(Picture alt text: a screenshot of my phone’s call log, with numbers redacted (just in case). The phone numbers (except for one) are all spam calls)
I’m not sure if this is the correct place for this, but I am at my limit with these.
Constantly throughout the day I get spam call after spam call. I constantly report them to Google (I’ve got a Pixel 5, if it matters), yet nothing changes. This has been happening for months.
These calls will also leave the exact same, completely silent, 4-second voicemails. I will block and report spam, but you know how it is. There’s no way to turn voice mail notifications off, and I wouldn’t necessarily want to, because I know I’d miss something genuine or important.
What do I do? Is there anything I can do, beyond changing numbers? Even then, I’m sure a new number would exist in some database somewhere and be victim to more spam calls. This is heinous.
Thanks for reading. I’m just so frustrated.
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If my phone rings, and I see an unknown number, I just decline. I’m at this level of trust.
Anyone important will leave a VM,email, or text to reach back out.
Answering my phone is like answering my door.
If I’m not expecting you, I’m not answering.
I thought it was just me! The fuckers have literally been filling my voicemail to the max and I have to delete it all every day.
I’ve used it for years now. Very few calls make it through any more.
YACB the GOAT
Blacklist: *
Whitelist Contacts: On
Advanced Call Blocking Mode: On
Absolutely nothing gets through
Would that work in OP’s case, where the spammers just spoof a local number? You’d think that it would get around that, just by virtue of being an “unrated” number.
Who is your provider? If they have an online toggle for more spam detection/blocking, turn that on. Alternatively you could move to another provider who does a better job at handling spam calls.
I got so tired of them that I actually answered one a few weeks ago. I was shocked that an actual person answered.
I asked to be taken off and she was very nice and they actually did it.
Haven’t received one since.
Here’s the voicemail log that I mentioned. It’s just insane.
I don’t even bother with voicemail anymore. They’ve completely taken it over.
What’s real funny though is I got a new number and it hasn’t gotten any spam calls at all, while my old one is still getting them.
The issue is lots of countries (including America) let scammers spoof a real life number.
So you get a spam call from a random local number block it because it was spam, but the scammers just use another number and all you’ve done is block a random number that’s owned by an actual individual or will be soon.
It’s all based on laws from decades ago and not accounting for modern tech
The phone companies could stop number spoofing if they wanted to, they just don’t see the benefit in doing so.
Someone should set up a robocalling system with number spoofing to call phone company execs and law makers to annoy them into stopping it.
They make a lot of money doing it…
And I think Colbert or Stewart did it
I think it was John Oliver
A couple weeks ago I got a random call from an 866 number whose caller id was Apex Tactical, as in the body cam and weapon gear manufacturer. I don’t have any involvement in or make any purchases in anything remotely related to them and it was kind of wild they didn’t leave a voicemail and I kind of just assumed it was a spoofed spam call but then that begs the question wtf why pick that company to impersonate lol
Check your app store, there are a lot of spam blocker apps that can help with this. Some of them may be included with your phone plan depending on the carrier!
I use Google Fi, so I’ll take a deep dive for anything there. Any app recommendations? I’m nervous to search through the store since there can be many not-so-good apps that would probably need some hefty permissions (access to calls, call logs, etc). Thank you, though!
I’m also on fi and have the exact same issue as you. Same 4 second silent message, all of it. Drives me crazy. The worst part is Google is filtering out the calls so my phone doesn’t actually ring but I get the notification for the message. Probably 5-6 per day and I have no idea how to stop it. In fact I had one come through as I was typing this.
Do you have call screening turned on? I find that results in me getting much fewer spam calls than normal as the robots usually mark other machines as not-valid for scamming.
I love call screening and I’ll never turn it off.
You could try Carrion from F-Droid. Theres also the national do not call registry to try out. I’m not sure if it worked but I no longer recieve 4-5 spam calls a day.
The UI on this one leaves a little to be desired, but it works great. I’ve been using it for quite a while now.
I usually get around 1 spam call per day, but sometimes I can get as much as 12 per day. I legitimately wonder why I even have a phone plan at this point and I know I’m not the only one who has considered that.
There was one time I got spam calls just one after another for a good 15 minutes in a row. Like as soon as I’d reject the call, another one would come in. I ended up just turning off my phone for an hour or so. We’re really in a bad state with spam
I’ve had maybe 1 scam call in 5 year after turning on tmobiles blocking feature. Check with your carrier if they offer such a thing.
I legitimately wonder why I even have a phone plan at this point
I don’t think you can get an exclusive data plan. Or disable phone calls. But I would if I could.
You can effectively block all calls using Yet Another Call Blocker.
Optionally send all calls to voicemail.
I don’t see an option to block all calls.
This is a nice app but it has the same pitfalls as most other apps: it filters by phone number, which is absolutely pointless in the age of number spoofing.
Turn off notifications, turn on the service and advanced mode.
My phone never even rings. Ever. All calls are sent to google voice mail.
For numbers that make it through Yet Another Call Blocker, they get sent to my Google voice mail (phone doesn’t even ring).
So then at most I have a notification of a call, and I can see it’s 2 or 3 seconds, so I know it’s BS.
Not in America. Dude, same. I get 2,3 spam calls a day, sometimes like 6. It’s so annoying.
I have a policy - only those who should know my phone number is family and they are very strict about asking me before giving to anyone who asks. So, it’s usually not given. Then for businesses and other places which require a phone number, I use a Google Voice number. From doctors, to banks, or other places. I rarely get the scam calls.
HOWEVER
I get around 6-15 SPAM text messages daily. All 100% Political for Trump, Biden, Harris, or whatever scammer tries to get me to support on my non-shared number. A lot try to guilt you into “donating” to them too! I feel bad because while I won’t fall for it, I know many people already do. I have to use Google Messages to effectively block those automatically.
I have AT & T and complained to them about it to be told that I could change my number, but it would be $40.00 to do so. That’s a big scam in itself and I refused.
I don’t even get political texts anymore
All my spam texts are from “people” asking if I want to go golfing, or sending me a picture of a wine bottle. It’s absurd.
Thanks, I never knew that’s what it was called.
I was also the “victim”(?) of a brushing incident before. It was a strange experience.
Use Carrion from F-Droid and make it your screening app. Numbers that call you have to go through a verification that is mandated in the US & Canada. Numbers that fail this handshake verification will be rejected.
Will this effect callers who’s numbers I don’t have that I need to take? I have business calls all the time where I don’t know the number.
As long as its a legit number that uses a popular carrier that supports modern protocols they should come through. I’d test it out yourself if you have any concerns.
That’s awesome. Thank you. I’ll try it.
This totally blocks all scam calls for me:
I used to get these all the time, dont think ive had any yonks. Wonder if they changed something down here.
