[Angelhug52]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

The Government can easily stop telemarketer calls and texts, but they have decided that they don't want to stop them. Go figure.

Money.Thats why they don't stop.Kickbacks from big businesses to campaign war chests.

[Worldseries27]

Originally Posted by topspinmo

most scammers are out of our country like india, where it must not illegal for them to scam other country’s and if it is nobody looking for them.

you can find youtube videos of these scammers being busted by american hackers who track them down right to their call centers and take over their video and audio. Pretty funny watching them scramble like roaches

[STEVENMERL]

Originally Posted by arlington2

i get those from time to time from various accounts. Even though i am 99% sure it's a scam i always have an element of doubt, so i log into my account rather than respond via clicking a link. As you can imagine they are always a scam. And i can't count the number of times someone "erroneously" texted me. Be on guard.

never, never click on a link!!!

[oneclickplus]

Originally Posted by HappyTraveler

Lol, have you not noticed? Because a majority of retailers ask for your phone number when checking out (in person) if not using self-checkout..

It's not for the customers benefit, it's for the retail companies demographic analysis and purchase tracking.

I don't give it to them...pretty much ever. Consequently, I get maybe two troll calls per year.

I give them a known non-working telephone number. I have multiple grocery store and other memberships tied to this number. But, they can never call me or text me. Neither can anyone they share their lists with.

I also have a memorized 9-digit (invalid SSN #) that I use whenever I am forced to provide my SSN to an entity that has no business having same.

Finally, for those that have no business knowing my DOB, I give them my brother's DOB which I have no problem remembering.

In all cases, I'm able to conjure up the number if asked by these entities. But these numbers go nowhere; not to me or anyone else. Of course, the government and healthcare providers all get the correct numbers.

[Rocksnap]

If I had $1 for every fake text or email that came, I’d be rich and these forums would be flooded with warnings.

[RoseyRed]

Originally Posted by asianthree

You can set your phone to reject calls that are not in your contacts

need option to ignore texts that are not from a contact in address book

[Cliff Fr]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

They do not work for we the people anymore.

At least hopefully now the NSA is not listening to your phone calls or looking at your texts. So there's that.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by RoseyRed

need option to ignore texts that are not from a contact in address book

My Samsung Android phone has that as an option when you turn on "do not disturb".

I don't know anything about IPhones.

[HappyTraveler]

Originally Posted by oneclickplus

I give them a known non-working telephone number. I have multiple grocery store and other memberships tied to this number. But, they can never call me or text me. Neither can anyone they share their lists with.

I also have a memorized 9-digit (invalid SSN #) that I use whenever I am forced to provide my SSN to an entity that has no business having same.

Finally, for those that have no business knowing my DOB, I give them my brother's DOB which I have no problem remembering.

In all cases, I'm able to conjure up the number if asked by these entities. But these numbers go nowhere; not to me or anyone else. Of course, the government and healthcare providers all get the correct numbers.

Lol, you're my kind of person. Good plan.

Reminds me of when we used to get lots of telemarketing phone calls on our land lines. Rather than be nasty and simply hang-up, I let them down easily and effectively by telling them I already subscribe to that newspaper or have that membership, etc.

They'd be confused for moment but, I assured them I'm already onboard. They'd say, "Oh okay, have a nice day". And, that was that. Worked every time.