Telephone scam

[buzzingrobot]

I can tell you guys that the problem of nuisance calls is not exclusive to the States. Over here, in the UK, it's got to the stage of reaching epidemic proportions... if the nuisance calls had not escalated into the wholesale industry they've now become, the market for these 'call blockers' would never have come into existence...

In many states here, perhaps most, these businesses are required to maintain a "No Call" list. If someone gets a call, and asks to be placed on a No-Call list, the business is legally required to do that and never call again. It isn't foolproof, but it does work, especially if the state attorney general visibly prosecutes offenders.

[Mike_Walsh]

In many states here, perhaps most, these businesses are required to maintain a "No Call" list. If someone gets a call, and asks to be placed on a No-Call list, the business is legally required to do that and never call again. It isn't foolproof, but it does work, especially if the state attorney general visibly prosecutes offenders.

We have something along the same lines here in the UK, but many businesses only pay lip-service to it. The big companies which have a lot to lose by alienating their customer base tend to stick to the letter of the law, but the problem really comes from the international call centres; so many of our home-grown firms have farmed that side of things out to the far East and India, where, to be bluntly honest, wages are a lot lower than what people here see as a minimum 'living wage'...

And the British legal system is so slow that many cases rarely, if ever, actually make it to court; unless it's a very public case of the type that generates universal, moral outrage...then they will fall over themselves to push it through the system as quickly as possible.

But I still maintain that the whole thing is steadily increasing to the point of verging on the ridiculous.

Regards,

Mike.

[buzzingrobot]

...the problem really comes from the international call centres

I can see that successfully prosecuting international call centers is difficult.

Perhaps we need a way to whitelist the calls our phones will accept.

[Mike_Walsh]

I can see that successfully prosecuting international call centers is difficult.

Perhaps we need a way to whitelist the calls our phones will accept.

Unh-huh. I agree. Probably something along the lines of the one my mother now uses. The company that market them,

http://www.cprcallblocker.com

market one model intended for 'vulnerable adults' (people with learning difficulties & the like). This model you program with a list of accepted, 'trusted' numbers; anything not on that list simply won't get through.....period.

The only snag with THAT, of course, is what happens if you get an emergency call from a family member or relative, using a phone that isn't on the list? You & I could re-program the device.....but someone with learning difficulties?

Every system is ALWAYS going to have its weak points.

Regards,

Mike.

[buzzingrobot]

A workable system would likely need to be built into the cell infrastructure, with callers using a unique PIN or key when they need to make an emergency call from a non-whitelisted phone.

I used to have a phone with ATT here. If I received a spam call, I used a special number that sent them the number of the last call received. If they verified it was spam, they'd block it. Otherwise, getting phone companies to block a number isn't easy, probably due to their fear of being sued for preventing legitimate calls.

I just don't answer calls from numbers I don't recognize, then check and delete voice mail.

[Dragonbite]

BTW: My favourites have to be the scam calls purporting to originate from Microsoft, wanting you to turn your computer on, so that they can 'fix it' for you. I just tell them "We don't use Windows in this house; we use Linux. Good day to you."

That shuts 'em up!

The Microsoft person I got argued with me that I don't have ANY Microsoft products in the house?!! I said yeah, I have a mouse and a webcam.

They still called back a couple of days later. I told my wife to tell them "we only run Linux here" but I don't know if she did nor not.

Should start saying I don't speak English, in Spanish or something and see if they know the language. Won't do them any good because I don't know Spanish any more than saying "I don't know English"

[buzzingrobot]

The Microsoft person I got...

You're aware it isn't a "Microsoft person", right?

[speedwell68]

I so want a Microsoft call it is untrue I have XP in a VM just for them.