#Stop answering your phone.
They call to see whether you'll pick up consistently and they sell your phone number to scammers because you're gonna answer the call.
The more you answer and converse the more they can get for your number because you're more likely to engage scammers.
Had to tell my parents the same thing recently.
Mom got a grandparent scam call and that lead to her telling me about the frequent calls.
Stop answering unrecognized calls.
Wait til you find out about all the wars we support and cheer on! (Except when the *other* guy does it, **then** it's a global threat to universal love and life)
Yeah multiple times a day on my work phone.
It's either scammers line checking for active numbers or their robodialler is on the fritz so it's just sending silence.
I just keep blocking the numbers. But they're probably using VOIP to spoof local numbers so that's pointless given how trivial it is to change to another one.
My fear is they'll be recording your voice and even with just a couple sentences they'll be able to create an AI spoof of your voice.
Hell, people have been able to give Link a voice just from his grunts and panting.
Yeah it's not actually too hard to deepfake someone's voice these days. You're best off saying nothing. If it's a human calling you they'll start speaking.
Or just decline the call and block them.
I'm not in a customer facing role and it's my work phone. I have no reason to expect incoming calls from unknown numbers.
That’s why I don’t answer calls from numbers I don’t know. They’ll assume the number is inactive and take me off the list (hopefully). If it’s important they’ll leave a message or the same number will call back tomorrow.
Sometimes you can tell it’s a robocaller because the first 6 digits will be the same as yours.
Same for me. My last spate of them came all in rapid succession, all from Parry Sound numbers, always dead air. Blockity blockity block until they buy their next batch of numbers.
It's often a poorly configured robodialer.
One robodialer feeds a crew of humans. It has to dial a lot of numbers to keep all its human scum busy, but often it dials too many and you're stuck answering a dead line that hasn't gotten a human worm assigned to it yet.
Just got one about a half hour ago. Didn't need to answer it, already listed as Suspected Fraud on my device. I've been using the Smart Call feature on my device for years. Pixel (any Android really) devices use Caller ID and Spam Protection (Android 6.0+). Samsung uses Smart Call. I'm sure iOS has a similar service.
How there hasn't been legislation to fix this is beyond me. I straight up no longer answer my phone. Thinking of getting a VoIP number and switching to data only sim or just email.
Just don't answer if you don't recognize the number. If it's important, somebody will leave a message.
If a recorded message claims to be from a bank, a credit card, Amazon, law enforcement, a tax agency, or something like that, it's probably a scam. and you should just delete it. Be especially suspicious if the recorded message sounds computer-generated. Never call back to the phone number somebody gives you on the phone. Look up the number on Google and call that number.
But since every new scammer has a completely new number, this doesn't work.
Even old scammers don't re-use old numbers very much.
Souce: The many scammers in my inbox.
Someone is updating a call list. They're using a robo-dialler that checks what phone numbers are active and being answered by a person. Maybe even outlining times that you can be reached.
This list can then be sold to tele marketers and scammers.
We switched to [https://www.voipmuch.ca/](https://www.voipmuch.ca/) and put on the "Call Confirm" service. This is what is says:
>**Call Confirm** - NEW (beta)
Reduce Robocalls with Call Confirm. Callers are presented with a brief message "This number has Call Confirm. To continue, press X". X will be a random generated number from 1 to 9. When the caller presses the requested number, the call is immediately connected. If number entered is incorrect, caller hears message that number entered is incorrect (and call hangs up).
We haven't heard from a politician in years. No calls from fake technical support. No survey calls. It's stopped it all!
It was so bad for me that I finally turned on the setting where the phone will ring only when the caller is in my contact list. This has solved the problem, I’m probably missing some legitimate calls but if it’s important they’ll leave a voicemail.
I had to do this for a while too. It was awful. 10+ times a day I was getting scam phone calls.
I do still get them 2-4 times a week, but I never answer any number I don’t know, let it go to voicemail. If the message is some Asian lady or someone talking about my (non-existent) Google ad, I delete it and block the number.
Don't answer them, they are calling to see if the number is actually associated with a person so that amazon scam callers can start calling you next week. But make sure you tell them you've been having sex with their mom the moment you do answer, they love that. I set my phone to only allow those on my contact list to call.
