Robocalls

[Mike McCall]

I get robocalls everyday, mostly from someone wanting me to upgrade my Google listing. I don't answer, and I block the number, but they just spoof another number and are back again the next day. Yesterday I received two calls (I didn't answer) telling me I was in big trouble and listed a few government agencies that might come after me if I didn't contact them right away. Again, I blocked the numbers. Here's the thing - as a business I have my number prominently displayed on my web site and other places for anyone to find. Of course the numbers are spoofed and they simply use another number and keep going. Yesterday I read an article that caught my attention:

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-robocalls-idUSKCN10U18L
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-robocalls-idUSKCN10U18L
I fully support this effort and hope they devise a way of effectively dealing with this scourge. We all have clients who have fallen victim to these scum bags. My father-in-law (94 now, but in his 80's at the time) lost hundreds of dollars to one claiming to be his grandson in desperate need of money. He still gets calls, but doesn't answer the phone unless it someone he knows. Maybe, if these companies work together on this there will be an answer. The fact that there are over 30 companies involved including AT&T, Google, Apple, Verizon, Comcast, Frontier, Nokia, & Microsoft speaks to the magnitude and severity of the problem.

 

[Markverhyden]

I've gotten pretty good at identifying those. From places that I have no connection to. But what really annoys me are those that have caller ID blocked. Workmarket has started doing that. So I've just started letting those go to VM as well.

 

[glricht]

If the caller ID is blocked (e.g. caller ID says "Unknown caller / Unknown number"), I too just let it go to VM.

But the challenge here in central Florida is that a lot of my residential customers are from other parts of the country and they use their cell phone from back home. So I get a LOT of calls from area codes/exchanges that I've never heard of. Used to think they were telemarketers/robocalls and let them go to VM. But later, after listening to their VM and realizing they were legit, I'd call them back and be told that they found somebody else. So now I answer every call, which opens me up to a bunch of add'l crap calls later in the day. The Do-Not-Call doesn't work very well for things like this.

 

[Porthos]

So I get a LOT of calls from area codes/exchanges that I've never heard of. Used to think they were telemarketers/robocalls and let them go to VM.

I send to voice mail as well. But I google the number right away and if that search does not reveal a TM I call right back.

 

[Markverhyden]

If the caller ID is blocked (e.g. caller ID says "Unknown caller / Unknown number"), I too just let it go to VM.

But the challenge here in central Florida is that a lot of my residential customers are from other parts of the country and they use their cell phone from back home. So I get a LOT of calls from area codes/exchanges that I've never heard of. Used to think they were telemarketers/robocalls and let them go to VM. But later, after listening to their VM and realizing they were legit, I'd call them back and be told that they found somebody else. So now I answer every call, which opens me up to a bunch of add'l crap calls later in the day. The Do-Not-Call doesn't work very well for things like this.

Yeah. Know what you mean about consumer cell phones. While I'm 99% business customers I do see that when they have employees calling me. But I usually have a heads up that someone will be calling so I'll pickup.

 

[katz]

But the challenge here in central Florida is that a lot of my residential customers are from other parts of the country and they use their cell phone from back home. So I get a LOT of calls from area codes/exchanges that I've never heard of. Used to think they were telemarketers/robocalls and let them go to VM. But later, after listening to their VM and realizing they were legit, I'd call them back and be told that they found somebody else. So now I answer every call, which opens me up to a bunch of add'l crap calls later in the day. The Do-Not-Call doesn't work very well for things like this.

Same here in Penna.

 

[GTP]

I get them here in Aus. They say they are from Google Marketing, Google AdWords, Google SEO or some other company that states "one of our experts has inspected your website and we think we can increase your sales with a makeover and SEO" etc, etc.
I get at least 3-4 every week! Blocking the number each time is a pain, as they simply use a different number. My "blocked" list has about 40 entries now!

 

[HFultzjr]

Thank goodness for VM.
If I didn't let the "unknown" calls go to VM, I would need to hire someone to answer the phones.......LOL
Most don't leave a message unless the are legit.
If it's business related, they get a call right back.

 

[mikeroq]

My blocked list has over 275 numbers on it. All blocked/private/unavailable calls are rejected. They just keep coming.

 

[16bwhitt]

I seem to get called saying my business is eligible for a $200,000 business loan! I've pressed "2" to be put on their list of do not call, but it doesn't work. Pressing "1" would get me to an operator in which I want to scream out. However can I realize those people have families and are trying to make a living, as well. :/

 

[Krynn72]

It takes 2 or 3 seconds to realize its a robocall, I just hang up. At lot faster than checking voicemails. If you're checking the caller id it means you've got the phone in hand already, just answer it and hang up if needed. Its a very minor annoyance, and not worth the risk of losing a job over it from a real customer calling you for the first time. Some people don't like leaving voicemails when they've never dealt with a business before. In my experience "private numbers" are more often real potential customers than robots.

 

[GTP]

It takes 2 or 3 seconds to realize its a robocall

I always answer. You can tell if it's a "robocall" because there is a short delay and several audible clicks before anything happens. This is not normal for a legit call, private or not.

In my experience "private numbers" are more often real potential customers than robots

Agreed

 

[NJW]

It takes 2 or 3 seconds to realize its a robocall, I just hang up. At lot faster than checking voicemails.

This. You can also (usually) tell if it's a call centre from the short delay and the background noise – same action.