FTC TSR

Since implementing an IVR into the inbound call flow, we get 0 spam calls.

The config here is some what complex, but breaks down as follows.

Traditional pots number was ported to google voice some years ago.

An obi200 back feeds the jacks in the house.

Outbound calls are made using google voice (for free).

Inbound calls come into google voice but then get forwarded to callcentric (callcentric.com).

CC allows something called call treatments. One of them is an IVR which tells the caller to press a digit to connect the call. No digit, no connected calls. After 3 attempts caller is sent to voice mail. House phone never rings during this time.

Monthly cost for CC is $4. This includes 2 DIDs (inbound numbers), unlimited calls/minutes, E911 service, and 120 minutes of outbound calling. The second number is used for a fax server.

This arrangement has been working well since 2016. The ivr got implemented 2 or 3 years ago. Prior we'd get up to a dozen or more spam/robo calls a day. Now it's zero (0).

Periodically I review the call log at CC and update a white list so these callers are not subject to the IVR.

Our annual phone bill is literally $48 for both lines.

Callcentric also provides cnam for caller id (the name portion) rather than just a number. Voicemail, conference calling, call treatments based on time of day, and other features.

these calls seem to be getting more frequent even though I am on the "Do Not Call" registries. They call my home phone, cell phone and even my work phone. I usually don't pick up if I don't recognize the number but it is still very annoying.

The Do Not Call List is their primary source of numbers to call.

...originate in either Nigeria or India. I have gotten to a point where when I answer a call, I will call somebody by name. For instance, I will say "Hi Jack" whenever I answer a call. They will start in with their spiel and I will say, "How come Jack's number is coming up on my call ID'? At this point, they will usually hang up. It's actually kind of fun messing with them.

I used to forward these calls to Lenny, an automated system that wastes the telemarketer's time so they can't call other people. Unfortunately, Lenny doesn't seem to be working when I last checked.

Here is one of many examples:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSoOrlh5i1k

A while back I had someone spoof me with my own phone number. Caller ID said I was calling myself. Since I switched to T-Mobile spoofed calls seem to be less of a problem.
Mark

For the home phone (Verizon) I use Nomorobo. It works very well, blocking virtually all spam type calls and is still free for landlines.

Check https://www.nomorobo.com/ if interested.

coworker said he helped his mom get signed up for the vaccine and now his cell rings nonstop about medicare. It stinks when we use our cells for work (I get a stipend). Because I have a 24/7 rotation where if we were to not respond 3X, termination. So to have these auto warranty calls, when I'm not doing the rotation sure I can ignore. But when I'm on-call, now I have to answer every one of them.....because often the caller ID is local so I can't take the chance it was work-related. Not that my employer isn't in all 48 states just that local calls are more likely to be legit.

I also don't know what they want, my hunch is they're tracking the tel# and systematically notating what happens, human pick up, voicemail, etc....

I like your approach....

!!

I use the following to companies wanting to warranty my car....

"What is make and model of your car?"

"2018 Ferrari SuperAmerica"

They CLICK !!!

(No, I don't! I don't even know if it is a current model!) !

And for Cell Phone (basic is free to use) is called YouMail. It has a app and also has a web site. Works good

.. that I have a 1948 Desoto. Gets them every time.

Two things:
My wife and I have a landline served by Spectrum voice service which provides access to Nomorobo. We've used Nomorobo for several years and it mostly does the job, although a few numbers are consistently let through.
We also have seven-year-old Panasonic telephones that allow us to explicitly block up to 30 numbers so that if a scam caller always uses the same number we block it at the phone level.
Even with these deterrents, three or fours calls a day still get through but if we don't recognize a number we don't answer it, instead let it go to voicemail.

Phil

The problem with blocking unique numbers is that they always change. Common now is to match the first 6 digits (xxx-yyy-zzzz) match, making you believe it's a local caller.

The ivr filter manages this. Also, with nomorobo you are sharing numbers of your inbound callers with a third party. With ivr filter it's all handled within the system.

He had several phones on a wall used for testing (phone company switching) These numbers were never used for incoming calls. If they rang he would answer "nuclear waste station". They always hung up. It was live people, before robo calls.

My last retired vehicle was a 1998 Honda Civic with 334,000 miles. That's the vehicle they always will get.

I recently took one of the calls, I think he claimed to be from Amazon Security or something. I went along with the conversation for a few seconds, then started asking him to repeat himself, and then started breaking up my own voice for a couple of minutes, as if I had a seriously intermittent connection. It was kind of fun getting him to scream trying to be understood. I kept it up for a while, then just hung up.