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OT: RANT against unwanted calls & my solution: OT

RRP
RRP Posts: 25,880
Though we have caller ID and I will not answer all those idiots wanting to scam me, sell me windows and transfer credit card balances - just the same the number of them any given day is annoying! We use Comcast which gives me the ability to transfer incoming calls. Well...I selected one annoying idiot as the transfer number recipient of all my unwanted calls from other annoying idiots! I hope it works!!! Granted I had to code each one individually using the caller log history for the past month but I think the 30 minutes spent was worth the effort!
Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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Comments

  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
    That's great! :rofl:
    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262
    Not sure if that will work, but it is the sort of thing I'd try as well.  Well done.
    Phoenix 
  • bbqlearner
    bbqlearner Posts: 760
    edited May 2015
    Awesome - tell us how it goes!

    Houston, TX - Buddy LBGE, Don SBGE, Tiny Mini & Shiny Momma Pitts n Spitts

  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    I've made a list of all the numbers which hound us on a regular basis so I can track whether they get through again. I know scammers change their numbers as often as they change their shorts! Looking at the history for the past 5 weeks it was amazing how many of these callers repeatedly tried to get through. I'll let you know if it works, but it sure looks like it will!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    A great thing about most of these types of calls is the inability for the caller to correctly pronounce my name. 

    It typically goes like this: 

    "Hello"

    "Hi, is sadfdsagafdsh there"

    "No one lives here by that name, have a nice day!"

    -click-

    This lasts 2-3 calls before they stop.
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    I assume you can forward calls to just one number? Would be cool if you could send each back to their own number. Or to the FCC. =)

    You ARE on the Do Not Call list aren't you?

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    edited May 2015
    I assume you can forward calls to just one number? Would be cool if you could send each back to their own number. Or to the FCC. =)

    You ARE on the Do Not Call list aren't you?
    Yes Michael I am on the do not call list. You can only specify one number for the foward(transfer) number and then it is automatically filled in as the default. It was really easy to do - just a click here and a click there. 
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    Love it. We just add to blocklist so when they call it rings on their end but, not ours. 
    True story...I was very bored and had a call come thru (don't recall what it was regarding) and I kept asking question after question for well over a hour. At the end I said when the owner gets home I'll let em know you called. Telemarketers are almost always timed on each of their calls. So, your next L&S enjoy :lol: 
    Ron that's freaking hilarious! :rofl: 
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    Love it. We just add to blocklist so when they call it rings on their end but, not ours. 

    We don't have the block option - just screen (worthless IMO) or this transfer to another number. 
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,008
    edited May 2015
    There's always this:

    https://youtu.be/-7OgWcwgB50
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684

    Even though our number is not on the website, I still get calls constantly on the business number from people trying to sell me copier parts, logistics, etc.  With Google Voice, it's pretty easy to block them.  I like the idea of forwarding though!!!

    Many years ago I was so sick of the dozens of post cards that would fall out of my magazines......I kept a stack, then when I got about 100 of them, I'd throw them in a mailbox.  I heard about people doing the same thing, and over the years I saw the number of these things start to reduce. 

  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • mahenryak
    mahenryak Posts: 1,324
    Nice going, Ron.  I like that idea.  Our Panasonic handsets do have a blocked calls feature but I filled it to capacity over the span of a couple of years.  So I've since had to delete some of the ones that I think were no longer coming in to make room for the new ones.  On my phone, though, it still rings once with this feature, before they are blocked. 
    LG BGE, KJ Jr, Smokin Bros. Premier 36 and Pizza Party Bollore



  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    Here is another handy site if you want to see "who" has called you plus what experiences others have had with those particular numbers.
    http://800notes.com
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    @RRP All that extra time on your hands has been spent very effectively - great idea.
    We have a do not call list in Canada, it is available to all telemarketers to ensure they do not call, however what it turns into is a list of valid numbers which do not want to be called - the key is the number is valid. For TMs in Canada or the US, it is effective, if they move the call centre off shore - not so much. 
    Being retired, I'm like @NPHuskerFL if I have the time, I talk to them, then politely end the call. We used to get a ton of cruise calls for sailings out of Florida, after I started telling them I could not legally enter the US, they stopped. 

    Our favourite is to hand the phone to one of grandchildren, preferably the 3 year old - priceless. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • badinfluence
    badinfluence Posts: 1,774
    Damnit! I don't know what happened but I sure have gotten like 3 times more of these calls today then normal.
    1 XXL BGE,  1 LG BGE, 2 MED. BGE, 1 MINI BGE, 1 Peoria custom cooker Meat Monster.


    Clinton, Iowa
  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    Didn't look to see if you have to update or reregister on the National DoNot Call Site?
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    Before the do-not-call list came into being, all evening calls were handled by my teenage son.  If it was a nuisance call, he was free to do or say anything he wanted to the caller.  Kept my blood pressure down and he had fun.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 9,795
    I tell them that when I called the FCC to complain about getting calls despite the "do not call" list - the FCC told me to get the name and social security number of the caller because the individual employee is responsible for ensuring that the person they are calling is not on the "do not call" list - and therefore can be prosecuted if they ever call anyone who is not supposed to be called.

