Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

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Northern Flicker
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Re: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

Post by Northern Flicker »

BolderBoy wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 3:25 pm Several months ago I replaced my elderly AT&T cordless phone with a Panasonic cordless phone sold by Costco ($70 I think). It has a myriad of call blocking options, blocking 1st ring, requiring a caller to enter a numerical code of your choice on their first call, whitelisting common, desired callers, etc.

Plus a zillion other options that can be set up. Comes with base/handset + 4 extension handsets. Options can be set from any extension handset. Built-in answering system. Consumes very little power (<1 watt). Operates in the 900mHz band I think.

Essentially I get zero unwanted calls anymore.

(for the quaint posters who said landlines are so 1986 & 1886, I don't have a cell phone)
If I can give someone a numeric pin to use, I can just add them to my iPhone contacts and only have my phone ring for people in my contacts list or outgoing call list. The problem is that I do need the phone to ring for certain calls that are not from lines known in advance and without being able to provide a priori codes.
TN_Boy
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Re: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

Post by TN_Boy »

Northern Flicker wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 10:02 pm
BolderBoy wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 3:25 pm Several months ago I replaced my elderly AT&T cordless phone with a Panasonic cordless phone sold by Costco ($70 I think). It has a myriad of call blocking options, blocking 1st ring, requiring a caller to enter a numerical code of your choice on their first call, whitelisting common, desired callers, etc.

Plus a zillion other options that can be set up. Comes with base/handset + 4 extension handsets. Options can be set from any extension handset. Built-in answering system. Consumes very little power (<1 watt). Operates in the 900mHz band I think.

Essentially I get zero unwanted calls anymore.

(for the quaint posters who said landlines are so 1986 & 1886, I don't have a cell phone)
If I can give someone a numeric pin to use, I can just add them to my iPhone contacts and only have my phone ring for people in my contacts list or outgoing call list. The problem is that I do need the phone to ring for certain calls that are not from lines known in advance and without being able to provide a priori codes.
Yeah, the true need to take calls from numbers potentially unknown in advance makes most of the proposed solutions unhelpful.

It's really easy to let callers not in my contact list roll over to voicemail. Did it all the time when not in a caretaking role. The problem, as noted, is when it's someone like a medical provider and failing to take the call means a fun round of phone tag -- sucking up more time over one missed call than answering and hanging up on 10 spammer calls.

1st world problem I suppose. But quite annoying.
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BolderBoy
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Re: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

Post by BolderBoy »

mpnret wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 5:08 pmAm I understanding this correctly? You now have to give any first time caller a numerical code to get through.
If I haven't already whitelisted them, yes. Once a new, genuine caller has entered the code, that number is automatically whitelisted going forward.
"Never underestimate one's capacity to overestimate one's abilities" - The Dunning-Kruger Effect
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BolderBoy
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Re: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

Post by BolderBoy »

Northern Flicker wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 10:02 pmIf I can give someone a numeric pin to use, I can just add them to my iPhone contacts and only have my phone ring for people in my contacts list or outgoing call list. The problem is that I do need the phone to ring for certain calls that are not from lines known in advance and without being able to provide a priori codes.
The whitelisting function is to add expected callers. They will not be asked to enter the numeric code.

When an unknown human caller calls they are asked to enter ### (or whatever number you set) and are then immediately rung through (and their telco number is added to the whitelist for future calls.)
"Never underestimate one's capacity to overestimate one's abilities" - The Dunning-Kruger Effect
mpnret
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Re: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

Post by mpnret »

BolderBoy wrote: Mon May 10, 2021 1:06 pm
mpnret wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 5:08 pmAm I understanding this correctly? You now have to give any first time caller a numerical code to get through.
If I haven't already whitelisted them, yes. Once a new, genuine caller has entered the code, that number is automatically whitelisted going forward.
Sounds easier and less confusing to just add them to your contacts to begin with.
westie
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Re: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

Post by westie »

turn the ringer off, review your messages 2x a week.
TN_Boy
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Re: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

Post by TN_Boy »

westie wrote: Mon May 10, 2021 6:26 pm turn the ringer off, review your messages 2x a week.
Nope many people, including the OP, are in a situation where you can't just ignore calls. I've been in that situation and it sucks. People who have not been in such a situation may not fully appreciate it.
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Nightowl99
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Re: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

Post by Nightowl99 »

If they're obviously crooks trying to scam my elderly mother, I report them to the Federal Communications Commission @ FCC.gov.
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Lee_WSP
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Re: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

Post by Lee_WSP »

If sending all unknown callers to voicemail is not an option, try an answering service that will screen and forward real calls.
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KNMLHD
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Re: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

Post by KNMLHD »

cacophony wrote: Sat May 08, 2021 2:33 am
Prahasaurus wrote: Sat May 08, 2021 12:45 am Landlines are so 1986, but ok, if they insist on keeping one, an answering machine is the way to go.
It may be older tech but it's still a far better call experience. For one the latency is about 1/10th that of the typical cell plan, which makes the entire conversation way more natural. Plus the handset is more comfortable to hold for long conversations.
Catching up… you are spot on.

