Robocalls going to voice mail

[Jbuss]

How can I stop a robocaller leaving voice mail? I can block the number, but the call still goes to voice mail where I get a daily message of 4 seconds of nothing. What can be done? A call handling app is not an acceptable solution. Thanks.

[darlicious]

@Jbuss 

I'm happy to see @Nezgar was able to help you out....sometimes its not all about what you know but who you know thats most important. That and access to the bat signal.

[Nezgar]

@hTideGnow 

Correct - any call you decline would go to that alternate number. So, when you're in a meeting and can't take a call dont answer or decline just remember to just tap the volume down button to mute the ringer and it will forward to voicemail after about 4-5 rings or 25 seconds.

On android and blackberry a single tap of volume down will mute the ringer for one call. I think some phones will also mute the ringer by placing the phone face down on the table.

[Jbuss]

Thank you again Nezgar.

[hTideGnow]

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dial *67*3063370005# - Blocked or declined callers will hear the message "At the customers request, the number you have dialed is equipped for outgoing calls only".

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just curious.. if i do this above.. whenever I decline a call, it will go to this message?  so, even a valid number, let say home calling, but i was in a meeting so i click decline immediately.. this call will got the above message?

[Nezgar · Accepted solution]

Hi @Jbuss 

To illustrate, you can query your current (default) conditional call forward destinations using the following three codes, and note their values:

• *#61# "when no reply" (When your phone rings for X seconds (25 by default) with no answer)
• *#62# "when not reachable" (when your phone is off, or out of the service area)
• *#67# "when busy" (or when a caller is blocked, or you manually decline)

On my phone, this would return +13065804001 by default. But it could be any one of the known voicemail numbers accross canada, for which I have list here: https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Using-Your-Service/Updated-list-of-Voicemail-Access-N...

Now, if you change the "when busy" conditional forward by dialing *67*8080000000# you should now see this reflected if you dial *#67# to query it.

At this point, you can test by calling your Public Mobile number from another line - while the call is ringing, decline the call and it should give the caller a fast busy or endless ring, and not your voicemail.  If you IGNORE the call while ringing, it will eventually forward to your voicemail as usual (Since we did not modify the *61 setting). If your phone is OFF it will also forward to your voicemail as usual (Since we did not modify the *62 setting). 

You can also test putting that callers phone number into your blocked callers list, and it should immediately result in the same fast busy or endless ring, without any indication on your phone at all.

To "reset" it back to default, you can dial the code ##67#, and the original number Public Mobile assigned will return, and you can confirm by querying again with *#67#

PS: This could also be used for prank/comic effect to "sometimes" forward friends to humorous / risqué destinations...  see the "NSFW" section of my "Fun with Conditional Call forwarding, and reduce SPAM calls while you're at it" topic. 😂

[Jbuss]

This is the best advice I've seen on my question and might lead to a good solution. Question - if I go ahead and use the *67 method and find it routes good callers (for whatever reason that I might not understand) to the message without the voicemail forward, how can I undo the routing instruction? I assume that if I setup this *67 command, calls that I decline manually and those on my blocked list will only be affected. Would calls that are not on the blocked list be affected if a call is received but the phone is not turned on or without cell service? Thanks!

[Nezgar]

@Zeddicus

I personally like the idea of "selectively" declining calls knowing that will forward them to the 'dead end' instead of my mailbox, but if someone gets a lot of random calls where it is not entirely obvious if the call is a robocaller/spammer, or the caller ID is always different so building up a "blocked numbers" list is not effective, an app might be of use for that, in addition to the conditional call forward changes for when they are blocked.

Also keep in mind that some of these "call blocking apps" prevent the calls from going to voicemail by actually answering and then immediately ending a call. This causes the call to registered as answered to the caller's automated system, so directing directing them to a dead-end might help keep your number off of their active lists...

[Zeddicus]

Edit: I think I am mistaken. The post above mine lists a way to remedy the issue (I think? I couldn't really follow) 😄

____

I too had this problem. Unfortunately, an app is probably the only sure way to get the desired effect, next to completely disabling your voicemail. If you are on android, I highly recommend an app called "Should I Answer?". It is completely unintrusive and it can do as much or as little as you wish it to. It is 100% free and can help you identify pesky callers and auto reject (no voicemails) them for you. I use it daily.

If you're on iOS, let me know and I can try to find some alternatives for you if you wish! 

Good luck! I know how annoying robocalls are, and I sympathize. 

[Nezgar]

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@Jbuss wrote:

How can I stop a robocaller leaving voice mail? I can block the number, but the call still goes to voice mail where I get a daily message of 4 seconds of nothing. What can be done? A call handling app is not an acceptable solution. Thanks.

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Thanks @darlicious 😁

@Jbuss- when you manually decline or block callers, that triggers the "busy" conditional call forward type, (*67) which is separate from the no answer (*61) or not on network (*62) conditional forwards.

By default, all 3 are set to public mobile's voicemail deposit/retrieval number. As you found, blocking or declining a caller merely invokes an immediate conditional call forward to your voicemail. You can't disable conditional call forwards entirely, but you can reprogram them individually with other numbers. No apps required, no need to disable your voicemail - unanswered calls and calls while your phone is offline will still flow through to voicemail as usual. The following examples will reprogram the Busy/Blocked/Declined conditional forward:

dial *67*8080000000# - Blocked or declined callers will get either a fast busy or endless ring after the maximum ring time. This is an invalid USA number, which the system allows to be configured, but will always fail since call forwarding to USA numbers is not allowed by PM's network.

dial *67*3063370005# - Blocked or declined callers will hear the message "At the customers request, the number you have dialed is equipped for outgoing calls only".

Regardless, this prevents the calls from reaching your voicemail where they can further annoy you with messages you have to call in to delete.

Reset it back to default by dialing ##67#

There are other more entertaining destinations you could send those calls to as well, such as Lenny:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Using-Your-Service/Lenny-the-Telemarketers-worst-nigh...

[darlicious]

@Jbuss 

Hang on I'm putting the voicemail bat signal out for @Nezgar  he will swoop in to save the day! Unless he takes the batmobile then I guess he will drive.....so he will cruise in, look for some free parking since he likes to save money.....he'll get here eventually......

[LurganIeUk]

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@Jbuss wrote:

How can I stop a robocaller leaving voice mail? I can block the number, but the call still goes to voice mail where I get a daily message of 4 seconds of nothing. What can be done? A call handling app is not an acceptable solution. Thanks.

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Block the numbers, have a complete contact list of friends, people you don't what to talk to and acquaintances and delete the unwanted voicemail. That is all you can do. To change your phone number is not a good idea. 

[computergeek541]

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@Jbuss wrote:

How can I stop a robocaller leaving voice mail? I can block the number, but the call still goes to voice mail where I get a daily message of 4 seconds of nothing. What can be done? A call handling app is not an acceptable solution. Thanks.

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I know that you don't want to use an app to prevent voicemail from being left, but that's one of the few feasible options.  You could change your phone number, but there's no guarantee that you won't be called at the new number.  You could set your voicemail to the extended absence setting, but that would prevent everyone from leaving a message.

[Mattredwingsfan]

Here is an article about blocking spam calls.

https://mobilesyrup.com/2019/11/15/how-to-identify-block-spamc-calls-ios-android/

[Mattredwingsfan]

Here is an article about blocking spam calls.

https://mobilesyrup.com/2019/11/15/how-to-identify-block-spamc-calls-ios-android/