New response to spam calls

[William Yanda]

Lately, when answering spam calls, I respond by inquiring about a different subject. If the caller is pushing home security, I tell them I was looking for a provider who could save me money on my auto insurance, and vice versa.
Works well. Last response was; "All right, Goodbye."

[nicholst55]

If I don't recognize the phone number, I don't answer the phone. That's what voicemail is for.

[gwpercle]

I go hard of hearing on them and give them answers to questions they didn't ask .
Then keep saying I'm hard of hearing ...can you speak louder ... after a while they get tired of hollering into the phone ... My wife fusses at me for being mean to them ... but it's fun!
We are getting fewer calls lately ... I wonder if it's working !
Gary

[Budzilla 19]

“ what can I do for ya”? ................silence because the bots are programmed for “hello?” Keep repeating what can I do for ya enough, and they hang up cause it didn’t hear a response it was programmed for. And, a live one??? Ohhhh, it’s ONNNNN!!! Never answer anything affirmative, like ok, yes, that’s right, or anything giving permission. Just the way I do it. Or... the standard standby answer, “ Fraud unit, this is officer Johnson,” ................click.

[waksupi]

What bugs me is legitimate calls from doctors and such, who immediately ask if they can talk to me. Properly, they should say what business they represent, and then their name, before asking mine.

One friend answers spam calls, and informs them in an India accent, that they must speak quickly, as he has to poop very very bad!

One of my favorite calls was from a septic business. I let them go through their whole pitch, then informed them I have a two holer, and if I would need to pay separately?

[Rick R]

Mostly all the spam calls these days are robo-calls so it takes effort to get a human to mess with. I’ve gone to cellphone only. My iphone has a custom ringtone I call “Ignore” which is actually a recording of silence. If you’re not in my contact list you’re on ignore.
I go thru every day and look at all the blissfully missed calls and put all the suspected phone pirates numbers into my blocked folder.
It works for me.

[imashooter2]

Back in the days of hard wired phones, I would ask a few questions and then indicate I was interested. Then I'd say wait while I get my credit card, put the phone down and hang it up when I got the off the hook warble. It was amazing how long some of them would hold.

Unfortunately it doesn’t work for the cell phones I use now. The “ignore” ring tone mentioned above is brilliant!

[DanishM1Garand]

If a car warranty scammer calls I ask them to cover my 1930 ford.

I have learned to swear in Hindi for all the social security scammers as well.

[Electrod47]

I just hang up--Real Fast

[daengmei]

All your tricks and such do nothing. They will call back. Your enjoyment makes it worthwhile to waste your time.

[imashooter2]

Not so, the sales folks work on commission. Wasting their time costs them the opportunity to make a sale somewhere else.

[redriverhunter]

had one call and say you have won xxx dollars. My response is thats great I so broke I cant open a checking account

[gc45]

My phone from Costco blocks this crap! Plus I can add blockers on calls it misses which are very few..

[todd9.3x57]

for spam calls, i use a button that says call block.

[contender1]

My cell phone is required for my business,, so blocking calls etc from "unknown" numbers (meaning my contacts list) is something I can't do.
And since the scammers,, telemarketers etc all like to call a lot,, I just let calls go to a Voicemail,, and a real customer will leave a message,, usually.

But I have to share the funniest response to such telemarketer calls I ever heard. First off,, my buddy had just moved into his new home, and had the new home phone listed in his dog's first name,, with his real last name. (Fido Smith for example.) Cell phones were failry new,, so he used that mostly. And he only gave out his home number to friends & family.
Well,, when he'd get a call where the telemarketer would ask to speak to Fido Smith,, he'd respond with one of a few good comments like;
"Hang on,, I'll see if I can get him, he's taking a s88t in the neighbors yard right now."
Or; "Hang on,, he's busy humping the neighbors dog right now."
Or; "Let me see if I can get him to stop licking his b**ls right now & talk to you."

If the caller stayed on the line,, he'd lay the phone down,, and begin a background of noise that mimicked whatever he'd mentioned in some fashion,, or go to talking to "Fido" as if he was a person.

He & I still laugh over the fun he had with all that.