Also… they do have Internet (Ooma would be an option). Ear buds are not their thing.
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KNMLHD
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Re: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

Post by KNMLHD »

TN_Boy wrote: Mon May 10, 2021 7:10 pm
westie wrote: Mon May 10, 2021 6:26 pm turn the ringer off, review your messages 2x a week.
Nope many people, including the OP, are in a situation where you can't just ignore calls. I've been in that situation and it sucks. People who have not been in such a situation may not fully appreciate it.
Yeah… not an option. With new care givers from several firms, each care giver primarily using their cell, they can’t ignore. The spoofing of numbers makes it problematic - even if one was on a cell and blocked, the people will just spoof a different number, and the one that you would block could very well be legit.

There are also the political calls which also get annoying, but under FCC rules are permitted. AFAIK, no way to opt out. At least with SMS messages, you can reply “STOP” to get off whatever list they are using. One would think there would be an equivalent for landlines, but I’m unaware of anything.
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KNMLHD
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Re: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

Post by KNMLHD »

dratkinson wrote: Sat May 08, 2021 6:18 pm OP. If cordless phone base/answering machine + several cordless handsets were added to relative's landline, caregivers would have a convenient way to answer calls that passed screening. No need to run to phone, or answer unknown caller.
They do have a myriad of handsets - that isn’t the issue. If you’re waiting on a call from a doctor you were just assigned due to a hospital stay, or a service is sending over a new physical therapist who is using their own cell… in either case, you don’t know the number in advance, and missing it would be problematic (phone tag, excessive hold times, etc).

The less stressful moments may be helping someone get dressed who can’t do it themselves. We can all probably imagine more stressful scenarios (without getting into details). I have to think the technology is there to know if originating phone number (or equivalent) is not equal to the caller ID, then send to voice mail, without ever ringing the phone. Better yet, log the call for sending complaints to a consumer protection bureau or FCC or whomever has jurisdiction.
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abuss368
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Re: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

Post by abuss368 »

I don’t have a home number for years. Just iPhones. I simply don’t pick up and click a couple of times to block the number. This has worked very well for us.

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TN_Boy
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Re: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

Post by TN_Boy »

KNMLHD wrote: Tue May 11, 2021 8:24 pm
dratkinson wrote: Sat May 08, 2021 6:18 pm OP. If cordless phone base/answering machine + several cordless handsets were added to relative's landline, caregivers would have a convenient way to answer calls that passed screening. No need to run to phone, or answer unknown caller.
They do have a myriad of handsets - that isn’t the issue. If you’re waiting on a call from a doctor you were just assigned due to a hospital stay, or a service is sending over a new physical therapist who is using their own cell… in either case, you don’t know the number in advance, and missing it would be problematic (phone tag, excessive hold times, etc).

The less stressful moments may be helping someone get dressed who can’t do it themselves. We can all probably imagine more stressful scenarios (without getting into details). I have to think the technology is there to know if originating phone number (or equivalent) is not equal to the caller ID, then send to voice mail, without ever ringing the phone. Better yet, log the call for sending complaints to a consumer protection bureau or FCC or whomever has jurisdiction.
KNMLHD,

You have my sympathy for the situation.

It continues to surprise me how many people responding in this thread do not understand why your folks can't just ignore calls. Even after you explained :-)
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StevieG72
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Re: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

Post by StevieG72 »

I wish there was a better solution.

As a small business owner and parent of a child with some health issues, I really don't have the luxury to ignore calls.
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sunsetting101
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Re: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

Post by sunsetting101 »

For my smartphone, I use the Should I answer app. It looks like they cross reference the phone number against their database and tells a description (spam, unsolicited, safe, etc..) and a rating (negative, neutral, positive) for the number. I use their blocking function for negative calls and I don't hear them.
likegarden
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Re: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

Post by likegarden »

We are around 80 years old and also have doctor appointments. We use mainly our land line, cell phones are not actively monitored. We also receive calls from our grandson in high school to our landline. We only respond directly to our grandson (his phone number) calling. All other calls we let go to our answering machine, and call back if that was not a scammer. All these scammers with fake local phone calls rarely leave a message, so there is no problem.

So we have no problem because we do not respond directly to phone calls, only check their recording, and thereafter call back if needed.
The same is with Emails from scammers, also do not read the message text to show the scammer that you are monitoring them. That is when the message is from a bank where we do not have an account with, we simply delete the message without opening it up.
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Munir
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Re: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

Post by Munir »

BolderBoy wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 3:25 pm Several months ago I replaced my elderly AT&T cordless phone with a Panasonic cordless phone sold by Costco ($70 I think). It has a myriad of call blocking options, blocking 1st ring, requiring a caller to enter a numerical code of your choice on their first call, whitelisting common, desired callers, etc.

Plus a zillion other options that can be set up. Comes with base/handset + 4 extension handsets. Options can be set from any extension handset. Built-in answering system. Consumes very little power (<1 watt). Operates in the 900mHz band I think.

Essentially I get zero unwanted calls anymore.

(for the quaint posters who said landlines are so 1986 & 1886, I don't have a cell phone)
What is the model number of the Costco Panasonic phone you describe?
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