I get phone spam now and then, those calls where you say “hello” and then it’s a scratchy recording in Spanish saying you’ve won a free vacation or whatever. There’s a gazillion websites where you can report this stuff. One of the ones I like is …I like to read through and see what people have to say about the calls they received. The difference between Phone Spam Filter and other similar sites is that they actually explain what is going on. Most sites, you see people leaving comments like “how did they get my number?! I’m unlisted!” But at Phone Spam Filter they explain that they’re just autodialing every number. They didn’t get “your” number, they just called a phone that happened to be yours.
The site offers software that’s supposed to protect you against telemarketers, kind of like this old thing I had that plugged into your phone line at home – we basically don’t have any telemarketing calls at home anymore. But for the software, you have to have a modem…do that many people really have dialup anymore? Their software is open-source though, so that’s cool…but I don’t know how useful it is for most people. There’s also fun anti-telemarketer videos.
The site also works internationally, BTW. I don’t know of any other sites that do that, but for example UK users can visit the site. Unfortunately they don’t have any answers about how to handle telemarketers on your cell phone. I’ve heard of people adding “Known Telemarketer” to their phone’s address book, but then you have to do it for ALL the numbers they use. No thanks! Mostly I just love reading other people going “what is this?!?!” on these sites.
I guess that’s one downside of cheap phone calls. Gack. I wish people would stop falling for this.
Just to double-check, you did list your phone on the do-not-call list, right? If you wait and get through to a live person, make sure to let them know you’re on the DNC list and that they could face steep penalties if you report them (something like $10,000 per violation I believe)
About 12 years ago, before we had Caller ID, telephone spam was not only worse, it was live. No pre-recordings, we’d pick up the phone to find a live human-ish being on the other end.
My favorite was the one who called to sell us vinyl siding. Oh, I could have had it installed, but that would have failed to impress the landlord of our brick three-flat…
I don’t know of any other sites that do that, but for example UK users can visit the UK Phone Spam Filter site
I think it’s not really phone spam. if one sorry