LocostUSA.com

OK, so is anyone noticing the uptick in the number of telemarketing calls lately? I think I might have a way for us, the customers, to get the cell phone companies to step up and stop selling numbers to these people to call and spoof us!

If every one of us would block the number on our cell phones and let the rest of us know that the number was used as a telemarketing number, we can then enter it into our cell phones as a contact and then block that number. Pretty soon the cell phone companies will run out of numbers that will work, permanently, and they will need to purchase more from the FCC.

I think the cell phone companies will figure out that it is not in their best interest to temporarily sell these number to the telemarketers.

Just a thought!

Thom

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Thom

My Cell phone block list is huge! It stops the phone from ringing but does not prevent a message so no one gets completely ignored.
On my home phone I answer unrecognized numbers with the FAX machine robo-callers rapidly disconnect due to the penalties around spamming a FAX machine.
Real callers call back.

It seems the robo-callers make note of FAX numbers and avoid them so the Home number gets very few solicitors anymore.

I dream of using asterisk or some other switchboard software to whitelist incoming calls but the FAX machine trick has worked well enough that motivation is low.

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Honey anyone?

The problem is that they now just spoof legit numbers... Just wait until you get a spam call from your own number.

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-Justin

"Orville Wright did not have a pilots license." - Gordon MacKenzie

Years ago I had a home office and would get robo faxes in the middle of the night and it was a real fax machine, which printed out the fax . I would reach out to the company to ask to be removed to no avail.

So I had software (this is in the mod 90's) to send out faxes from my computer. When the company would not stop sending me faxes I would set up my computer to send a fax 100 times with a page all black with small white letters in the middle of the page asking them to remove me from their fax list. This would empty out their black ink overnight! Needless to say they did remove me!

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Thom

I used to answer the calls, select the number to talk to someone and once they came online I would talk in a perverted manner (no foul language) and say "I love your voice, keep talking, I'm almost there!" (I have a real deep voice). they would quickly hang up.

Now I just decline the calls. My wife thinks I'm sick!

Thom

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Thom

Check out Nomorobo.com. I use it on my home phone. It's free. Spam calls ring once and are gone.

On iPhones, just block incoming numbers not on your contacts list or not numbers you've recently dialed. Blocked callers go directly to voice mail. I only turn this feature off temporarily when I'm expecting a call and don't know the incoming number.

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Cheers, Tom

My Car9 build: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14613
"It's the construction of the car-the sheer lunacy and joy of making diverse parts come together and work as one-that counts."
Ultima Spyder, Northstar 4.0, Porsche G50/52

BTDT. I looked at the ringing phone and Caller ID said that I was calling me. Hmmmm??????

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Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

rx7locost Wrote "BTDT. I looked at the ringing phone and Caller ID said that I was calling me. Hmmmm??????"

I've seen this more than a few times! I just never answer #s that I don't recognize. Of course, I recognized my number, but I knew that I wasn't calling me. One time, I got a call from Carol's # after she had passed and I had her phone shut off. They've got all kinds of gadgets out there to make you think that someone that you want to talk to is calling!

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Mike - Read my story at http://twinlakesseven.blogspot.com/

"Yes, I do want to extend the warranty on my 1981 Chevrolet!"
This means you will be paying for my engine rebuild, right? CLICK!

"Yes, I do want to extend the warranty on my 1984 Jaguar!" CLICK!

"Thank you for calling, this is a "Do not call" listed number, the fine is $1,500.00, let me confirm you have my correct address for payment" CLICK!

When waking me early in the morning, it's "&^T%#@^$&(*)$_)_@)(!@^%%!$%#()__+#+(&%@!!!!" CLICK!

They keep hanging up.

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If I must be a one-man PC free zone, so be it!

So Thom, what are you wearing?

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Honey anyone?

OH! That has already happened!

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Honey anyone?

Khakis?

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Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

When I was a wee lad, long before robocalls, some woman gave out our home number as hers (ours was FR5-xxxx and hers was FR2-xxxx, yes our prefix was FRontier) and had apparently printed it out on business cards or something. She called allegedly to apologize, but really to have my dad give the correct number when people called for her. I remember it didn't go well, and for a while there, the phone would ring at odd hours, and my dad would say, pleasantly and politely, "I'm sorry, she's upstairs with a customer."

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Locost builder and adventurer, and founder (but no longer owner) of Kinetic Vehicles

There are apps that you can use to report numbers, and on incoming calls they check the number against a database built with the help of other users. You can set it up to reject spam calls, and so far I haven't gotten any since installing it. The one I use is called Hiya. Well worth the $15/year or whatever it was.

That reminds me of a small company that I worked for years ago (OK, so everything happened years ago). We had a sales ep that was late to make a presentation to the board of a hospital. He drove a 73 Mercedes 289SL at the time. Since he was late and the parking lot was full up close, he chose to park in a Doctor's dedicated space.

He went in and made his presentation. Afterwards he stopped at the bank of phone booths (told you it was a long time ago) to check voice mail. A competitor's rep did the same thing. After they checked their VMS they talked for a moment and exchanged business cards.

Jack then proceeded to his car to find a security guard waiting for him. The guard proceeded to lecture Jack and tell him that next time his car would be towed. The Guard was relentless, so Jack had enough and produced his competitor's card and said " I was in a hurry to present to your Board. If you have a problem with where I parked0 take it up with my Boss. I really don't care". With that he got in his SL and drove away!

Thom

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Thom