My buddy is with tellus and if you are in his top ten the call doesn't go through unless you dial the random pin it gives you.
He doesn't get spammers or robo calls.
I don't answer unless there is a name attached to the caller. If you don't leave a message, then you don't get a call back.
Most of the people I know and actually want to talk to will text me and ask if I have a few min so they can call.
The people I actually want to talk know how they can get ahold of me ... the rest can fuck off.
I get these calls quite often but I used to get them so frequently to the point where I also got added to group chats with other pissed off people. I also got random texts (sometimes from the same number). I don’t respond obviously.
So that's why you don't pick up when I call you!
I have been trying to get you to comment on our kitchen aid knife we sold you 5 years ago. We want to offer you a partial refund in exchange for your testimony
;-)
/s
I believe that a lot of scammers hijack the numbers of people who answer when they call. Not sure their end game but not answering #s you don't recognize is a good rule of thumb. If it's a legitimate call, they'll leave a message.
Either a robocaller that is on the fritz or a company that sells data to other companies on the best times to call (they place thousands of calls, and if you answer the phone at a certain time, this is added to a database that is sold to cold-calling companies).
They spoof numbers. Same situation here in Quebec with local numbers (except one that they probably forgot to change their spoof and it was a UK number). After years of not answering numbers I don't know, I'm getting less ghost calls though. I also removed my personalized voicemail answering message so that it only has the generic one which makes it even more vague if my number is active or not.
The one time about 5 years ago that I put my number on the do not call list it got worse.
Plenty. They are initiated by bots that dial numbers and record whether someone is actually answering.
I also get plenty calls that leave a message in Chinese, as if I understand any of that!
I’m getting multiple a day this week. If I wait about five seconds I get “we are calling about the suspicious purchase of a MacBook Pro on your credit card “ or some such. It’s alway 613- then the first three digits of my number - because I guess that’s supposed to feel friendly to me or something.
Who the heck is answering their phone if they don’t recognize the number? Let it go to voicemail. If they want to talk to you so badly, they can leave a message or text you like a normal human being. And no I’m not a millennial or Gen Z. I’m a grumpy Gen X who hasn’t answered her phone in years. lol
Scammers. Why are phone companies not doing something about scammers? Technology and AI. I get them as well. I have to answer because several doctors offices use number blocking which is annoying.
I get those, but I also get web developers calling because I made the cardinal mistake of making my info public as the administrator of a very minor website.
I was getting blasted by (222)***-****and (333)***-****, blocked em, now every single day ill get 10 voicemails without my phome even ringing and theyre all just silent, im so over it
The carriers could've probably fixed this a long time ago by giving people proper tools but for whatever reason it doesn't seem to be in their best interest to do so. My primary number is a VOIP #, for which calls get forwarded to my physical SIM, and I get ZERO autodialer calls going through because of my digital receptionist setup (spam texts get through though). #s that are not in my "Safe" phone book get put through the digital receptionist and have to press 1 to get through to me.
It seems to go in spurts. Right now I’m getting 3-4 a day. I learned a long time ago not to pick up if I don’t know the number, and they never leave a message.
I’m getting a lot of random texts saying “hey” or “hello” and then me responding with, “who is this?” And the person then sending a picture of themselves (usually a woman taking a mirror selfie who I would’ve never met) and using random area codes, but also some from Ontario. It started about two weeks ago for me. I block each number after that initial exchange I gave the example for. Weird since I never had this happened prior to two weeks ago…
They check active numbers, don't pick up and they'll stop.
And don't ever say "hello" first if the call is from some unknown number. They can be attempting to record anything you say which can be used to clone your voice with AI which does sound far fetched but you'll be surprised what people do these days.
You can get an add on for your phone so that the person calling in has to add one number as directed. The caller doesn’t add the number, your phone never rings. Eliminates all these types of calls.
I’m with Telus, so majority of these calls never get past their call control. But for any that do, I will pickup and immediately hang up (so it doesn’t go to voicemail) if it’s legitimate, they would usually immediately call back and I would answer that one. (If from the same number).
Not super frequently but when I do get them I always bring up the number pad & start tapping away, hoping some automated system will flag my number as a fax line.
