Spam Calls - How to Stop Them?

cheapass88 on 26/03/2021 - 17:33

Hi All, just wanted to see if anyone has the same issue as me. This has been happening for over 6 months now.. and seems to be more frequent.

Majority of weekdays, I get a call between 11:45am to 1pm and another one from around 4:45pm to 5:30pm. They call from a random landline or random mobile number (never been the same nunber twice) but as soon as you answer, they hang up. I generally don't even say hello as I am now expecting them to hang up on me..

I would really like to know what to do! It's annoying but and i also don't want to miss any calls. I never pickup from private numbers already..

Any advice or anyone else get the same thing?

Mobile

Comments

    • Hithere on 28/03/2021 - 15:56
      +2

      Usually a total waste of time.

      The spammers are based in India and Australian law cannot touch them.

      All the DNC register does is (sometimes) stop any Australian based callers who are spammers .

      This doesn't include charities, political messages, or any company you have a 'relationship' with.

      • [Deactivated] on 30/03/2021 - 13:49

        depends if the person in India is spamming you on behalf of an Australian company, then you do have recourse

  • JudasX on 28/03/2021 - 17:22

    I keep an entirely separate phone number in an old phone for all non-personal purposes. Any sms verifications, purchases, promos, and all that non-urgent junk goes onto a number that I never really have to pick up on. I just keep it on silent and assume that a voicemail or text will be sent if urgent.

  • AustriaBargain on 28/03/2021 - 18:33

    I screen all of my calls. Though they never leave a message on my voicemail. Could some of them have been genuine? Sure, but who cares. I missed a call for my PS5 preorder so I googled the number and it said local EB Games, called them back. They didn't leave a message either. Most of the time if I answer it's a robot trying to sell me something in Chinese.

  • shutuptakemymoney101 on 28/03/2021 - 19:38
    +2

    Things will hopefully start to improve in April.

    https://www.acma.gov.au/articles/2020-12/new-rules-detect-tr….

    • Subere on 30/03/2021 - 21:26

      Came here to post this. I remember reading about this a few months ago, so hopefully it stops all those AI Bot "Taxation Department" phone calls threatening me that I will be charged a federal offence, or that Chinese lady recording talking to me and apparently threatening to cancel my Visa (that I don't have).

  • mousie on 28/03/2021 - 19:44

    Divert the call to pizza hut

  • iffer on 28/03/2021 - 20:01

    I've started pressing random(ish) numbers when it is a spam type call.. even if it is a human on the call, they stop quickly with random beeps over their spiel
    (getting to the point where I'm thinking quite highly of my phone pad musical compositions really)

    • cheeksahoy on 30/03/2021 - 13:40
      +1

      "Hot Cross Buns" is an easy one to play (and perfect for this time of year)!

  • [Deactivated] on 28/03/2021 - 20:12

    Here you go OP (and anyone else here that hates spam calls)

    This should ….stem the flow of the bulk of the bullshit calls we tend to get.

    Only other thing you can do is block private numbers (unless you really can't) and stop giving out your number to every business that asks for it or when you "sign up to an account" , either use another # if its not an important account or don't give it away at all if you can.

    Otherwise stop signing up to "win X prize , just sign up here" and you won't have to deal with a lot of that noise , nothing in life is free except the air you breathe and even then i have my doubts.

  • truongster on 28/03/2021 - 21:46

    If they're an advertment company, I say I'm not interested and ask politely for them to remove my number from their DBs. (Usually saying I already have X of whatever they are selling). This works for the "sectors" that the DBs are shared, e.g. Solar companies started calling after bigger companies try their luck, they'll sell your number if they are unsuccessful to the next "tier" until no one wants your number anymore. Usually takes 3-4 weeks.

    If they are a scam then I give them the Aussie treatment, after 1-2 weeks of the Aussie treatment for the scams they usually stop calling.

    • Jolakot on 30/03/2021 - 14:20

      What's the Aussie treatment?

  • cheapass88 on 28/03/2021 - 22:00
    +1

    Thanks for the responses, I've registered for donotcall website, i always thought that was for landlines only. A lot of comments were telling me to tell them off/ask them to stop, etc but the main issue as stated in op isit hangs up as soon you i answer.. let's see how it goes this week..

  • Cul8r on 28/03/2021 - 23:05

    Personally I’m on a lot of meetings during the day and for a long time had a lot of missed calls with no voicemails.

    I’ve been able to catch them every now and then and I’ve noticed I can tell immediately if it’s a real call or just another one I need to get off.

    I used to be real polite and tell them that I’m not interested… this has evolved to hanging up on them, but now I literally just put my mobile down and then talk to themselves till they hang up.

    I used to get this stuff every now and then but it’s beyond ridiculous, 4 different sales pitches last week! Super, energy, insurance and solar. Over. It.

  • fredk1000 on 29/03/2021 - 00:02

    Was it Telstra or Microsoft that called you.
    Funny these all these calls know your computer has been hacked but they don't know your name. Ask them who they want to speak to, I bet they cannot answer that question, hang up.

  • donkeydoc on 29/03/2021 - 05:50

    I forward these numbers to immigration office!

  • gviddy on 29/03/2021 - 08:36

    Interesting this is happening to you as the amount of spam calls i get has jumped massively within the last 2 weeks. Previously I would rarely get anything.

  • tyarrhea on 29/03/2021 - 09:43
    +1

    I answer the calls. If it is an automated message, randomly push a few numbers and it'll connect you to a call centre and then you can abuse them. They'll hang up on you instead.

