Onslaught of spam phone calls and emails the last few days, anyone else??

[lynxstch]

I am used to a few, but the last few days it's been relentless. Like 4 calls in 10 minutes this morning, all from numbers with area codes that don't even exist? I answered 2 of them, they were from the same company, using different numbers. Telling me it's not a sales call to just listen. I tell them I am not listening, as you are not legitimate if you are calling from an area code that doesn't even exist. Yesterday when I checked the phone caller ID, there were 16 numbers I don't recognize, but not one of them left a voice mail. Just a waste of my time and theirs! Between that and 25 spam emails a day the last 4 days, it's driving me bonkers. I just needed to vent, my cats are tired of listening, lol! I am tired of forwarding them all to our server, tired of reporting them to the DNC registry and tired of reporting them to the FCC. Wish we could use nomorobo or something like that, but they aren't compatible with our cable company

 

[Floridaman999]

I was getting an onslaught of spam email that lasted about three days to an email address and it's now gone away. I'm not sure what happened or why because it's an email I only use for friends and family but it hasn't happened again for about 6 days now. Maybe you'll get lucky and it will go away like mine did as well?

I didn't have any problems with phone calls though so I can't offer anything on that.

 

[wenrob]

I get one or two here and there once a week or so but yesterday I got an onslaught of them all right in a row. It was very weird. As I said in the other thread I just reject and block.

 

[cabanafrau]

We sat down to watch television last night and we had 4 attempts within 5 or six minutes. Two were numbers I've already blocked and it was obvious the other two were additional numbers the same scammer has generated in response to my blocking. I was in no mood to deal with any reporting at that point, but I'll work my way through the missed calls cache at some point this week and waste my time reporting those. I think the only result of reports is more numbers displaying as suspected spam on caller ID instead of unavailable.

Since election season we've been getting bombarded from Yes Shopper in many, many incarnations. I think if I could shut them out I'd eliminate about 80-percent of the spam calls right now.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

For the past week, every afternoon in a 5-minute span (no joke), we get 2-3 calls from the same number. It's almost time for them to start calling again today...

I really hate the ones that come up on our caller ID as a local hospital or "STATE OF CT DEPT OF CORRECTIONS" (we do live near a prison). They think you'll answer it that way. But the machine picks up and we hear "Congratulations, you may qualify for a lower rate on your Visa or MasterCard..." I did google both the hospital and the Dept. of Corrections, and the legitimate numbers for them don't match the numbers on the caller ID.

 

[Ciao Mickey]

Not only do I still have Shaun O’Reilly (who has the thickest Indian accent) still after me because I owe the IRS, I have someone calling from the Social Security Administration (another bad recording from India) because they want to confirm that my SS number is correct and go over all of my information.

What’s really scary about the SS call is how did they know I applied for SS? When you think about it, a person can apply for benefits anytime from age 62 to 70.

 

[_19disnA]

If you have caller ID, just don't answer the phone if from an unknown caller. Legit business calls will leave a message/name/number. Scam callers never leave a message since they know no one will ever call them back. We just stopped answering the phone and it solved those problems.

Anyone who calls asking to 'verify' some information should always be treated with suspicion. Usually it is someone trying to scam you into giving them personal information to be used for identity theft. If they ask you to give out your SS#.........you should just hang up.

 

[kimmar067]

I am used to a few, but the last few days it's been relentless. Like 4 calls in 10 minutes this morning, all from numbers with area codes that don't even exist? I answered 2 of them, they were from the same company, using different numbers....

...annoying, right? I guess I'll stop.....
[....but srsly, I keep getting the same company from similar phone numbers EVERY DAY for 3 weeks now.... ]

 

[kimmar067]

If you have caller ID, just don't answer the phone if from an unknown caller. Legit business calls will leave a message/name/number. Scam callers never leave a message since they know no one will ever call them back. We just stopped answering the phone and it solved those problems....