    Nobody has ever given me their social security number, but it has reduced the number of calls we get.

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    Didn't look to see if you have to update or reregister on the National DoNot Call Site?
    I don't think so, but earlier today I had doubled checked and received the robo reply giving me the date I had registered our land line and cell phones. All of which we're years ago! I just think it's another of those "close cover before striking" laws people say ho-hum about! 
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 14,602
    Between this and having trouble finding cordless phones, have you thought about killing the landline? We did, no looking back.
  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    @RRP ... have you looked into using a call blocking device?  Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Digitone-DCB-Plus-Call-Blocker/dp/B00KEFH43C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430874126&sr=8-1&keywords=Digitone+Call+Blocker

    The good ones cost in range of $100, but sound like they would work well.  Anyone have experience with using one of these devices?

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,867
    Damnit Ron - I was just trying to order a gasket from you, and the next thing I know I'm talking to a Viagra salesman!
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    @RRP ... have you looked into using a call blocking device?  Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Digitone-DCB-Plus-Call-Blocker/dp/B00KEFH43C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430874126&sr=8-1&keywords=Digitone+Call+Blocker

    The good ones cost in range of $100, but sound like they would work well.  Anyone have experience with using one of these devices?

    Thanks, Tom. If this forwarding trick doesn't work then maybe I will. BUT as much as I pay Comcast for cable to provide my TV, Internet and telephone then they ought to have some help or even some dolly to answer my phone number overseas and say "PEAS ONT CAZ DIS NUMER GEN!"
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • bigguy136
    bigguy136 Posts: 1,362

    This worked for me:

    I got a new company phone and the lady who had my number before me had some unpaid utility bills. I kept telling the utility companies that I had this new number.

    One day at work, I see the usual phone number so I told my co-workers to be quiet and answered my phone with hands-free. The person asked if the lady was there, I paused and in a sad voice I said "I'm sorry but she died in a car crash 2 weeks ago", there was a small pause and they then asked if her husband was there and I said "he was sitting next to her". There was a even longer pause so I hung up. Never heard from them again.

    Big Lake, Minnesota

    2X Large BGE, 1 Mini Max, Stokers, Adjustable Rig

  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    bigguy136 said:

    This worked for me:

    I got a new company phone and the lady who had my number before me had some unpaid utility bills. I kept telling the utility companies that I had this new number.

    One day at work, I see the usual phone number so I told my co-workers to be quiet and answered my phone with hands-free. The person asked if the lady was there, I paused and in a sad voice I said "I'm sorry but she died in a car crash 2 weeks ago", there was a small pause and they then asked if her husband was there and I said "he was sitting next to her". There was a even longer pause so I hung up. Never heard from them again.

    LOL - Good one! In my case we have had this land line number now for 36 years and it was "assigned brand new" as GTE  had just acquired servicing rights to our newly developed area.
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • Zmokin
    Zmokin Posts: 1,938
    I like to tell them to hold on a minute, I'll be right back and then set the phone down and walk away.  When I hear the neener neener sound, I know it's time to hang up.
    Large BGE in a Sole' Gourmet Table
    Using the Black Cast Iron grill, Plate Setter,
     and a BBQ Guru temp controller.

    Medium BGE in custom modified off-road nest.
    Black Cast Iron grill, Plate Setter, and a Party-Q temp controller.

    Location: somewhere West of the Mason-Dixon Line
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    Zmokin said:
    I like to tell them to hold on a minute, I'll be right back and then set the phone down and walk away.  When I hear the neener neener sound, I know it's time to hang up.
    I hear what you say, but like I said with caller ID one of us looks at a nearby phone and says "no" or it's so & so. Otherwise we let the offending call go to the answering machine. Most times the idiots who are the repeat hasslers hang up the second they hear the first word of my voice message.
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • stemc33
    stemc33 Posts: 3,567
    @RRP, one solution is to ditch the landline. It amazes me that you guys even listen long enough to find out what they're selling or what kind of survey they're taking. I don't get them very often on my cell phone, but hang up as they start talking. If I listen long enough (25sec) I just start cussing at them. My wife hates it when I do that, so it's easier to hang up within 5-10 seconds. 
    Steven
    Mini Max with Woo stone combo, LBGE, iGrill 2, Plate Setter, 
    two cotton pot holders to handle PS
    Banner, Wyoming
  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,660
    @RRP All that extra time on your hands has been spent very effectively - great idea.
    We have a do not call list in Canada, it is available to all telemarketers to ensure they do not call, however what it turns into is a list of valid numbers which do not want to be called - the key is the number is valid. For TMs in Canada or the US, it is effective, if they move the call centre off shore - not so much. 
    Being retired, I'm like @NPHuskerFL if I have the time, I talk to them, then politely end the call. We used to get a ton of cruise calls for sailings out of Florida, after I started telling them I could not legally enter the US, they stopped. 

    Our favourite is to hand the phone to one of grandchildren, preferably the 3 year old - priceless. 
    @Skiddymarker the list is not public and telemarketers cannot download it.  The list is maintained by an incumbent and telemarketers must register to obtain a "key" that they can then use to validate that the number they are about to call is not on the list.  Algorithms are in place to detect "mining" attempts and other potential abuse scenarios.

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli