Since I got a call blocker for iPhone that actually works I don’t get them anymore. 100% of my spam calls were from spoofed numbers that shared the first six digits of my phone number. So I blocked all 10k of those.
Problem solved.
I block neighbor spam also, and that catches a ton of calls. I also have Google Voice setup so numbers not in my contact list force callers to give their name then press 1, which catches a ton more. Some Chinese spammers still make it through from spoofed numbers. Stir/Shaken will take care of that when it’s finally a thing.
I have the ATT call blocker. Does the iPhone version work on top of this? And please talk about Stir/Shaken.
The AT&T call blocker is just their licensed version of Hiya. It works OK on its own.
Stir/shaken will force everybody to verify they aren’t spoofing their phone number at the carrier level. Once it’s in place iOS and Android can add the ability to block all unverified calls.
“neighbor spam”? Is that like, someone trying to pitch their kids’ girl scout cookies?
Let me Google that for you.
https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/16670-common-phone-scam-neighbor-spoofing
Are you experiencing an increase in the number of “local” calls to your home or cell phone? You’re not alone. This phenomenon is called “neighbor spoofing” and it’s a caller ID spoof strategy being used by phone scam artists in an attempt to get people to answer the phone.
Touché. I wasn’t aware that was a widespread enough phenomenon that it had a common name.
Today is a deluge. I had one, while i was on another called, when in hit pause and picked up another called, when i hung up on the third i got a text message from another. Probably about 15 today in about 5 hours, and several texts.
I seem to get them in waves as well. My phone will ring off the hook for like 48 hours, then they stop for a week or so. Looking back over my history, July 10th was my last obviously spoofed call, and I got 3 or 4 that day. Not a one since.
Four more since that post. It seems like the same company hitting the area hard. The text lists me as [actual first name] [last name of previous home owner]
I got one today from someone spoofing as a mobile carrier.
Btw, there was this audio track doing the rounds a few years ago of spammer time waster using prerecorded speech done by an elderly guy. Does anyone remember the name?
Lenny?
So I went to check my ATT Call Protect app. It asked me for my phone number to send me a temporary PIN. I put it in the app. Hit next. The Pin arrives and I get the message. Which kicks me out of the app. No problem. Now I have the number. I open the app. Which asks me for my phone number to send me a PIN. Total loop. What the fucking fuck?
So I was thinking, hey I’m not getting spam or scam calls. No. The app is just broken and not fucking reporting them.
That’s the one, thanks. My son will love this.
The number of Spam calls has skyrocketed in recent weeks. I use AT&T Call Protect to screen them, but I just went though my recent call log.
A couple weeks ago, nothing.
This week? 5-6 a day.
I want to yell at people.
Like spam emails, these things come and go in waves. A new operation springs up to profit from this scummy practice, calls/emails start to escalate, and then service providers start to block the new operation and numbers wane again. It’s the circle of spam (insert Simba picture here).
I don’t normally get many, but I have received three today, all of the hang up immediately variety, all from different 0203 (newish area code for London) numbers. Which is new for me, usually they purport to come from elsewhere in the UK (mobiles don’t use area codes here).
Ya, I’ve gotten like 3 today… Seems like there’s no real change in them.
The FCC needs to remove the ability for people to spoof phone numbers.
For myself, AT&T Call Protect has reduced the phone calls to almost zero (for the past few months), but the texts are getting out of hand now.
All of these texts are addressing the previous owner of my phone number, Ashley, and I’ve had this number now for 19 months. Most of them say Ashley has been approved for loan amounts varying from oddly specific amounts such as $1260 or $1520 all the way up to $5000. Others tell me of a package being held for me somewhere after failed delivery attempts. Some of these might get my attention, except they are all addressed to Ashley.