....when I pick up the phone, no one responds....

 

[kimmar067]

....once, a few years ago, I answered the phone with this:
"....Hackensack morgue - you stab 'em, we slab 'em..." They never called back again.

 

[kdonnel]

Not phone calls but I probably received 20 million emails between Nov 21st and Nov 24th.

 

[lynxstch]

If you have caller ID, just don't answer the phone if from an unknown caller. Legit business calls will leave a message/name/number. Scam callers never leave a message since they know no one will ever call them back. We just stopped answering the phone and it solved those problems.

Anyone who calls asking to 'verify' some information should always be treated with suspicion. Usually it is someone trying to scam you into giving them personal information to be used for identity theft. If they ask you to give out your SS#.........you should just hang up.

To the bolded,,that would work if my husbands place of business didn't have about 50 different numbers. I never know which one will be calling when he calls here. And a lot of these scam ones lately show our area code and the same first 3 digits as all of the business ones. Hubby has heart problems, and I don't want to miss a call if its something important.
Usually if the phone # is also what shows as the caller ID info, it's a scam, but lately there have just been SO many!

 

[lynxstch]

Not phone calls but I probably received 20 million emails between Nov 21st and Nov 24th.

And I bet about 19 million of them were spam? lol! Same here. Windows, Harp loans, trump something or other, car warranties, lower rates on cards, and porn ,,lots of porn ones

 

[kdonnel]

And I bet about 19 million of them were spam? lol! Same here. Windows, Harp loans, trump something or other, car warranties, lower rates on cards, and porn ,,lots of porn ones

Not spam in the traditional meaning.

They were all from Pottery Barn, Costco, Best Buy, Walmart, etc. all pushing Black Friday sales.

 

[_19disnA]

....when I pick up the phone, no one responds

Good reason to not answer in the first place. With robocalls, once you answer the phone, it takes a few seconds to transfer you to a live person. If it is a recording just hang up.

 

[MillauFr]

The phone is becoming useless. I never answer it unless I know the number.

 

[Toolulu22]

Not phone calls but I probably received 20 million emails between Nov 21st and Nov 24th.

Besides the spam, which is annoying enough, it drives me bananas that every single retailer I've ever ordered from thinks they should send me 5 emails a day during they past week just in case I didn't receive any of the others?? Do they think bombarding your email is going to make you want to shop more? I can't delete them fast enough.

 

[Toolulu22]

We have a land line for my husband's business. It drives us nuts that so many spammers call the number, but on the flip side, I give out that number whenever I HAVE to give out a phone number. Figure any unwanted calls will be just a drop in the bucket.

We use my gmail for his google business page. As soon as we did that, started getting about 100 spam emails per day to the account where I barely received any prior. Luckily gmail has a good filter, and it all goes to a spam folder- but I check and delete the contents regularly.

I try not to give out my cell number or texting promotions or other things that are a ploy to get your number. I just don't want to get unwanted calls/texts there. So far, I've managed to limit them for the most part. However, for the past few years (probably about 5 years) I have been getting the same call once a month. It goes directly to voicemail and comes from a different number each time. The message is from the same person, though the person changed twice over the years. It says "Hey, sorry I missed your call. I wanted to talk about that 250,000 line of credit" blah blah blah. I always block the number, but they keep coming. I've researched the number. I gave up long ago. I wonder why they haven't?

 

[Skippy918]

I’ve been blocking lots of numbers lately too. On the caller ID, they show with a local area code so I assume it’s someone I know that’s calling. I did get a call from somebody in Peru but I didn’t answer.

 

[jbhodj]

Similar situation here in Iowa, got calls from what appeared to be local numbers or local area codes. With kids and such and several business ties locally I found myself answering many of these crap calls until I finally just quit. Figured if important they will leave message and I can call back.

Doesn’t change fact it’s super annoying. Not to long ago spam or telemarketers didn’t call cell phones now that’s no longer the case right