But nowadays,, with the robo calls,, the computer generated calls, etc,, you don't get many live people calling. Took away our fun.

[Jedman]

When I answer the phone and I say hello, then there is no reply in the next 2 seconds or so I hang up.
Same when I hear a stupid tone I know it’s a spam call and hang up.

Jedman

[MT Gianni]

Never answer Yes or say affirmative to a spam call. They have cut that and pasted it where you appear to be agreeing to buy a product. When asked how I am I usually respond that I am not to drunk to fish. If asked if I can hear them OK I tell them like a mosquito farting in a barrel.

[daengmei]

Wasting their time costs them the opportunity to make a sale somewhere else.

I have repeatedly told several different marketing callers that I did not want their calls, they eventually call back, this over more than 2 years. Maybe it's the type of products, or maybe I'm magnetic. But don't tell me that the same companies do not call back because they do. The robo calling or whatever they use doesn't seem to identify those of us that won't cooperate. They do waste their time.

[country gent]

I really liked the old land lines slow and sometimes noisy but when called by a salesman the connection didnt break until you hung up. You could sit the phone down and not only tie their phone up but run their bill up as well.

The political recording for candidates are even more annoying, brain dead no chance for debate or questions. No way to get a opinion or point across. Just their message We arnt smart enough to debate with them.

[imashooter2]

I have repeatedly told several different marketing callers that I did not want their calls, they eventually call back, this over more than 2 years. Maybe it's the type of products, or maybe I'm magnetic. But don't tell me that the same companies do not call back because they do. The robo calling or whatever they use doesn't seem to identify those of us that won't cooperate. They do waste their time.

I’m not saying they don’t call back. I’m saying I enjoy wasting their time and taking money out of their pockets.

[farmbif]

I just explain how they are late to the party and we already sent all the extra money in the bank account in form of gift cards back to amazon for the overpayment they made into our account but if they hurry they can still be here in time for the party but they will need to bring another bottle of scotch with them and maybe possibly they could put our name on their charity list to help pay the overdue electric bill.

[Geezer in NH]

My Home phone answering machine blocks robo calls as it prompts for an action to let it through. We have all the #'s we talk with exempted from that and they come right in.

No problem we don't even know when it is blocking a call.

[brassrat]

I was getting around 5 calls a day for med. insurance, everyday. I answered and was asked to speak to me. I guess I didn't jinx myself and said that sorry he past away. This was a few months ago and all the, in-state, spam from these types immediately stopped.

[Thumbcocker]

I was unable to get an extended warranty for my 1948 Kaiser Fraiser or my 1916 Stutz Bearcat. I am disappointed.

[georgerkahn]

TWO notes re unsolicited calls:
1st, an article a short time back in the N Y Times kind of opened my eyes to the calls we'd get with our area code and a local NNX appearing, to -- when picked up -- there'd be nothing at caller's end. Huh? It turns out that persons have computers which dial random telephone numbers with "masks" -- YOUR local NNX and area code -- exclusively to determine if the number dialed is a legitimate, working number. Anytime one answers, then the number is transferred to a list of "guaranteed working telephone number which was answered by a person" -- said lists then sold to telemarketers at a premium price. I read this article as, "If I do not recognize the number, regardless, I will not pick up!"
2ndly, I have two cellular telephones -- both Apple 7+s. I use one for most all uses, but NEVER EVER dial anyone other than family and friends on the other. I order goods with the first mentioned 'phone, make reservations, and the like. Guess what? I can pretty much count on my fingers the number of calls I receive on the 2nd cellular telephone, while receiving many, many such calls on my primary 'phone! Hence, I am 100% convinced/certain that the unsolicited calls come from outgoing calls made!
geo

[Handloader109]

Sure, google and Amazon sell your phone and emails. Then there are many secondary companies doing the same thing. I have a business number on my cell phone that is accessed through an app on the phone. Works well. The main phone still has MS area code, and I live in Arkansas. If I ge ANY MS area code call that is on my regular number it is ignored as the only folks that call me are on my contact list. I do have to answer business phone number, and that is where the scam calls come to

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