New Kind of RoboCall

I am wondering is there a new kind of Robo-call or automated phone call? I am getting some phone calls that sound like a cross between a live person and a recorded message. The phone call sounds like a live person because the solicitor pauses and waits for my response and then gives a follow up response. Anyone else get these kind of calls or knows anything about this?

I have not received a call like this, but I have recently received calls from someone who called back a robo call that traced back to my number. The FCC has been notified.

Screaminhelo said:

I have not received a call like this, but I have recently received calls from someone who called back a robo call that traced back to my number. The FCC has been notified.

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Maybe you're a replicant and you don't know it

423yjl said:

Maybe you're a replicant and you don't know it

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That is exactly what concerns me. While the most likely scenario is that my number was used only briefly (I got five callbacks over two days) and they rolled over to another number very quickly, the last thing that I want is to get callbacks from the happy people who return the robo calls.

Not sure if this will work for you, but check out https://www.nomorobo.com/

It's not perfect but works pretty darn well.

aerostadt said:

I am wondering is there a new kind of Robo-call or automated phone call? I am getting some phone calls that sound like a cross between a live person and a recorded message. The phone call sounds like a live person because the solicitor pauses and waits for my response and then gives a follow up response. Anyone else get these kind of calls or knows anything about this?

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I've received lots of these. Most likely fully a computer generated call and patter (even down to the chuckle). When I respond by calling it a computer, the response is generally "Do I sound that bad?". It could be a human using a voice changer to eliminate their native accent or a computer; the lag between my responses and theirs could be explained by either. Whichever is the case, they are just trying to get you connected to a human who will further the goals of their company at your expense. A few more accusations of talking to a computer and they generally end the call.

Screaminhelo said:

I have not received a call like this, but I have recently received calls from someone who called back a robo call that traced back to my number. The FCC has been notified.

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I've received robo- and marketing-calls with all kinds of info showing up on the caller ID; Private Caller, Out of Area or some city and state shown that can't be confirmed by the person (when it is a person) on the other end. Occasionally, the caller ID shows my name and number. Those have always been prerecorded messages or hang ups so I can't get some explanation from anyone as to why that's the case. I did receive a call this week where the number matched a person in an area town. It was a hang up but may be the same problem you're having, Bill. You can program what shows up on other's caller IDs and some outfits may be hiding their numbers and using legit numbers to phish other people. I hope you can find out more and let us know.

aerostadt said:

I am wondering is there a new kind of Robo-call or automated phone call? I am getting some phone calls that sound like a cross between a live person and a recorded message. The phone call sounds like a live person because the solicitor pauses and waits for my response and then gives a follow up response. Anyone else get these kind of calls or knows anything about this?

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Yes - the wonders of new technology.
I got one, started trying to talk to the "person". Once I realized it was recorded/computer I just hung up

Kenn- The problem is that these calls routinely originate overseas these days and the marketing companies are able to mask their number and spoof the caller ID to link to and display an entirely different phone number. I have read reports where the caller ID number went back to various federal offices to include the White House and the Pentagon. This makes it nearly impossible to determine the true origin of the call.

aerostadt said:

I am wondering is there a new kind of Robo-call or automated phone call? I am getting some phone calls that sound like a cross between a live person and a recorded message. The phone call sounds like a live person because the solicitor pauses and waits for my response and then gives a follow up response. Anyone else get these kind of calls or knows anything about this?

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I've had something like this happen before where I think its a person and start talking, and then realize it's a machine. Hasn't happened in a long time. My new smartphone has automatic caller id (free!) and shows the incoming number on the screen. So when I get a call, I just whip out my trusty smartphone and check the screen to see the incoming number along with the area code. If it's out of town, I let it go to voice mail. But even with screening my calls, I just don't get that many junk calls. I think it might because it's a fairly new number. In any event, I love my new smartphone and the fact that it (or the cell service?) includes free caller id. I was never willing to pay my landline provider for caller id, but now that I have it for free on my smartphone, I can't image living without it.

Long ago, I used to get a lot of junk robo calls. Which always reminds me of the classic Seinfeld skit where he answers the phone and its a telemarketer, so he tells the telemarketer (cold caller) that he's busy and asks if he can get the telemarketer's home number so Jerry can call the telemarketer back when he has time. The telemarketer asks why Jerry would need to call him at his home.. (it probably is funnier if you just watch the 45 second clip from the episode - Seinfeld schools the telemarketer). Anyway, I've tried to engage the telemarketer in conversation to make the point I don't like getting robo-calls, but it's never worked. I've learned its best to just hang up.

Screaminhelo said:

Kenn- The problem is that these calls routinely originate overseas these days and the marketing companies are able to mask their number and spoof the caller ID to link to and display an entirely different phone number. I have read reports where the caller ID number went back to various federal offices to include the White House and the Pentagon. This makes it nearly impossible to determine the true origin of the call.

