Full timers warning

[Raspy]

Originally Posted by CPW

Bottom line......DO NOT ANSWER ANY CALL IF YOU DO NOT RECOGNIZE THE NUMBER. If it’s important, they will leave a message. If everyone would do this and the spammers and scammers couldn’t contact anyone, these crap calls would stop. Too many people for some reason think if the phone rings they should answer.

This is probably the best advice. Along with encouraging friends to text, and keeping your contacts list up to date with friend's numbers. Land lines are becoming obsolete, partly because of all the robocalls, political calls, and scams. "Do Not Call" seems to be mostly a failure, but cell phones have been able to significantly reduce the problem.

As soon as I realize there is a delay after I say "hello", which means it's a sales call, I hang up and block the number.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Raspy

This is probably the best advice. Along with encouraging friends to text, and keeping your contacts list up to date with friend's numbers. Land lines are becoming obsolete, partly because of all the robocalls, political calls, and scams. "Do Not Call" seems to be mostly a failure, but cell phones have been able to significantly reduce the problem...

Cell phones are exactly where the problem has been burgeoning. Spam calls on my cell line were non-existent just a few years ago, but now it's 5-10 a day.

[Iowa Dave]

My Dad had a pretty distinctive voice and we didn’t get that many calls but even where he worked he’d answer the phone
“Ross’s mule barn, Barney speaking! “ put a few people off but oh well. Regular customers would laugh and pretty soon we’d have an oil change scheduled , Tune up or brake job lined up or a service call. Times were more relaxed back then. Fishing was for people with nightcrawlers in their refrigerator.
Iowa Dave

[Jon Vermilye]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Cell phones are exactly where the problem has been burgeoning. Spam calls on my cell line were non-existent just a few years ago, but now it's 5-10 a day.

The only good thing about the increased spam on cell phones is it finally got the industry to start doing something to reduce them. I suspect a significant amount of bandwidth is wasting away with all the spam calls...

[TZBrown]

In the past I have saved the solicitor and spammers numbers to my contacts and set them to silent ring, straight to voicemail.

I am now up to solicitor 21 and have started to add more than one number to each one.
The Red Cross has even started to call daily and got the same treatment.

If I by chance I do answer any number I don't know my first words are "Who is calling"
If no response I hang up, or if I don't like their answer

[Mike Meyer]

Originally Posted by Kai in Seattle

Alexander: that's an interesting idea. Maybe I'll start doing that. I wonder what they'd make of "Aloha," "howdy," or "Greetings?"

I'm not thrilled using my own name when I answer calls, because I cannot use caller ID (if we even have it). Low vision and low-tech here.

BUT--folks, I do know the IRS doesn't call, and the local police either show up in uniforms with squad cars or you get mailed notices.

BEST avoiding all scams!

"K"

I answer Hola, then when they start to ask questions I say No habla Englais
They typically very politely say sorry and hang up. I did have one then ask in Spanish so I had to switch to German to mess with them some more.

[Kai in Seattle]

Mike Meyer: hey, good idea! I like that a lot. Hola! Bonjour! Guten Tag!

Thanks for the ideas.

BEST
"K"

[slowpat]

Originally Posted by Mike Meyer

I answer Hola, then when they start to ask questions I say No habla Englais
They typically very politely say sorry and hang up. I did have one then ask in Spanish so I had to switch to German to mess with them some more.

Shouldn't it be No hablo ingles?

[Jon in AZ]

I don’t see any value in tormenting the folks who are trying to make a living doing this unpleasant work.

I have no such sympathy for their employers. Better to hang up quickly. Any response that connects to a live person actually encourages the practice, since it gets counted as a contact.

[John in Santa Cruz]

my brother had a roommate who'd answer the phone "Your dime, my time, spit it out!" :-p


my cell has a neat feature, when a call comes in from an unrecognized number, there's an option shown to "Screen Call". The android auto-voice reads a message about how this call is being screened, please announce your name and why you are calling". 90% of the spammers hang up on it. 9% ignore it and go on with their robo message, so you hit the 'yup its spam' button and the number goes onto the perm block list.

[thrifty bill]

I have a simple solution, but not useful to most others. My phone number is based on an area code where we USED to live. So when I get a call from the old area code, unless it is someone in my phone book, I just ignore.

Google phone numbers are also excellent. They screen all your calls up front, and convert all messages to text and send you an email. Google lets you pick a phone number from anywhere in the USA. And it's free.

[Mike Meyer]

Originally Posted by slowpat

Shouldn't it be No hablo ingles?

Yep, it has been 55 years since I took the class in high school but it sounds right over the phone

[Martin A]

One thing no one suggested, if someone came and was talking to tenants, they could be with the census bureau, they were out verifying addresses last week in Michigan. Said the bureau would send census packages later to verified addresses.

