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Omaha Steve

(99,793 posts) Tue Apr 7, 2015, 10:39 PM Apr 2015

AP: Can phone companies do more to block robocalls?

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20150407/us--robocalls-b92dfb9d20.html

Apr 7, 1:28 PM (ET)

By ANNE FLAHERTY

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jeri Vargas put her elderly mother on the "Do Not Call" list years ago. So why is the 88-year-old woman with Alzheimer's disease still getting several recorded phone calls a day pitching her everything from vacation cruises to medical alert devices and fire extinguishers?

The Federal Communications Commission has been asked to consider the question of whether phone companies could do more to stop the onslaught of "robocalls," the automated phone calls favored by scammers. Since the convergence of Internet and phone lines, it's become easy to blast out hundreds of thousands of calls in a matter of minutes to see who takes the bait. The question of whether these calls can be blocked has never been more pressing than around tax season, when many pretend to come from the IRS.

The phone companies say they worry that automatic call blocking might run afoul of laws requiring them to connect phone calls and have asked the FCC to clarify that it doesn't. Many carriers offer call blocking services to consumers, sometimes for a fee. But they also don't want regulators to create any hard-and-fast rules, which they say could be difficult to implement.

Consumer groups counter that the phone companies are dragging their feet for no good reason and that, once given the green light from the FCC, could block most robocalls if they wanted.

FULL story at link.

In this photo taken April 3, 2015, Eleanor Blum, 88, solves crossword puzzles, as she lets her phone go unanswered at her in the Sherman Oaks area of Los Angeles. Jeri Vargas put her elderly mother on the {201c}Do Not Call{201d} list years ago. So why is the 88-year-old woman with Alzheimer{2019}s disease still getting several recorded phone calls a day pitching her everything from vacation cruises to medical alert devices and fire extinguishers? (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

6 replies

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Highlight:

AP: Can phone companies do more to block robocalls? (Original Post) Omaha Steve Apr 2015 OP

Getting rid of my hardline was the best decision I ever made yeoman6987 Apr 2015 #1

Until "then", best solution is Nomorobo, and/or Ooma, powered by Nomorobo, or... johnnyreb Apr 2015 #2

i have my phone drray23 Apr 2015 #3

I learned how to ignore the phone from my kids. hunter Apr 2015 #4

I wrote an email to Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana that required me give Zorra Apr 2015 #5

Could they do any less? dreamnightwind Apr 2015 #6

yeoman6987

(14,449 posts)

1. Getting rid of my hardline was the best decision I ever made

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Tue Apr 7, 2015, 11:24 PM

Apr 2015

Took care of robocalls instantly. For the elderly companies need to do more to protect them as they are vulnerable to these calls.

johnnyreb

(915 posts)

2. Until "then", best solution is Nomorobo, and/or Ooma, powered by Nomorobo, or...

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Tue Apr 7, 2015, 11:52 PM

Apr 2015

Your cell phone is not safe. These are vicious criminal gangs. They are not filtering out anybody.

Our elders cannot just switch phone technology or 50-year phone numbers. If they are on landline, get them on the free nomorobo, and/or if possible, to Ooma, which is an outstanding VOIP landline service that has integrated nomorobo spam-blocking.

Or maybe they can handle a Panasonic "DECT" cordless phone, which can handle hundreds of manually-input call blocks. Or search amazon for a fifty-dollar call-blocking box (then try to buy it locally).

The rest of you, learn your call-blocking apps while you can. Better to fight before you are on your knees beneath the weight of their scum onslaught.

drray23

(7,638 posts)

3. i have my phone

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Tue Apr 7, 2015, 11:55 PM

Apr 2015

Set with a call blocker app. I block those numbers i recognize to be robocalls. I also never answer a call if the number is not in my contacts. If its a legitimate caller they will.leave a voicemail and i will return the call, if its a robocall msg it goes on my call blocking.

hunter

(38,338 posts)

4. I learned how to ignore the phone from my kids.

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Wed Apr 8, 2015, 12:24 AM

Apr 2015

If I'm sitting on the toilet or otherwise occupied I let it ring.

I immediately drop most of my mail in the recycling bin too, before I enter the house.

I'm not some poor pathetic Sea World sea lion balancing a ball on my nose hoping for a reward of dead fish.

Zorra

(27,670 posts)

5. I wrote an email to Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana that required me give

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Wed Apr 8, 2015, 12:54 AM

Apr 2015

my phone number. The email I sent was assertive but not hostile.

Two days later I started receiving harrassing calls from all over the country where no one was on the line, and when I tried to call back, I got a "We're sorry, the number you have reached does not exist."

dreamnightwind

(4,775 posts)

6. Could they do any less?

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Wed Apr 8, 2015, 02:55 AM

Apr 2015

I don't think so. The vast majority of calls I get are robocalls. I use Comcast for phone service over IP, they have a call block feature, when I get a robocall I block it. No matter, they keep coming, same vendors (for the most part) wiith different numbers.

It's gotten to the point that these calls are ruining the telephone technology. If I could get a cell signal here in the woods, I would use it rather than a land-line number, but way too much forest here for that to work.

Very tired of this, and government's inability oor unwillingness to put a stop to it. I'm on the do not call list, seems to be little more than a joke.

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