How “Silent Calls” Lead To Identity Theft

I checked the Nomorobo web site. It looked very promising until I got the message stating the service does not work with traditional landlines and wireless cell service. :(

How do you go about getting the nomorobo service? And is it available for landline and or cell phones? I get these types of calls on a nearly daily basis on my landline!

One simple way to avoid the problem is to use a phone answering machine and screen the calls before answering them, only answering those from people you know. A legitimate caller will always leave a message and then you can pickup the phone. You can tell your friends not to hangup after the message, and, if we are at home, we will pickup. This has worked for us for years!

I am getting a large amount of these silent calls, also at least once a week and getting calls telling me that my computer has a problem. I'm unable to complain about the second one to the federal authorities as the schools appear to be coming from India. The silent calls I can do nothing about. However I haven't had any follow-ups on those but it is getting to the point of being intrusive.

We recently received a call from ourselves. The displayed phone number was our phone number.

Very interesting and pertinent information on another very dangerous scam. Thanks Bob, for sending.

An inexpensive way to stop getting your number sent on as "identified as active" is to purchase an inexpensive gizmo, Tele Zapper. It plays the tones you hear on an out of service line each time a call is answered or picked up by an answering machine, the phone then works as normal.

We now get very few robo calls beyond a few initial test calls, and their system then records the number as inactive.

I got my battery version from a dollar store (yay) but they are still available on eBay. I am not a seller and have no interest in sales of Tele Zapper, other than to say they are great and really do work.

Unfortunately, your cell phone and your "traditional" landline cannot be served by NOMOROBO!! The phone companies should be required to block these annoying phone calls for free. Instead, they want to charge us an extra fee. The "NO CALL" list has always been a joke. The legislature is NOT our friend. Their robocalls are among the most annoying of all.

Bob, When I was teaching, I told my students, "The more you know, the easier it is to find what you need to know." Sounds like these phone fraudsters must have been in my class ..." Anyway, I use Nomorobo, and it works well. Thanks for another great article.

We have used Nomorobo for several months now. It has reduced our robo calls by at least 90 percent. If your phone system allows it use it. Makes life so much easier.

Thanks again Bob, for a very informative article. However, I wanted to let your readers know, that Nomorobo, is not available for traditional analog landline phones or wireless phones. This is according to their website.

I don't answer the phone. All my calls go to my voicemail, and I take care of them, whenever I choose. ;)

Bob, why don't you tell people about CPR (call prevention registry)It does not cost much and it will prevent unwanted calls. Check it with GOOGLE.

If I do not recognize the phone number on the caller ID. I don't pick up and let it go to the answering machine. A legitimate caller will most likely leave a message, whereupon I'd pick up if I recognize the caller.

Unfortunately, Nomorobo is not available on traditional analog landlines or wireless phones at this time.

 Unfortunately, Nomorobo is not available on traditional analog landlines or wireless phones at this time.

http://www.nomorobo.com/signup

So what else is there, besides land lines or wireless phones?

EDITOR'S NOTE: VOIP, which is what you get when you sign up for one of those bundles (tv/phone/internet) from the cable or phone company.

Great information! I have been on the FTC sight and read some of the possible drawbacks to their blocking of calls. I may do it anyhow if I keep getting calls I once used "Opt Out" to stop. I like the Nomorobo concept to look into.
Thanks, PMW

Bob - If the FTC receives 170K complaints each month, what results does that generate? How many prosecutions are there, for example?

EDITOR'S NOTE: I don't have that answer. My guess is that they go after the most flagrant violators first, based on the number of complaints received. Here's one example:

http://consumerist.com/2015/08/11/travel-club-telemarketer-fined-2-96m-for-robocalling-consumers/

Bob provides a service to alert people to be careful but, in fact, this scam is not about dead calls or robocalls. The ONLY way ID theft works here is that otherwise sensible people voluntarily give personal security information to faceless people on the other end of the line. Just imagine a stranger approaching you on a street corner and saying, "could you please give me your ATM pin so we can make sure your security systen is up to date." If you would not, do the same on the phone. And if you would? Well maybe PT Barnum knew what he was talking about.

Thanks for this eye-opener Bob! As a rule, we don't answer unknown numbers and I always run any such numbers by 800notes.com. This is a great place to get feedback from others who have received (or are receiving ) calls from these numbers.

I've been using nomorobo for a couple weeks and have had over a dozen calls blocked. Today, however, the robocall came with the caller id of the phone that was ringing. That's right, I was calling myself from my phone. Those b*st*rds are keeping a jump ahead of us.