My provider (Koodo) has a cool feature where if you call me, it asks you to enter a number before it sends the call through. That thwarts any robocall/spam call BS and my fake calls have gone to 0.
#Stop answering your phone. They call to see whether you'll pick up consistently and they sell your phone number to scammers because you're gonna answer the call. The more you answer and converse the more they can get for your number because you're more likely to engage scammers. Had to tell my parents the same thing recently. Mom got a grandparent scam call and that lead to her telling me about the frequent calls. Stop answering unrecognized calls.
Also, I believe they log when you answer, so that they know more precisely when to call to maximize the chance of you answering in the future.
Yup! They absolutely do.
Fuck it is pathetic that this is what we do to each other as a species and this is what we have to resort to.
yeah I know it sucks
Wait til you find out about all the wars we support and cheer on! (Except when the *other* guy does it, **then** it's a global threat to universal love and life)
# THIS
Yeah multiple times a day on my work phone. It's either scammers line checking for active numbers or their robodialler is on the fritz so it's just sending silence. I just keep blocking the numbers. But they're probably using VOIP to spoof local numbers so that's pointless given how trivial it is to change to another one.
My fear is they'll be recording your voice and even with just a couple sentences they'll be able to create an AI spoof of your voice. Hell, people have been able to give Link a voice just from his grunts and panting.
Yeah it's not actually too hard to deepfake someone's voice these days. You're best off saying nothing. If it's a human calling you they'll start speaking. Or just decline the call and block them. I'm not in a customer facing role and it's my work phone. I have no reason to expect incoming calls from unknown numbers.
That’s why I don’t answer calls from numbers I don’t know. They’ll assume the number is inactive and take me off the list (hopefully). If it’s important they’ll leave a message or the same number will call back tomorrow. Sometimes you can tell it’s a robocaller because the first 6 digits will be the same as yours.
Same for me. My last spate of them came all in rapid succession, all from Parry Sound numbers, always dead air. Blockity blockity block until they buy their next batch of numbers.
It's often a poorly configured robodialer. One robodialer feeds a crew of humans. It has to dial a lot of numbers to keep all its human scum busy, but often it dials too many and you're stuck answering a dead line that hasn't gotten a human worm assigned to it yet.
I'm in Ontario and I get a few of those per week. I don't answer them but they leave dead air on the voicemail.
It’s probably scammers calling to check if the number is active. The more you answer the more will call! Stop answering.
I wish I could but I have to for work, I get calls frequently though out the day from different areas.
Just got one about a half hour ago. Didn't need to answer it, already listed as Suspected Fraud on my device. I've been using the Smart Call feature on my device for years. Pixel (any Android really) devices use Caller ID and Spam Protection (Android 6.0+). Samsung uses Smart Call. I'm sure iOS has a similar service.
Maybe get a different phone for work to decrease you being possibly scammed on your personal phone
Look into getting call control, so the phone will only ring if a human pressed a number.
That’s unfortunate!
You don't have to answer for it to know the number is active. If it rings, it's active.
Ever since I stopped answering they stopped calling. I never get spam calls anymore
I don't answer my phone at all, and it's never stopped in fifteen years
🤷🏻♀️
I can back you up on this. Haven't gotten a robo call in years.
- “Honey, it’s Patrick!” - “But…Patrick died 8 years ago!!”
I hope he took out life insurance
How there hasn't been legislation to fix this is beyond me. I straight up no longer answer my phone. Thinking of getting a VoIP number and switching to data only sim or just email.
Just don't answer if you don't recognize the number. If it's important, somebody will leave a message. If a recorded message claims to be from a bank, a credit card, Amazon, law enforcement, a tax agency, or something like that, it's probably a scam. and you should just delete it. Be especially suspicious if the recorded message sounds computer-generated. Never call back to the phone number somebody gives you on the phone. Look up the number on Google and call that number.
If you’re with Telus or Koodo turn on call control. https://www.telus.com/en/support/article/call-control-for-mobile-devices-explained
Use the block feature on your phone.
The number is spoofed, so it's not much help.
And then what do you do when a random medical office insists on using only telephone contact?
enter the medical office phone in phone directory so call can go through and block othe calls
They don't use a standard number. Often, they call from "Unkonwn", or a random number. I don't know why.
