Forum Discussion
Spam/Scam calls from fake local numbers
I have begun to get three to six calls daily from random supposed local numbers which begin with a little "gong" noise when and if I answer. They all proceed to a foreign voice claiming to represent Social Security shipping department (?).
Googling, I find no way to decline these calls without routing them direct to voicemail. This wouldn't be such a problem, but for the last three weeks I was traveling in Africa and the calls continued, with each I suspect, costing me a quarter for the connection. There must be some way to either end these calls without connecting, or for T-Mobile to identify and block these calls or identify as Spam Likely and not make the connection.
Would like to end this nonsense decisively. Can anyone help ???
T-Mobile Scam Shield is very effective. I don't think a spam/scam call has gotten through it.
Before there was Scam Shield, I used Hiya. It had a setting to block spoofing calls that used the same area code and prefix as my own number.
I know this isn't exactly what you want, but it works really well: Apple setting: Phone > Silence Unkown Callers > On. Callers in your contacts will go through. Any legitimate callers not in your Contacts can leave a message. (Then you can add them to your Contacts so it will ring the next time.) In my experience, the bad guys never leave a voice mail message.
There are many apps/services that eliminate calls you don't wish to accept.
Among those unwanted calls,there are scam callers, sales callers, political callers, etc...
I've used an android app "Should I Answer" for a decade.
I set the calls allowed option to ONLY callers in my contacts.
That eliminates 99% of annoyance callers, scammers, beggars, etc…
SIA works flawlessly.
There are similar apps, among them, Nomorobo is another good app.
Search the app stores, do your due diligence, and you'll find the right level of protection to serve you.
Don't give up, keep searching, the best solution for you is a couple keyboard strokes away.
Good luck. 😀
There really ought to be a way to simply reject calls without allowing them to go to voicemail. A simple answer or refuse option.
eqr wrote:
Yes, that's always an option, but puts you totally off the grid. Wanted to be able to receive calls as necessary. Seems like there ought to be a filter of some sort to allow calls to be simply rejected as opposed to sent to voicemail.
How can you filter a number when the number they are calling from is not the number you are seeing? The way call display works for all carriers is so old, the whole system needs to be redisnged.
T-Mobile Scam Shield is very effective. I don't think a spam/scam call has gotten through it.
Before there was Scam Shield, I used Hiya. It had a setting to block spoofing calls that used the same area code and prefix as my own number.
I know this isn't exactly what you want, but it works really well: Apple setting: Phone > Silence Unkown Callers > On. Callers in your contacts will go through. Any legitimate callers not in your Contacts can leave a message. (Then you can add them to your Contacts so it will ring the next time.) In my experience, the bad guys never leave a voice mail message.
Yes, that's always an option, but puts you totally off the grid. Wanted to be able to receive calls as necessary. Seems like there ought to be a filter of some sort to allow calls to be simply rejected as opposed to sent to voicemail.
Unfortunately, there isn't. You could have put your phone in Airplane Mode while traveling to prevent any calls over a roaming partners cellular network from reaching your device.
