Continuously getting spam calls even after blocking

[lunaeducation]

This is my business phone and I am continuously getting spam calls, even after I block their number, the spam callers will call me with a different number. How do I fix this and get them to stop calling? It's always those annoying voice automated systems so it's not a human being I can speak with. Also, I'm close to the border (White Rock, BC) and for some reason the spam calls will get through but the client calls don't. Please help!

[ipkonfig]

I have read that ignoring these calls is the best way to stop these spammers from repeatedly calling our number. When we attend a phone call, it tells these spammers that our number is active. So they distribute our number among their peers - and thus the amount of spam calls to our number increases. But, when we do not attend their call and let the call ring or disconnect on its own, the spammers do not know if the number is actively used. 

I do this all the time. But I know this approach can be tough for all those who use their phones for business purposes.

[stonechucker]

@Lar, most likely it's a robodial set up contacting you, and the other 9998 folks with the same area code and prefix for their phone number.  Blocking is a tool within your dialer application, specific to a number.  Generally, the number is added to your contact list, and when it calls, it will not ring.

[Lar]

I was with Bell for many years and never got a spam call. Moved to Public and now I'm getting them to my ported number plus I'm already on the Do not Call list. Seems odd that they start now that I'm on Public. Guess I better learn how to block calls, lol.

[Anonymous]

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@Okangela wrote:

I did registered my phone number on the Do not call list, but still received calls. I had to tell them to take me off the list verbally or just kept ignoring calls that I believe are spasm, usually have weird area code

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I have a contact on my phone where I dump those calls into. Its notification is set up for no sound. It'll light up and also tell me I missed a call but if I'm not seeing the screen then I don't know the call has happened.

If you're not terribly attached to your number then you could also just change it. But of course there's no guarantee that you won't get junk calls there too.

[Okangela]

I did registered my phone number on the Do not call list, but still received calls. I had to tell them to take me off the list verbally or just kept ignoring calls that I believe are spasm, usually have weird area code

[stonechucker]

Most of these calls will be just autodiallers going through a list of phone numbers one by one.

Every area code has approximately 1000 exchanges, each of which have approximately 10000 end subscribers.

Set the area code and exchange, startdialling from 0000

[vacek]

Yeah, not blaming anyone ... just after 10+ years it is quite the coincidence.

spammers go to new heights every day i'm certain.

[mimmo]

I get the occasional one. I don't think it has anything to to with public, but rather your number somehow got distributed to the spamers from somewhere.

[vacek]

I have noticed recently (after porting to Public Mobile) that there is a HUGE upswing in spam callers to my phone. 10-20 calls a day from numbers that are always changing.

I've had this phone number for 10+ years and really have not done anything out of the ordinary as of late with my phone # (no new shopping sites, or online registrations)

I'm sure some kind of coincidence, but I'm getting slaughtered with these calls and blocking them has no affect as the next one is from a diffferent number. Calls from CRA, winning cruises, etc ...

I registered with the DNCL years ago, but that is for "compliant spammers" (LMAO) compliant, hahah

anyone else suffering this? I'm close to changing my phone mumber it is that bad, but that is not something I can do easily as everyone I know for both work and personal have this number I've had for so long.

Thoughts?

[kav2001c]

@lunaeducation

File a complaint here:

https://www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca/en/Consumer/Complaint/

Penalty are quite severe

[lunaeducation]

Thank you so much for the advice! I didn't realize that that would be an option but I will definitely give that a try 🙂 I honestly don't have the patience to deal with the other methods as well, but props to everyone who are willing to go through the process.

[lunaeducation]

Thank you for your detailed response! I really appreciate it and while I totally understand that a little humour in the happenings of everyday life is important, I do also have a small business to manage and getting spam calls all the time is very tedious and annoying and also takes up time, all be it a small amount of time, but does get very frustrating especially when they're usually automated voice systems.

[Korth · Accepted solution]

Register your number on the (Canada) National Do Not Call List and the (USA) National Do Not Call Registry to prevent compliant spammers (or their clients) from calling.  It doesn't work for everyone, and it doesn't stop non-compliant spammers but it's better than doing nothing.

I don't even waste my time with the methods and games described above.  I interrupt the sales pitch before they can get their verbal foot in the door.  I just tell them I'm not interested in their business or product or service or cause, I don't want them to call back, I want my number removed from their list ... I wait for agreement, I say "thank you" and I hang up.  (If they're polite then I'm polite - they're probably just low-wage employees at some call center - but if they're rude then I'm rude in return.)

And of course I immediately block the number.  If they keep calling with alternate numbers then I keep blocking those ... they'll run out of phone numbers long before my phone runs out of memory.

[will13am]

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@mpcdesign wrote:

@lunaeducation, @will13am, call me crazy, but I have been getting less and less calls since I have been doing this. If I know it's a spam call, and sometimes you know if it's going to be a machine as there is a pause and a click (recorded message) or if the other side starts talking, I have two different methods that have worked:

1. If I am talking to someone, I tell them they have reached the same business line. So, if American Express is calling me, I tell them they have reached the same business too. It really baffles them, and I tell them it is what it is. 

1B: If I am talking to someone and I don't quite understand them, I let them talk and talk. And when they finished talking, I say sorry, not interested. I have wasted their time while am doing something else. I had one caller who got mad at me for not informing him earlier and for wasting his time. 

1C: If I am talking to someone and they are trying to sell me something, I try and sell them something. They really get confused when am trying to get their credit card information. Throws them off.

2: If it's a machine, I have a recorded fax number sounds on my iTouch. It throws them off.

2B: If it's a machine, and I don't have my iTouch on me, and once I hear the switch over to the recorded message, I quickly hang up!

Overall, I do have fun at their expense. I use my phone for both work and pleasure, and having them call me is a nuisance. But, reversing the tables on them have been super fun. And the good part is, I haven't received a call spammers or marketers for about 6 months. 

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Good ideas!  I have taken this to an even more audacious level.  Those CRA guys who keep on telling me to pay my taxes or face arrest get a call back from me.  I actually call their number and engage them in conversation on how I can pay them and stay out of jail.  I insist on being given a valid Canadian bank account to deposit the money.  They never seem to cooperate with me and so they don't get paid. 

[mpcdesign]

@lunaeducation, @will13am, call me crazy, but I have been getting less and less calls since I have been doing this. If I know it's a spam call, and sometimes you know if it's going to be a machine as there is a pause and a click (recorded message) or if the other side starts talking, I have two different methods that have worked:

1. If I am talking to someone, I tell them they have reached the same business line. So, if American Express is calling me, I tell them they have reached the same business too. It really baffles them, and I tell them it is what it is. 

1B: If I am talking to someone and I don't quite understand them, I let them talk and talk. And when they finished talking, I say sorry, not interested. I have wasted their time while am doing something else. I had one caller who got mad at me for not informing him earlier and for wasting his time. 

1C: If I am talking to someone and they are trying to sell me something, I try and sell them something. They really get confused when am trying to get their credit card information. Throws them off.

2: If it's a machine, I have a recorded fax number sounds on my iTouch. It throws them off.

2B: If it's a machine, and I don't have my iTouch on me, and once I hear the switch over to the recorded message, I quickly hang up!

Overall, I do have fun at their expense. I use my phone for both work and pleasure, and having them call me is a nuisance. But, reversing the tables on them have been super fun. And the good part is, I haven't received a call spammers or marketers for about 6 months. 

[will13am]

I get lots of spam calls also as do other family members.  It is not something to do with any particular carrier.  Unfortunately, there's not much else we can do except to continue to block the spam calls.