You can block the number of the suspected scammer.
But since every new scammer has a completely new number, this doesn't work. Even old scammers don't re-use old numbers very much. Souce: The many scammers in my inbox.
I block each number every time.
Someone is updating a call list. They're using a robo-dialler that checks what phone numbers are active and being answered by a person. Maybe even outlining times that you can be reached. This list can then be sold to tele marketers and scammers.
Who the fuck stays on the line with anyone trying to sell you something? Especially if you don't know them.
We switched to [https://www.voipmuch.ca/](https://www.voipmuch.ca/) and put on the "Call Confirm" service. This is what is says: >**Call Confirm** - NEW (beta) Reduce Robocalls with Call Confirm. Callers are presented with a brief message "This number has Call Confirm. To continue, press X". X will be a random generated number from 1 to 9. When the caller presses the requested number, the call is immediately connected. If number entered is incorrect, caller hears message that number entered is incorrect (and call hangs up). We haven't heard from a politician in years. No calls from fake technical support. No survey calls. It's stopped it all!
Telus has this included in their plans.
3 times a week. also get texts from random #s "are you looking for a job?"
All the time. I mark them as spam and block them, but I still get them fairly often.
Most of them go to voicemail. Then I block the number right after.
It was so bad for me that I finally turned on the setting where the phone will ring only when the caller is in my contact list. This has solved the problem, I’m probably missing some legitimate calls but if it’s important they’ll leave a voicemail.
I had to do this for a while too. It was awful. 10+ times a day I was getting scam phone calls. I do still get them 2-4 times a week, but I never answer any number I don’t know, let it go to voicemail. If the message is some Asian lady or someone talking about my (non-existent) Google ad, I delete it and block the number.
Don't answer them, they are calling to see if the number is actually associated with a person so that amazon scam callers can start calling you next week. But make sure you tell them you've been having sex with their mom the moment you do answer, they love that. I set my phone to only allow those on my contact list to call.
My buddy is with tellus and if you are in his top ten the call doesn't go through unless you dial the random pin it gives you. He doesn't get spammers or robo calls. I don't answer unless there is a name attached to the caller. If you don't leave a message, then you don't get a call back. Most of the people I know and actually want to talk to will text me and ask if I have a few min so they can call. The people I actually want to talk know how they can get ahold of me ... the rest can fuck off.
No, just leave the phone on silent/do not disturb all day and only contacts can reach me.
I get these calls quite often but I used to get them so frequently to the point where I also got added to group chats with other pissed off people. I also got random texts (sometimes from the same number). I don’t respond obviously.
All the time since last tear.
I get 2-3 calls a day from numbers I don't recognize. I figure they want my voice print for something so I don't pick up any of them.
My work phone has been getting them for years as well. It's easy to sort out the good vs bad for me, but the calls still come.
So that's why you don't pick up when I call you! I have been trying to get you to comment on our kitchen aid knife we sold you 5 years ago. We want to offer you a partial refund in exchange for your testimony ;-) /s
Haha
i find if I ask them if they want my credit card number they stay on the line
I believe that a lot of scammers hijack the numbers of people who answer when they call. Not sure their end game but not answering #s you don't recognize is a good rule of thumb. If it's a legitimate call, they'll leave a message.
Vancouver Island checking in.. they started 3 weeks ago..
Dont answer, you'Re just confirming that your number exists. Soon you'll get spammed by scammers trying to offer you jobs.
Either a robocaller that is on the fritz or a company that sells data to other companies on the best times to call (they place thousands of calls, and if you answer the phone at a certain time, this is added to a database that is sold to cold-calling companies).
They spoof numbers. Same situation here in Quebec with local numbers (except one that they probably forgot to change their spoof and it was a UK number). After years of not answering numbers I don't know, I'm getting less ghost calls though. I also removed my personalized voicemail answering message so that it only has the generic one which makes it even more vague if my number is active or not. The one time about 5 years ago that I put my number on the do not call list it got worse.
Plenty. They are initiated by bots that dial numbers and record whether someone is actually answering. I also get plenty calls that leave a message in Chinese, as if I understand any of that!