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You're right about spoofing. The number you see on your caller id is not the real number. It makes reporting unwanted calls almost useless. I think someone in congress has been trying to get spoofing made illegal (with actual consequences), but as is typical, lobbyists for the "industry" claim it would unfairly punish "legitimate" spoofing, and nothing happens. I'll just continue to screen my calls and not answer ones I don't recognize.

I get occasional (5-7), legitimate calls from out of state each month. These are often cold calls and are just par for the course for my profession. Since I can't really screen calls everytime, I have come to recognize certain area codes that I don't answer. It bites me in the Butt from time to time but it is usually an effective technique.

Google: chatbot, A.L.I.C.E., the singularity, Turing Test, etc.

You were talking to a robot.

s6

What is the response when you tell them to remove your number from the calling list? By law, they are required to do so. I usually get a response that the number will be removed.

I have received no fewer than 10-12 of these types of calls.
All for the same thing: "Car Warranty has expired"!
It's getting out of hand and it's on my cell phone no less!!!
I have read that you can sue them but, every page I visit doesn't tell you have to file such a claim???



JD

I have received these calls before. They are very well done and if you give expected answers they can be hard to detect that you are not talking to a person. I used to have a job where you always answered the phone, so, out of habit, I still do it at home. I don't even check the caller ID even though I should. That was also a habit from the old job as if I did look at caller ID there were people I would have never talked to - EVER. I would have gotten into trouble for that, so I just answered the phone.

One thing I do for all cold calls is give obtuse answers. I try to avoid using yes and no; instead I will say, that is correct, or, not really. Foreigners and computers can figure out what you mean, but it increases the lag time for their response. Once you know what, or who, you are dealing with you can really screw with them.

I'm getting some annoying calls on my work cell phone these days. Usually the calls seem to originate from Jamaica per caller ID and accent, but recently they've been ID'ed as being from the US and most recently from my home state of Indiana. Always the same thing: they are from the "Sweepstakes delivery department" and have a $6M prize to give me.
The first few times I tried to talk reason to them. Calls continued.
Then I spent two weeks not answering the phone at all for any number I didn't recognize (this causes probs for me since I work with people from all over). Fake calls continued.

Oddly what seems to have done it most recently is that when they call, I tell them they have reached a business line, and I'll put them through to the person if they tell me the first and last name of who they'd like to talk to. They hang up at this point and it has been more than a week since the last such call. Maybe they've finally entered into the system that my phone number is a dry hole.

Marc

Ask the caller if they are a machine. How they answer gives it away.

I've found the following process to work well in sorting the computers from actual people:
Pause a full 5 second between picking up the phone and speaking
Speak in a quiet (speaking to someone next to you) voice with no inflection.

Computers will usually interpret this as an invalid call and disconnect. Humans will usually try to address you.

Ok, here's a twist !! Just answered my land line. The caller ID was Deb's cell number, other wise I would not have answered it. It was a robo call for a credit card offer !!!

I just gave you bad info !!! The number was actually my own land line number--sorta jumped the gun ---anyway, still weird....H

PhlAsh said:

I've found the following process to work well in sorting the computers from actual people:
Pause a full 5 second between picking up the phone and speaking
Speak in a quiet (speaking to someone next to you) voice with no inflection.

Computers will usually interpret this as an invalid call and disconnect. Humans will usually try to address you.

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Of course, your friends will ask "Did I wake you?"

Anyone that calls from "Cardmember Help Department" or "Account Services," I act very worried about my account and interested in their garbage, then I stop and ask them to tell me which one of my cards they are calling from. Most of them hang up very soon. I did get one who got an A for effort, who tried to convince me he worked for all the credit card companies I used, and they were all the same big company.

10fttall said:

Anyone that calls from "Cardmember Help Department" or "Account Services," I act very worried about my account and interested in their garbage, then I stop and ask them to tell me which one of my cards they are calling from. Most of them hang up very soon. I did get one who got an A for effort, who tried to convince me he worked for all the credit card companies I used, and they were all the same big company.

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NO FAIR!!!

Didn't you know that requiring thought and logic when answering a solicitation call is not allowed?

I have had some fun with the live telemarketers. There is one telemarketer (not robo-call) that continually calls us, and we continually ask to be taken off.


I've started trolling.


1. Rap battles on youtube.
2. Answering "Apex Morgue and Crematorium, you burn 'em we urn 'em you stab 'em we slab 'em.



I have a few more that aren't family friendly but still get the point across.


They still haven't gotten the point but it's fun to answer.

When someone calls you, all obscene phone call laws are off the books -- any person or entity who elects to call you is taking their own chances on what language you customarily use on the phone. (The only exception is you cannot make a credible threat of imminent physical harm, although you CAN suggest the caller themselves resort to tactics up to and including suicide and unusual or biologically impossible sexual practices).

This is useful info to know when confronted with unsolicited callers. I've cussed a good number of 'em into tears.