Don’t do this, esp if you are using caller ID apps.
The reason, most of the robocalls are nowadays use neighbor spoofing i.e. the number looks local, sometimes one or two numbers differ from the number they are calling. The idea is, if the number looks local, there is more chance you will pick up, esp senior citizens but when you block the number you could possibly be blocking a number that is genuinely in use by someone. And then the caller ID app will show everyone else that this number is suspicious, giving a legit caller huge headache.
Imagine someone has this number for 20+ years and suddenly marked as suspicious caller.
I used to do exactly this until a lady called asking why did I call. The accent felt eastern european so I got even more suspicious (sorry, stereotypes took me this time), but after talking to her and checking my own phone records (just to make sure I didn’t butt dial), I was pretty sure that my number was spoofed. After digging around the net got the above info.
Since then, if number is not familiar, I don’t pick up. 99.99% of the times, they will not leave even a voicemail.
Yes, I have done that also.
A few times, when my brother has gotten one of these calls where the caller asks, “How are you today?”, my brother launched into a very long recitation of illnesses, aches, and pains–both real and imagined. When he gets to vivid descriptions of constipation, they usually give up and hang up on him.
Just to bring this back to something of an automotive nature, a couple of years ago I got a call from someone selling one of those scam aftermarket auto warranties. When he asked me what make and year of car I owned, I told him to hold on while I retrieved my registrations (that took a few minutes), and then I recited…
1939 Hupmobile…
1952 Citroen…
1914 Stanley Steamer…
1951 Hudson…
1924 Franklin…
and so on.
He hung up before I could dream-up any more cars that I didn’t own.
I had a great app on my Android phone that rejected all callers that were not on my contact list. I loved it. Alas…I bought a new iPhone about a year ago and that app is not available on an Apple phone. I get robo calls all the time but I simply don’t answer them or block them if a number shows up. If one does get through…I just say “Wrong number” and quickly hang up.
When they call and try to sell me solar panels, I tell them that I work at a solar panel plant and offer to sell them panels at reduced rates. The calls have stopped.
I got that solar panel routine a few years ago. In a calm voice I said…
“No thanks. I’m running off of wind power. There’s a turbine just outside of town on the end of my street (true enough) and I sneaked out one night and ran a line of extension cords to it so I can steal some free electricity”.
The funny part was that after about 5 seconds of silence the other party said “Really???”. I hung up the phone at that point amazed that someone would even consider that possibility.,
All of the solar panel calls that I used to get obviously came from somewhere on the Indian subcontinent. My routine was to tell the caller, “I already own The Solar System”. If they persisted, I would repeat, “Don’t you understand? I own The Solar System!”.
I answer in my best impersonation of an African tongue clicking language.
I never pick up if I can help it. That registers your number as a real contact and they come in droves after that.
A friend of mine loves to harass them. One call he got for windows and siding, he told them he had maybe 100 windows, a huge roof and many walls for siding. He could almost hear the guy on the other end salivating. After about 1/2 hour of stringing him along he mentioned that he rented his apartment and is that still OK?
I use robokiller on my cell. Cuts down unwanted calls by more than 60%. (and I get a laugh out of it listening to the automated answers), or I respond in German. Helps to know a foreign language. Maybe I should do that on cartalk haha
A friend of mine got a call from the local newspaper once, wanting him to sign up for a subscription.They called frequently, and he was tired of it. This particular day he listened to their spiel, and then asked, “do you offer a version in Braille?”
“Excuse me? What do you mean?”
He said, “I’m blind!”, and hung up. They never called again.
If the business calling is a legitimate business (most aren’t), and you are on the do-not-call list then you can sue them for up to $10,000 for each offense.
Some years ago my wife used to work as tech support for Gateway and Compuserve. It was a decent job, paid well with incentives, and she was very good at it…
Once a CEO of a Fortune 500 company called in and got connected with XXXXX my wife. She helped him PDQ and he was so impressed that he wanted her name. She is not allowed to provide this but finally gave him her first name. After that, whenever he needed help he would call in and demand to speak to XXXXX only.
At one point he asked her where she was located and then asked if she would be interested in moving out of OK and working for him. I told my wife to dump me in a heartbeat and do it but she wouldn’t.
Ditto @texases. We also have a spam call recognition service as part of our VOIP. One ring and it’s gone. When the downstairs TV is on, the name and number are shown in the upper right corner. I like answering if it’s someone we know, and that visual cue is a big help to get the phone before the answering machine kicks in.
That is bad. Bad enough that i get so many calls about my car warranty, They never leave a message, wonder how many people buy into it, Yes I am an old fart, and I hear us old farts are prime candidates, But really 5 calls a week? Stayed on once to hit no more messages hit 2, did not work. Now our landline is old school, so blocking numbers is hard, but got a call today from a lady we sent a Christmas card to, now I did not recognize the number, but it was the 3rd time today, so I answered it, it was some people I know we had sent a christmas card to, and she wanted to thank us, so glad I answered.
I get my share spam call’s butt I have never one for a extended warranty as other’s have said if I recognixe the number I don’t answer if it important they can leave a message which some do I just delete them my bil used to have a 55 chevy he got a call one day wanting to sell him a EW he said ok the guy was getting his info. a few guestion’s in he asked what make & model car he had bil said 55 chevy the guy hung up & never called again.