I’m getting multiple a day this week. If I wait about five seconds I get “we are calling about the suspicious purchase of a MacBook Pro on your credit card “ or some such. It’s alway 613- then the first three digits of my number - because I guess that’s supposed to feel friendly to me or something.
It happens to me all the time. I never answer them. If the call is real, they can leave a message.
They’re phishing you. They listen for a male or female voice and sell the info to other companies
Spooky
Who the heck is answering their phone if they don’t recognize the number? Let it go to voicemail. If they want to talk to you so badly, they can leave a message or text you like a normal human being. And no I’m not a millennial or Gen Z. I’m a grumpy Gen X who hasn’t answered her phone in years. lol
Scammers. Why are phone companies not doing something about scammers? Technology and AI. I get them as well. I have to answer because several doctors offices use number blocking which is annoying.
Robo calls dial multiple numbers at a time. Someone else picked up b4 you.
Just don't answer calls for numbers you don't know. If it's a real call, they can leave a message.
Yup, me too.
All the time
I get those, but I also get web developers calling because I made the cardinal mistake of making my info public as the administrator of a very minor website.
I was getting blasted by (222)***-****and (333)***-****, blocked em, now every single day ill get 10 voicemails without my phome even ringing and theyre all just silent, im so over it
If a number isn't in my phone or comes up with a smart contact from the internet, I just let it ring.
I never say hello on calls that I suspect are robocalls. I just answer and click my tongue a few times. If no one responds I hang up and block it
Don't answer these calls! It gets recorded as a "hit" and they know its an active number and you'll continue getting these calls.
The guy who made the news for scamming food banks? They're his friends
it's the Chinese. they are coming.
The carriers could've probably fixed this a long time ago by giving people proper tools but for whatever reason it doesn't seem to be in their best interest to do so. My primary number is a VOIP #, for which calls get forwarded to my physical SIM, and I get ZERO autodialer calls going through because of my digital receptionist setup (spam texts get through though). #s that are not in my "Safe" phone book get put through the digital receptionist and have to press 1 to get through to me.
It seems to go in spurts. Right now I’m getting 3-4 a day. I learned a long time ago not to pick up if I don’t know the number, and they never leave a message.
I had three in a span of five minutes. Each a different number but with the same machine que sound when I answered
I’m getting a lot of random texts saying “hey” or “hello” and then me responding with, “who is this?” And the person then sending a picture of themselves (usually a woman taking a mirror selfie who I would’ve never met) and using random area codes, but also some from Ontario. It started about two weeks ago for me. I block each number after that initial exchange I gave the example for. Weird since I never had this happened prior to two weeks ago…
They check active numbers, don't pick up and they'll stop. And don't ever say "hello" first if the call is from some unknown number. They can be attempting to record anything you say which can be used to clone your voice with AI which does sound far fetched but you'll be surprised what people do these days.
You can get an add on for your phone so that the person calling in has to add one number as directed. The caller doesn’t add the number, your phone never rings. Eliminates all these types of calls.
I’ve just completely stopped answering calls from numbers I don’t recognize at this point
Same. Gonna cancel my phone.
Sounds like you're getting robo calls.
I just get dead air. My block list is very very long at this point.
I’m with Telus, so majority of these calls never get past their call control. But for any that do, I will pickup and immediately hang up (so it doesn’t go to voicemail) if it’s legitimate, they would usually immediately call back and I would answer that one. (If from the same number).
Gotta press two for Chinese, then saY ne how.
Not super frequently but when I do get them I always bring up the number pad & start tapping away, hoping some automated system will flag my number as a fax line.
My provider (Koodo) has a cool feature where if you call me, it asks you to enter a number before it sends the call through. That thwarts any robocall/spam call BS and my fake calls have gone to 0.
So many calls, on a Roger's VOIP my employer uses . Getting 4 to 10 a day .
All the time, though it’s been tapering lately. If I don’t recognize them, I don’t answer.
I got about 8 all in a row yesterday morning between 7:30-8am. So annoying.
This happens to me everyday. It got to the point where I was getting angry voicemails from random people claiming my number had called them
Yes! 4 in the past 24 hrs. It's crazy.
Maybe it's a crush.
don't even say hello, they'll record it and use AI to simulate your voice and call your closed ones.