[Shop-talk] annoying calls

[Jim Stone]

Unfortunately, the Do Not Call list, which once worked very well, has now become almost worthless because scammers have figured out that that their chances of being caught are slim and the fines assessed are far less than the profits from running a successful scam.  If you cell carrier is AT&T, you can try downloading their Call Protect app.  It isn’t perfect, but it helps. Other carriers may have something similar.  Your cellphone should also allow you to block call from the spoof number, although that would also block any legitimate calls from BOA.  Personally, I set up a contact group list on my mobile called “Ignore this Call” and add numbers to it anytime I get a telemarketing call; being able to actively ignore them gives me more satisfaction than not allowing them to connect.  It is childish, but I still do it.

One other thing, just FWIW.  I didn’t change my cell number when I moved from St. Louis to New York, so it is still Area Code 314.  That turns out to be a very good thing, as most spoof calls come in with that area code (and, more often than not, the same exchange as my phone).  I now ignore any calls from 314 that are not in my contact list and have yet to miss a real call.  You can have any area code you want on a cell phone.  Changing your number is a drastic step, but I would definitely get an out-of-state number, should I ever need a new one.

Hope this helps,
Jim


> On Mar 25, 2019, at 12:29 PM, john niolon via Shop-talk <shop-talk at autox.team.net> wrote:
> 
> for some time I’ve been getting calls on cells phones and home phone offering me “lower credit card rates” and have a limited time to reply... when I press “1” to speak to an associate, I get a foreign being speaking almost english and when I tell him to stop calling they hang up..these calls are two to three times a week and sometimes twice a day.  Today I called their 800 number and got bank of america.  After three failed attempts and a call back I finally spoke to a person and she told me it was a scam and they mask their number and it shows BoAs 800 number.  She said there was nothing they could do... but put me on BoAs do not call list but offered no incouragement that that would stop the calls
>  
> Is there anywhere I can take this to get it resolved...  I can’t seem to block the number on my home phone since it[s a 800 number and haven’t found a way on the cells yet...   come on phone/tech/gurus... little help here
>  
> thanks
> John
>  
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