I get so many scam calls a week (at least 2 every day) that it's driving me crazy. I have so many numbers on my blacklist, it's unbelievable. Scammers are spoofing their phone numbers (which should be illegal), I can't keep up with it. I normally do not answer unknown numbers, but I have also blocked numbers of legal businesses who have attempted to contact me (they have no name on their caller ID number, for some reason), so I'm hurting myself, too, by not answering these calls.
Would it be worth the money to change my phone number, or do new numbers also receive this massive amount of scam/spam calls?
I suppose I could also block all calls that are not on my contact list, but that's going to hurt me too if a company or an employer calls from an extension line in their business which is not on my contact list.
Not sure what to do, but it's driving me insane.
Any suggestions?
Should I Change My Phone Number? SCAM Calls
Re: Should I Change My Phone Number? SCAM Calls
I do not answer any call that I don't recognize. If it is a valid call they will leave a voicemail message and I can call them back. Spammers never leave a message. Have you received a call from a spammer that is using your phone number yet? It happens.
Customer since January 2009
Telo with 2 Handsets, a Linx, and a Safety Phone
Telo2 with 2 Handsets and a Linx
Telo with 2 Handsets, a Linx, and a Safety Phone
Telo2 with 2 Handsets and a Linx
Re: Should I Change My Phone Number? SCAM Calls
Thanks for the input, Murphy. The majority of my calls have been from scammers, people trying to take my money. I have had to answer my phone (which I SHOULD be able to do at any time) when expecting important calls, not knowing the number of the person would be calling me from.
I had been waiting on a call from Lowe's Corporation for over a month due to a complaint I had filed with the Better Business Bureau. I found out after contacting them that they had been trying to reach me, but I had blocked their number since they didn't leave a message the first time they called. This is what I mean when I said that I am not only blocking scammers, I'm also blocking legitimate calls that do not have a business name assigned to their phone number (I think this is because it's an extension number within their phone system, and not the business' public number(s)
I know what spoofed phone numbers are and why people who have been called by a spoofed number contact the owner of the number, and that is not my issue.
My question was, and still is, is it worth getting a new phone number? Do new numbers still have a lot of issues with scammers/spammers constantly calling them?
I am disabled, I am chronically ill, and these phone calls wake me when I need to be resting. I do not want to turn off my phone because many times, I need to speak with my doctors offices and family members during the day. I should not have to worry about illegitimate calls constantly burdening me. I need to find a way to eliminate this from my life.
I had been waiting on a call from Lowe's Corporation for over a month due to a complaint I had filed with the Better Business Bureau. I found out after contacting them that they had been trying to reach me, but I had blocked their number since they didn't leave a message the first time they called. This is what I mean when I said that I am not only blocking scammers, I'm also blocking legitimate calls that do not have a business name assigned to their phone number (I think this is because it's an extension number within their phone system, and not the business' public number(s)
I know what spoofed phone numbers are and why people who have been called by a spoofed number contact the owner of the number, and that is not my issue.
My question was, and still is, is it worth getting a new phone number? Do new numbers still have a lot of issues with scammers/spammers constantly calling them?
I am disabled, I am chronically ill, and these phone calls wake me when I need to be resting. I do not want to turn off my phone because many times, I need to speak with my doctors offices and family members during the day. I should not have to worry about illegitimate calls constantly burdening me. I need to find a way to eliminate this from my life.
Re: Should I Change My Phone Number? SCAM Calls
After doing a bit of reading on the subject, I've decided to only allow calls to come through which are on my Contacts List. If I am expecting an important call, I will have to give them a time window and change the settings on that day. From what I've read, new phone numbers could have been someone else's number only 90 days before I would receive it. Even shorter if you live in a highly populated area. That doesn't seem like long enough for a scammer to remove the number from their list.
Re: Should I Change My Phone Number? SCAM Calls
Many scammers do sequence dialing. That is they pick an area code and an exchange number. Then they dial every number from 0000 to 9999. Lately they seem to be picking the area code and exchange number of your phone number to make it look like a local call. Given that, a new number wouldn't help much if at all.
Customer since January 2009
Telo with 2 Handsets, a Linx, and a Safety Phone
Telo2 with 2 Handsets and a Linx
Telo with 2 Handsets, a Linx, and a Safety Phone
Telo2 with 2 Handsets and a Linx
Re: Should I Change My Phone Number? SCAM Calls
For those callers who are not on my contact list, they go to voicemail. I don't want to completely block anyone, and voicemail lets legitimate callers get through. Robocallers end up leaving voicemail because they continue to spout their filth until way after the beep, but otherwise most scammers and spammers don't leave voicemail.
I think I may also change my outgoing message to something like this:
"Because of the recent huge increase in telemarketing and spam calls, I now have to run all calls through voicemail. If you aren't one of those guys, but need to reach me, you'll have to leave voicemail. I absolutely will call you back."
I think I may also change my outgoing message to something like this:
"Because of the recent huge increase in telemarketing and spam calls, I now have to run all calls through voicemail. If you aren't one of those guys, but need to reach me, you'll have to leave voicemail. I absolutely will call you back."