Spam calls tips and tricks?

[Old Goat Ninja]

Anyone have any good ways of combating this? My spam calls have gotten out of control. I have Hiya, but it's useless 99% of the time since the number hasn't been registered to it. Every spam call I do the same thing. I block every spam call I get, but it's also useless, since it's an all new number every time. On my half hour lunch break today, just now, I received 4 spam calls, and blocked the 4 numbers of course. On average, I block 10 numbers a day. It's ridiculous. This is every single day.

Is there anyway to only receive calls from people in my contacts list?

 

[carolineM]

You could invoke Do Not Disturb, then allow just calls from all your Contacts.

 

[Old Goat Ninja]

You could invoke Do Not Disturb, then allow just calls from all your Contacts.

Yeah, I've thought about that, but I need to hear alerts while at work. I get important texts, or alerts from my house (Ring doorbell and security cameras), etc. I need to be able to get those.

 

[bear7962]

Yeah, I've thought about that, but I need to hear alerts while at work. I get important texts, or alerts from my house (Ring doorbell and security cameras), etc. I need to be able to get those.

I don’t answer calls from any number I do not recognize or is not in my contact list. If they leave voicemail, I list listen to that. If you answer or respond in anyway, it tells the spammer that the number is good and they keep it on their lists. I find this has minimized spam calls.

 

[Old Goat Ninja]

I don’t answer calls from any number I do not recognize or is not in my contact list. If they leave voicemail, I list listen to that. If you answer or respond in anyway, it tells the spammer that the number is good and they keep it on their lists. I find this has minimized spam calls.

Yup, I don’t answer them at all. After they’re done calling, I wait a few minutes to see if they leave a voicemail. Majority of time thy don’t, and I block the number. Hasn’t helped reduce spam calls though. The amount of calls I get is unbelievably high, more than anyone else I know.

 

[bear7962]

Hmmm. I assume you are on the Federal and State Do Not Call lists. It’s not a panacea, I know, but I think it helps.

 

[Old Goat Ninja]

I don’t either. Oh well, it was worth a shot. Maybe eventually Apple will put a little setting that sends numbers not on list directly to voicemail. Ha, I can dream.

I’ve been receiving spam calls for a long time (as I’m sure everyone else has too), but I’ve seen a large explosion lately. They’re mostly from my area code too. It’s weird.

 

[dbestfromclovisnm]

I don’t answer calls from any number I do not recognize or is not in my contact list. If they leave voicemail, I list listen to that. If you answer or respond in anyway, it tells the spammer that the number is good and they keep it on their lists. I find this has minimized spam calls.

The greeting on my voicemail warns them of that.
Either leave your name & number or you’re outta my life...

 

[iPutz]

The Do Not Call list is about as useful as a screen door in a submarine. Unethical telemarketers don’t use it anyway. They frequently change the spoofed phone number that shows up in the caller ID info. I was sometimes getting as many as 6-10 spam calls a day but there are a few things I’ve learned that have knocked that number down to 4 or 5 calls a week.
1. Set up an outgoing message says something to the effect that the caller’s phone call was sent directly to voicemail because you couldn’t answer or chose not to because you didn’t recognize the caller’s number and that any unsolicited callers who don’t leave a message will be blocked immediately. Anyone who legitimately needs to get in touch with you, but isn’t in your list of contacts, will usually leave a message.
2. Include the contact info for any person or business you have a relationship with in your contacts list. That will allow you decide on a call by call basis to answer or send the call to voicemail based on knowing if the caller is known to you or not.
3. Luckily for me, 95% of the spoofed phone numbers telemarketers call me from are using the same area code and exchange number as my phone uses and I don’t know anyone or any business that uses those same numbers so I usually send those calls directly to voicemail and if no message is left then I add that number to the blocked callers list.
4. I send every call, that doesn’t have a contact name with it, directly to voicemail as it is most likely an unsolicited phone call.

I know how frustrating those spam calls and texts can be and I wish you luck with the problem.

 

[dbestfromclovisnm]

The greeting on my voicemail warns them of that.
Either leave your name & number or you’re outta my life...

My greeting on voicemail simply states identify yourself or you’re out

 

[Old Goat Ninja]

The Do Not Call list is about as useful as a screen door in a submarine. Unethical telemarketers don’t use it anyway. They frequently change the spoofed phone number that shows up in the caller ID info. I was sometimes getting as many as 6-10 spam calls a day but there are a few things I’ve learned that have knocked that number down to 4 or 5 calls a week.
1. Set up an outgoing message says something to the effect that the caller’s phone call was sent directly to voicemail because you couldn’t answer or chose not to because you didn’t recognize the caller’s number and that any unsolicited callers who don’t leave a message will be blocked immediately. Anyone who legitimately needs to get in touch with you, but isn’t in your list of contacts, will usually leave a message.
2. Include the contact info for any person or business you have a relationship with in your contacts list. That will allow you decide on a call by call basis to answer or send the call to voicemail based on knowing if the caller is known to you or not.
3. Luckily for me, 95% of the spoofed phone numbers telemarketers call me from are using the same area code and exchange number as my phone uses and I don’t know anyone or any business that uses those same numbers so I usually send those calls directly to voicemail and if no message is left then I add that number to the blocked callers list.
4. I send every call, that doesn’t have a contact name with it, directly to voicemail as it is most likely an unsolicited phone call.

I know how frustrating those spam calls and texts can be and I wish you luck with the problem.

Thanks. I do all of this except #1. I'll give it a shot. 99% of the time there's no voicemail though. I keep thinking eventually I'll get to a point where all numbers are blocked, but nope lol. Next day a fresh batch of spam calls with all new numbers.

 

[iPutz]

I also have found that the vast majority of the calls sent to voicemail never leave a message but I have to keep that path available for the few calls that are legitimate and will leave a voicemail. I wish there was a way to have my carrier block every call from my phone's area code/exchange before it ever reaches my phone. Every call I have ever gotten from that combination has been a robocall but ATT says they can't do that.

 

[NCzerniak83]

Anyone have any good ways of combating this? My spam calls have gotten out of control. I have Hiya, but it's useless 99% of the time since the number hasn't been registered to it. Every spam call I do the same thing. I block every spam call I get, but it's also useless, since it's an all new number every time. On my half hour lunch break today, just now, I received 4 spam calls, and blocked the 4 numbers of course. On average, I block 10 numbers a day. It's ridiculous. This is every single day.

Is there anyway to only receive calls from people in my contacts list?

I bought the paid version of Hiya and I literally stopped getting spam calls 99.9%. I get like one a month now. Also, make sure you have it set up properly, and you should stop receiving spam calls. The ones that do rarely get through are labeled on your phone as “spam,” “telemarketer” or even “political call.” Good luck!

 

[Shiloh]

I used to get a lot of them. They spoof local numbers which I used to answer until I realized their ways. Every number I call or do business with I put in my contacts, so if a call comes up unidentified, I let it go to voicemail. After about 6 months of never answering unfamiliar numbers it's mostly stopped now. Don't answer them. Be persistent. If it's important they will leave a voicemail.

 

[Old Goat Ninja]

I used to get a lot of them. They spoof local numbers which I used to answer until I realized their ways. Every number I call or do business with I put in my contacts, so if a call comes up unidentified, I let it go to voicemail. After about 6 months of never answering unfamiliar numbers it's mostly stopped now. Don't answer them. Be persistent. If it's important they will leave a voicemail.

That's exactly my issue, they're mostly spoofed local numbers. I never answer an unknown number, never have. Calls haven't slowed down though. Blah. I'm still blocking multiple numbers daily.