Comments on: Prank Callers Are Costing Me Money

By: Ben

Ben — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:09:20 +0000

Thanks for the tips everyone! Want to hear something strange? Since I’ve signed up for caller id and call blocking the calls have stopped. I haven’t even seen their number on caller id because they haven’t called again. Hopefully they won’t : )

By: Vegas

Vegas — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:37:45 +0000

Intro– Google Voice!

By: Funny about Money

Funny about Money — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 01:07:04 +0000

When I got a spate of unwelcome phone calls, I got an answering machine and trained myself to refrain from picking up the phone until the person on the other end started to speak.

After a while, these jerks realize you’re not going to speak to them and give up.

As for the illegal phone solicitations, the Telezapper still works to some degree. Some of their computers now override or ignore it, but most of them are bounced off. You can buy the Telezapper at Radio Shack, online, and at electronic warehouses like Fry’s. On principle, I would never pay the Dratted Phone Company for caller ID or for any other service beyond the basic deal. Why should you pay them because their equipment makes it possible for you to be victimized?

By: Ed

Ed — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 05:49:26 +0000

Ditto the answering machine

By: Darwin's Finance

Darwin's Finance — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 03:07:29 +0000

For years, my wife had a stalker and weused to endure similar calls but the coward would never talk. I couldn’t prove it was him since the coward never
spoke but we knew it was him. The police were totally useless. In their infinite wisdom, phone companies came up with some code that blocks you from seeing who’s calling. They claim it’s to protect someone who wants to call a company and not have their identity revealed but it’s clearly been a stalkers tool and shamefully the only way to put an end to it is to either endure it or take the law into your own hands, neither of which are appealling. I hope your caller ID works out but if this guy knows his way around he’s probably alread masking his calls.

By: Kosmo @ The Casual Observer

Kosmo @ The Casual Observer — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:27:27 +0000

A good friend of mine has the maiden name Bolton … and yes, Mike is her dad (no, not the singer, nor the character in Office Space).

An acquaintance of mine several years ago had the last name Hendrix.

Both of these women got a lot of prank calls. For Ms. Bolton, it was twice as maddening, since she did indeed know a Michael Bolton – hence it wasn’t always apparent that it was a prank call.

Ms. Hendrix was able to more quickly determine that calls for Jimi were bogus.

I get bunches of calls that are in violation of Do Not Call (yes, I’m properly signed up – these are just the renegade companies that don’t care). Lately, I’ve been getting telemarketing calls at my work number, which is unlisted (only the main office number is a listed number). Not sure why these have justed started occuring, after 12 years at this number …

By: MK

MK — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:36:37 +0000

Wow, I can’t believe there are still people that prank call, and so frequently. I could almost understand once or twice, but really, for someone else to invest so much time in harassing another person like that…. Good luck on figuring out who this person is and blocking their calls. I bet after a month or so of their number being blocked this person will stop and you can downgrade your phone again.

By: Tinman

Tinman — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:12:16 +0000

Why do you still answer your phone? Buy an answering machine and screen your calls! I haven’t answered a phone in 30 years. Your prank caller will eventually lose interest when you remove the thrill he gets when you answer. The answering machine will have a button to push so that people you know will not have to wait through the message every time they call. Take back control of your life and your phone. Good luck!

By: AK

AK — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:07:07 +0000

Still try to convince your spouse to get rid of the home phone, why would one need a home phone in the age of skype, IP-telephony, cellphones with SERO pricing or similar is hard to understand.