  • bashar20 on 29/03/2021 - 13:24
    +1

    I blame ShopBack and the leak of data that they downplayed. Since then I am getting a significant amount of junk and phishing emails as well as calls. So next time when ShopBack have an offer think well before you use them.

  • cashless on 29/03/2021 - 13:26
    +2

    Took a call on Saturday from an 08 number (SA and WA). My phone said it was a number in Paraburdoo, WA.
    Guy on the phone says "this is a verification call from NAB, we need to check your details"
    I said "Wow, when did NAB move their telecentre to Paraburdoo?"
    He hung up.

  • jv on 29/03/2021 - 13:59
    +1

    Any advice or anyone else get the same thing?

    Nicole from the NBN and I are on a first name basis now…

  • Buckshot on 29/03/2021 - 14:11
    +1

    I was getting these calls from a bunch of different numbers too.

    What I ended up doing was blocking each one as it came through- over time, the list builds up and the calls seemed to drop off to the point that I don't really get them any more. It was a case of short term pain, long term gain.

  • wizzlesticks on 30/03/2021 - 02:37
    +3

    I have kept a genuine, but cancelled, credit card to provide for each caller. I play along with the caller so that their hopes are high. Then, when the card declines, I say I've probably exceeded my card limit, and that they should keep trying. And of course it's the only credit card I have.

    Keeps them nice and busy and unprofitable.

  • points4life on 30/03/2021 - 03:01

    Not Android but I'm sure you can do something similar:

    • Open Settings on your iPhone.
    • Choose the “Phone” option.
    • Select “Silence Unknown Callers.”
    • Toggle the button next to “Silence Unknown Callers” to on.

    Now all your spam will go to voicemail and people that had something important to say but are not on your contacts or recent call list will leave a message.

  • Trioboy on 30/03/2021 - 08:03

    I had the same issue. It was so bad, I had to change my number. even with my new no, I'm getting some spam calls

  • xc on 30/03/2021 - 08:30

    I keep one of these nearby my phone if it's a human on the otherside:

    www.hyperwhistle.com

    They stop calling for few weeks

  • beefmaster on 30/03/2021 - 08:47
    +1

    I don't pickup and if I do I stay silent waiting for the other side to talk first

    A scammer call me while I was on a bad mood. I let him have it, insulting him, questioning his value and calling him a thief and his parent is ashame of him, etc, trying to hit that guilt spot if there is any left in him.

    At the end he just said F me and hang up, just before I was about to say Karma and Cow God is going to murder his family.

    That day I was in a bad mood and I need a punching bag.

    • anastasiastarz on 31/03/2021 - 00:10

      Yeah I never speak first and hang up when they ask for my name, lol you called me.

  • kokita on 30/03/2021 - 10:03

    I got the same thing for the past months too. Random numbers from landline and mobile. If you pickup, suddenly hung up and you can't call back.
    Nothing that I can do other than block manually in my phone. I am using Samsung S10 and it has a Spam Caller alert feature (works most of the time).

  • nomadspartan on 30/03/2021 - 11:03

    I have a samsung phone, and i find that the built in spam filter works pretty well. When you get a spam call, it lets you know when your phone's ringing so you can just decide to not answer and block the call.

  • Ordinance on 30/03/2021 - 11:49

    Read the title as "Sperm Cells - How to Stop Them?" and was ready to provide plenty of suggestions. Oh well.

  • RocketSwitch on 30/03/2021 - 12:56

    I use Drupe. Works most of the time, if not, I block the number. Have 50 blocked so far. Rate of spam calls is about 2 a week, not bad.

  • Grover on 30/03/2021 - 13:59

    You can put your number on do not call register. Keep in mind this does not apply for places you have an existing customer relationship with (until you ask them to stop). Do not call register is for individuals only (don't know if yours is a business number).

    There's an unwelcome communications code in Australia (ACIF) which details steps your phone service provide have to take to assist you if the calls fit the pattern in the code (its fairly open ended so as long as they are regular calls, it will fit.

    Raise it with your service provider and they will contact the calling party provider to try and get it to stop. If its an oversees caller you are out of luck.

  • Williwill on 30/03/2021 - 16:48
    -1

    The telephone companies sell your number to spam companies. I have called in the past to phone companies to stop the spam and they opted me out of them. I remember in the past there was even a code you could enter in the phone to stop the spam.

  • djmm on 30/03/2021 - 18:47

    I got many calls from mobile number ones, starting 0488 xxx xxx

  • Sammy Boi on 30/03/2021 - 22:29
    -2

    I can't believe this is a two page thread
    the only answer is you can't do anything in your situation

  • Mr Random on 30/03/2021 - 23:43

    I was getting spam calls nearly daily from a group who claimed to be part of a government solar rebate department. My number is on the no call list, but this doesn’t stop them.

    What does stop them though, is taking 5 minutes to answer their questions, then providing them with the nearest McDonalds address for when they request to send someone out for a “free quote”.

    6 months and counting, no more calls…

  • ippybear on 31/03/2021 - 06:51

    I use a program called " Should I answer " it looks at every phone call and rejects any that either, you have flagged, have been black-listed by others as spam etc ( has an active Aus support group who post spam numbers ) or you don't know at all , or are hidden numbers, or overseas or, or….. And a whole stack of other features.
    No one gets through to me, without me wanting to talk to them.
    It's so good that I sent the developer a $10 donation !!

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