[clovergrab]

Originally Posted by Martin A

One thing no one suggested, if someone came and was talking to tenants, they could be with the census bureau, they were out verifying addresses last week in Michigan. Said the bureau would send census packages later to verified addresses.

Census takers have official credentials provided by the bureau to present to people.

[BahneCasita]

Home Depot Scam!!!



Don't be naive enough to think it couldn't happen to you or your friends.
Here's how the scam works;
Two nice-looking, college-age girls will come over to your car or truck as you are packing your purchases into your vehicle. They both start wiping your windshield with a rag and Windex, with their b***s almost falling out of their skimpy T-shirts. (It's impossible not to look). When you thank them and offer them a tip, they say 'No' but instead, ask for a ride to McDonald's.
You agree and they climb into the vehicle. On the way, they start undressing. Then one of them starts crawling all over you, while the other one steals your wallet.
I had my wallet stolen August 4th, 9th, 10th, twice on the 15th, again on the 17th, 20th, 24th, and the 29th. Also September 1st, 4th, 8th, twice on the 10th, and very likely again this upcoming weekend.
So tell your friends to be careful. What a horrible way to take advantage of us older men. Warn your friends to be vigilant.
Wal-Mart has wallets on sale for $2.99 each. I found even cheaper ones for $.99 at the Dollar Store and bought them out in three of their stores. Also, you never get to eat at McDonald's. I've already lost 11 pounds just running back and forth from Lowe's to Home Depot, to Wal-Mart.

[FlyGuy]

I've heard that there ARE considerations ongoing at the Federal level re what standards "traditional houses" must be built to vs the standards TEMPORARY housing (ie RVs) must have. MOST RV builders SPECIFY that use beyond "x" number of days in a give time period WILL void the RVs warranty because the builder deems said RV NOT to be a permanent home. I understand that at least one RV Builder deems that, use of their RV for more than 18 continuous days in a month, can allow the builder a loophole to escape providing warranty coverage. Read the Purchase Contract you sign VERY CAREFULLY! Most people don't (and also don't bring a lawyer with them). That stacks the odds WAY in favor of the dealer and builder.

[sharon_b]

a friend on FB posted this yesterday, i'm dying to try it!


Telemarketer-"May I speak to Bill?" "Sure, hold on." Me coming to phone "If he won't pay us, cut his f#cking hand off and be done with it. If that doesn't work, start on his balls. " To telemarketer-"What can I do for you man? I'm a little busy." Telemarketer- "I think I have the wrong number....."

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by CPW

Bottom line......DO NOT ANSWER ANY CALL IF YOU DO NOT RECOGNIZE THE NUMBER. If it’s important, they will leave a message. If everyone would do this and the spammers and scammers couldn’t contact anyone, these crap calls would stop. Too many people for some reason think if the phone rings they should answer.

Not all of us have caller ID on our home phones. Not everyone has a smart phone. I do have a little flip phone and if the number is not known I reject the call. They can still leave a message though. I do answer my home phone because I get a lot of needed messages. If it's a scammer I hang up immediately. I consider any call a scam call if it is not a friend, business I deal with or someone I want to call me. If everyone would treat calls like this the robo and scam calls would stop. I won't even do a survey by phone even if it is supposedly my medical insurance company. I tell them to mail me a survey at the address they have for me.

[Doctor Harold]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

....Waiting for the robo call law to change and will support candidates who make that happen. YMMV
Iowa Dave

Never going to happen. If your lawmakers made robocalls illegal then THEY would not be able to use robocalls for their politicking. I've gotten them.

I've also been getting political texts. If you have a metered line, then robocalls and spam texts are theft of services.

The last political text I got was from a Bernie Sanders supporter, telling me Bernie want to fight corruption in Washington. I responded that Bernie was corrupt also (all of them are -- without exception) and why was it okay to spam me? I got a polite: "We will remove you from our list of supporters."

When I become Emperor all spam will be illegal, with a $100 fine for each individual spam email, text or call, payable personally 50/50 by the CEO of the spamming company AND the employee who pushed the "send" button. If that employee can't be identified, then all fines are tripled.

As far as the original post is concerned: Always ask for official ID and look at it! Also realize business cards are easily faked.

Harold

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by Wayne Collins

It could be related taxes. If you are "full timing" in one location, for more than 6 months a year, they might say that is your permanent address. And would tax you accordingly.
We used to be members of private campground in Illinois. Most of the "campers" there had park model trailers. many with decks and skirting. They were required to keep the wheels under them, and have a permanent address somewhere else.

Everyone has to have an address for banking, getting your license plates, getting your drivers license, doing your taxes, etc. That should be your permanent address even if it is one of those mail services with box numbers. No matter where you are parked your address is where everything is mailed to as far as business and not your location if you are a full timer. The IRS and state tax people still will send a letter. If it is for census then it will come by mail also most of the time. Never ever give anyone any information by phone or person if you don't know them and if you didn't initiate the call. This would stop all scams.