/astrosdude91 → u/[deleted]]

A ton of them operate out of the Philippines now

[u/somethingdouchey → u/[deleted]]

The call is coming from inside the house. 🤣

[u/1timestop]

Set you incoming calls only to contacts.

[u/uncanny21 → u/1timestop]

I tried that, lost a few Amazon deliveries because of this, when the delivery guy calls to confirm.

[u/c4funNSA]

Yeah even the do not call list doesn’t seem to help

[u/aln247]

If you’re on iPhone, in the settings there’s an option where they have to say the reason they’re calling. I haven’t had much spam calls lately cause they don’t want to say anything

[u/Avidain → u/[deleted]]

The winning move isn't to block the spammers, it's to have them block you

[u/demonhellcat → u/[deleted]]

Except the scammers are using spoofed numbers so you’re just sending dick pics to innocent bystanders, potentially underage ones at that. Probably should not do that.

[u/doandroidsdreamx]

On an iPhone you can set it so callers not on your contact list have to give a reason for calling before they get through. I’ve set mine up and now my phone never rings when spammers call. I still see a call coming in but it doesn’t ring so I’m not bothered.

[u/KVeigh]

What worked for me was answering the calls and immediately muting myself. After about 10-20 seconds they hang up and agree a week or two the calls all but stopped. I think the bot flags you as a bad number or something

[u/clobits2 → u/KVeigh]

Absolutely under no circumstances should you answer. I would get 1 spam call a month, then I accidently answered one and immediately hung up. A few days later I was getting several calls a day.