The first robocall was from “David, about a Policemans PAC” and supporting candidates and donating money. When you try to break in to interrupt it takes a couple seconds, then the spiel goes to “perhaps we can add you to our friends and supportes group” or some such. If you say “DO NOT CAL LIST” the messages says they will add you.
**hello hi it’s David Clarke for the police officer support Association pack we’re having a fundraiser and the goal is to keep our police **
Then 1/2 hour later from another number for Austic Children PAC.
hello hi there this is Diane from the American Coalition for autistic children pack.
The third was “Breast Cancer Relief PAC”, but that all work the same using the same type of script.
hello hi it’s Kourtney for the breast cancer Relief Committee pack we’re having our fundraising drive and providing donation return envelopes to all supporters
So I got on SOMEBODIES list all of a sudden and it does show that all these calls are using the same equipment and generally the same text.
Answer the phone. Don’t say anything for ten seconds. Then hang up. A real person would assume it’s a bad connection and try again. A computer will decide the number is no good.
You can play SIT tones to tell a computer your number has been disconnected. I’ve done that before, but it’s kind of pain to have that ready when a call comes in.
Not so quick there hombre, there are spam faxes also. I used to get reams of messages promoting sporting goods from “distributers” I believe to be offshore. I switched to a printer without the fax function.
I have a method that has worked well. It’s a bit of an inconvenience until you get used to it then it’s a blessing: on my landline I installed a $10 answering machine years ago with the outgoing message “all calls are screened, if I don’t pick up after learning who is calling, leave me name & number to return the call”. My spam calls went from a couple dozen daily to just an occasional call.
One problem is that these phone calls to my cell are from Valid Toll-Free numbers, thus, they are not yet listed in Scam or Telemarketer databases and look valid.
Just so people know, I personally can buy a generic Toll Free number for no set up cost and 99 cents a month. Calls out are perhaps a penny or two a minute based upon a short 6 second slice (thus about 3/10’s of a cent every 6 seconds). It does not cost a boatload of money to call a random number and have them hang up on you. That is why telemarketers and scammers do it. It is cheaper now than a stamp by orders of magnatude.
I’ve been getting them but it sounds like someone making a collect call since the robo voice said “if you accept the charges, press 1”. Ordinarily I won’t answer an unrecognized number, but when I have many irons in the fire, I might well have someone from out of state calling me about that. I answer, but don’t say anything unless they start the conversation.
I remember once answering the phone where I volunteer. It was a person from Google maps that wanted some information about our location. After responding to a few questions and having to repeats information, I suddenly realized that I was talking to a Bot. So I would imagine AI will be taking over the job as robocaller.
We are seeing AI generated text being used in forum answers as a first post of the person. Then they come back and edit the text to include a link to some site as spam.
I get an average of 10-12 daily on my landline. Panasonic and AT&T sell great cordless phones that can block Robo or anybody you don’t want to call. The phones come with thousands already programmed. Most of you will have to block without being there. My AT&T cordless is set to make the caller listen to instructions on how to get through by clicking 1 then I can hear their message. NOT ONCE has any caller pushed 1. Sometimes I hear no ring or one ring and my caller ID states Call Blocker is reviewing then they hang up. If a friend calls you can click on his number and put it in the safe file so they will never have to listen to that again. These are very inexpensive phones. For Cells, you can use several blockers for a few bucks a month such as nomorobo. Although after the robo call you can block in your phone settings on your own.I go no Robo messages, ever on my answering machine.
