Cell phone and "unknown" numbers

[Engineer1911]

In the past 2 weeks I received 7 calls from 'unknown' numbers. Being a very untrusting soul, my responses have varied from 'good bye', sarcasm, or vulgar profanity (DHS caller with distinct India accent). I have settled on an answer that works 100% of the time. In a very soft, cordial voice, "Hello, sheriff's department non-emergency number, how may I help you?" causes immediate termination of the call by the caller in about 4.3 microseconds. There are no 'follow-up' calls later. I label the number as Ign01 thru Ign10, shorthand for Ignore. when a label is full, I use the next available. Apparently Ign01, 02, and 03 are full.

In today's contentious social climate, no one wants to talk to the deputy sheriff.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Scammers/spammers/phishers have heard it all and they are inured. When you answer that tells them they have an active number.

They will keep bait casting until they snag a slow moving lunker.

 

[bigggbbruce]

If I don't have the number in my phones memory, I don't answer. If it's not a scam, I'll respond to the message you left.

 

[LVSteve]

If I don't have the number in my phones memory, I don't answer. If it's not a scam, I'll respond to the message you left.

Yep, this is how communication is done today.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

I got that many today.
Who they - what they?
Bets the Hell out of me!
If I don’t know them, or think it’s somebody I want to talk to,
I don’t answer!

 

[DWalt]

If you do not answer a call from an unrecognizable number, no problem. If it is something important, they will leave a voice mail or send a text.

 

[biku324]

'Phishing' texts are becoming more common as well. Just block them.

 

[pasound]

If it's not in my address book, I block it. Exceptions are numbers I know are coming, such as a repairman, and I've been pre-warned.

 

[bigggbbruce]

Yep, this is how communication is done today.

Funny how I never have a message from a scammer.

Today I screened a call. Elderly lady left a message. I Google her phone number. Called her back, I will be looking at a Marlin 336 Centennial, and an all original flintlock. Awaiting pictures of the flintlock.

Like a fox.

 

[The Last Standing Knight]

In the past 2 weeks I received 7 calls from 'unknown' numbers. Being a very untrusting soul, my responses have varied from 'good bye', sarcasm, or vulgar profanity (DHS caller with distinct India accent). I have settled on an answer that works 100% of the time. In a very soft, cordial voice, "Hello, sheriff's department non-emergency number, how may I help you?" causes immediate termination of the call by the caller in about 4.3 microseconds. There are no 'follow-up' calls later. I label the number as Ign01 thru Ign10, shorthand for Ignore. when a label is full, I use the next available. Apparently Ign01, 02, and 03 are full.

In today's contentious social climate, no one wants to talk to the deputy sheriff.

That doesn't work around here, I'm sad to say.

 

[Bald1]

Block the call. Delete text and report as junk. Problem solved

 

[Baxter6551]

I’m with the others above. I don’t answer unknown numbers. If it is a real call they will leave a voice mail. If they don’t I block the number. If it’s a text I delete and “mark as junk”

 

[375hh1973]

If its a male caller I usually pretend I think its my uncle and start talking about some random hunting trip or a ballgame.

Female callers get asked what they are wearing and goes from there....

 

[Bugkiller99]

Use the setting on your phone so that if the number is not in you contacts, it is blocked. Rarely do scammers leave voice mail.

 

[Xfuzz]

If you're not on my call list my cell does not even ring.
Goes straight to voicemail.

 

[Tom S.]

If we could call-forward all these calls to Congress, perhaps they would come up with a method of stopping them.

 

[Greyman50]

My phone has more blocked numbers than family ,friends and doctors.

 

[gwpercle]

With Scams and Scamming on the rise ...
I don't answer un-known numbers .
Gary

 

[Denverd0n]

The problem with blocking the number is that a lot of scammers will spoof the number that the call is coming from. That means you are not blocking the actual number that they called from, just a random number that they picked for the caller-ID to display.

 

[Just another 22 shooter]

The Beekeeper. For 100 minutes of reprieve from your day of looking at scammers texts/calls.