Community Stories

How many average daily telephones/texts scams do you receive?

gbesq
Posts
9,846
Likes
55,480
It’s infuriating. I get at least five or more everyday. My phone is no longer mine. I never respond, but the scam calls just continue.
 
Dan S
Posts
24,524
Likes
54,494
It will just get worse as Election Day approaches.
 
redpcar
Posts
4,377
Likes
10,470
Robots or real people? I get a few "AI" robots calling me about medicare daily. They listen for key words. I have fun slipping in a graphic slur to see what they do to respond. Or keep asking them their name and see how many times they repeat. Sometimes "what" or "huh" will get them in a tizzy.

I'm in a position that I have to answer my phone. Robots listen for "hello" here in the US. Answer with: "This is <insert your name>" or go Italian and answer "PRONTO" or Mexico with "bueno". There will be a long pause with a robot, simply hang up.
 
Speed2Sea
Posts
782
Likes
4,116
Thankfully, I rarely receive spam text messages. Usually it's "Uncle, I haven't heard from you in such a long time. Let's get together." Yeah right! I receive spam phone calls, maybe once every two weeks. If I don't recognize telephone number I don't pick up. I do have my number enrolled with the National Do Not Call Registry. I think that might help a bit.
 
noelekal
Posts
6,757
Likes
53,447
Probably a couple per day and I loathe them.
 
Felix_La_PuBelle
Posts
487
Likes
2,850
They ebb and flow. Used to get a call that had a scratchy recorded message in Chinese almost every day over a period of months. I live near a fairly large Chinese community so could have been political calls directed at a local interest group.

Also get calls from a plumbing service I used once that sounds like AI. It’s trying to have a conversation with me but it plays like a slightly smarter automated call center.
 
JimInOz
Posts
18,080
Likes
37,732
Maybe one a week.
I block all calls unless they're in my contacts list.
My answer message also says "if this call is important, please leave a message".
Don't get many voicemails.

I did have an answer message a while ago that said "This number is on the Australian Government Do Not Call Register, if this is a valid call, please leave a message".
🦗🦗🦗
 
gbesq
Posts
9,846
Likes
55,480
I love some of the YouTube kids that respond to the scams. This one in particular is genius:
 
M'Bob
Posts
7,202
Likes
23,360
When I answer, I ask them what color underwear they’re wearing; they usually hang up.
Edited:
 
Canuck
Posts
15,597
Likes
46,454
I get “windows and doors” calls, sometimes several per day. Then there are the robot calls telling me there has been a $700.00 charge to my Visa, and $2,000.00 purchase of “international gift cards”. “ Press one to talk to an operator.” But once I had a male voice say! “Hello grand dad”. He hung up when I said I don’t have a grand son! Some of these jerks a very aggressive. Best to just hang up!
 
Larry S
Posts
13,740
Likes
53,615
My phone is restricted to my contacts list. My texts are full of screeching political donation requests. The scam texts I report and they are down to 3 or 4 per week. The new Outlook software is really good at managing e mail and batting away unwelcome intrusions.
 
bsowers34
Posts
2,066
Likes
9,232
5 OR 6, lately it's been "we can get you a better rate on your personal loan, yada, yada, yada". Voicemails too. From different numbers all over the place. The phone blocks them from ringing, but i have go delete and block them too.
 
jffoo
Posts
46
Likes
191
I think iphones have this number screening feature now that they ask the person who they are and why they're calling. That's been saving my phone from blowing but I never answer if I dont know the number anyways
 
Evitzee
Posts
7,713
Likes
14,259
I get about 4 spam calls a day on our landline, but the number pops up on the tv screen so if we don't recognize the number it just goes unanswered. It also says, "potential spam' on the screen. Annoying. More show up in my email feed, many get routed to the spam folder automatically but a few get through. Annoying. It's the cost of modern technology, everyone wants to sell you something.
 
alam
Posts
8,263
Likes
19,455
M'Bob M'Bob
When I answer, I ask them what color underwear they’re wearing; they usually hang up.
If is a female, I ask if she is single or have no significant other...if male, I ask if they have a pretty daughter who is single... 😂
 
ghce
Posts
4,874
Likes
49,218
Used to get a few but these days it's a very rare occurrence, using caller id I screen all calls and if it's a number I don't recognise or is not in my phone address book I just don't answer it. If it's a real call they will either Text you or find some other way to contact.
 
Turpinrr
Posts
702
Likes
1,828
I get them most days and actually got suckered by one in December 2023.
We'd only just moved house and the call from "Virgin Media" sounded convincing.

They scammed me for about £4k but co-op bank got it back.
 
5 More Posts...
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

sheepdoll

pre internet long distance telephone communication.

sheepdoll Open Discussion
Foo2rama
Foo2rama
Posts
28
Views
3K