Unsolicited Phone Calls/Text Messages - A fight back game solution?

[Lowell]

We all hate them. They are illegal and still they come. You know the drill -- an unrecognized phone number, a pause after you say hello as the robo-tape connects or a text message with a clickable number to dial.

Take/make the call, look at your watch and play the fight back game.

Your score in the game is how many minutes your were able to tie down their sales staff by leading them on. I believe that if even a small percentage of people played this game, it would put an end to this business.

You don't have the time? Not to worry. They do all the talking so you can continue doing other things without much listening. They will be happy to repeat. Need a break? Put them on hold while you 'answer the door' or 'try to find a pencil'.

Warning: NEVER follow a text message link [or email link either]. These can lead to drive-by sites that may infect your computer with adware or worse. Other personal data-mining sites will offer something like a laptop but then guide one through several pages of forms requiring personal data, throwing offers in front of one until one gets exasperated and quits trying to get to the laptop. The Feds just busted one such ring the other day.

[Big Dog]

Excellent advice, and a good plan.

[Jimaz]

We had to deal with this just recently.

With a combination of Caller ID, Call History, and a little box that blocks calls from specific phone numbers, we've begun to build a telephony firewall. We're not sure whether it will ultimately work but we're moving in that direction. We have three specific numbers blocked so far. Their names all appear as "Lower Interest" so they might be changing their phone number as fast as we can block them.

Some callers [[charity, political campaign, etc.) are exempt from the national do-not-call registry.

There is currently a scam where they'll impersonate Social Security workers and threaten the elderly to terminate their SS checks unless victims disclose their bank account numbers over the phone. Beware.

[old guy]

Recently, I've been getting robo calls on my cell phone. When I answer them I say hello. No response. I say hello several more times and then I get a response saying that I can save money by doing, I don't know what. Then they actually tell me that all their reps are busy and ask me to go on hold, music begins. I can't believe it. A robo call that asks you to hold until they can get to you.

I have done what Lowell has mentioned before and engage them in conversation. It can actually be amusing. Sometimes they just get frustrated and hang up on you. Darn it. Ask them where they're calling from, if they enjoy their job, how big is their cubicle, if I just sent them a check for say $10 would they make more than the commission they would make if I actually signed on. I enjoy giving them advice on their presentation and use of their script. Hey, it's fun.

[old guy]

Do you get the one with the boat steam stack whistle that starts the call, or is that just something I get locally?

[Django]

Ive been doing this for years. Answer the phone, oh yeah, Phils here somewhere, its a big house, Ill get the maid to find him, you know hes been mentioning something about getting life insurance, hold on. Every five minutes I yell at the phone that hes coming. Ive literally kept them on for almost two hours once.