Why Robocalls Are Almost Impossible to Stop | WSJ

[@joshn2342323]

I had this problem with 20+ robocalls/scammers per day calling me. After looking online, I noticed there wasn't any solutions and AT&T's suggested solutions did not work AT ALL. So I decided to see if I could figure out how to solve it and I did. What I did was I created a "smart" land line phone which has several advanced features in it. First, the phone has two options: known phone numbers and unknown phone numbers. Known phone numbers are numbers you select as being "safe" from friends, family, work, doctor etc. When these phone numbers call, the call is directed through and the phone rings as normal. For unknown phone numbers the phone does not ring at all. Instead the caller is immediately redirected to voice mail. If the person decides to leave a voice mail then the voice mail is transcribed to text and sent to your e-mail. This completely solved my robocall problem! Most robocalls/scammers/telemarketers never even bother to leave a voice mail. For the ones that do leave voicemail, it is an easy task to see these messages in your e-mail and delete them! I've always wondered if other people would buy this type of phone if I tried to commercialize it but figured no one would.

[@whatever4053]

genius!

[@CyberWaifu]

This sounds like a good approach to the robocall problem!

[@SWLinPHX]

Christopher N That wouldn’t help if you get calls from customers or other people that you don’t want to miss which you might do if you force them to leave a voicemail. Why not just use all the no solicitation screens that require the caller to either enter a phone number or a specific set of digits which a computer cannot do. That way they’re call won’t go through, and valid calls will be people who will comply or people on your whitelist who don’t have to do anything.

[@Anonymous-xn2xh]

I would want to buy such stuff. My friends in Japan also have this issue on a large scale.

[@RadRidesByCru]

@Christopher N ...The product you're talking about already exists. Had it about ten years ago. Telemarketing/robocalling dropped to zero. Problem was there are a lot of numbers that are blocked that you can't get the number to because the person calling doesn't even know the phone number. Large employers/healthcare and Insurance companies/banks/etc. Unfortunatly in the end the thing proved to be more of a hassle than the robocallers themselves.

[@thatoneguy444]

I don't care anymore about what they want. I just DON'T WANT THE CALLS TO DISTRACT ME WHILE IM DOING SOMETHING!! Oh so annoying.

[@200odd300]

Just mute your phone and don't answer, if it's important they'll leave a message

[@AlecMurd]

200odd300 robocalls leave voicemails too

[@user-yd7me7ns1o]

Have you ever used Do Not Disturb mode on your phone? - It can be set so only your contacts, or repeat callers can actually ring your phone. Everyone else goes to voice mail.

[@bry117]

How about white list your callers

[@edwardtsema7740]

Ring ring ring... Me: "Hello." Robocall: "Do not hang up. Your card warra" (Hang up).

[@naturegirl2110]

Every freaking day. I'm so tired of them. I spoke to one of them and told them to put me on their do not call list, they hung up on me before I got the words out of my mouth.

[@isettech]

Only problem is this costs the robocaller nothing and cost you time multiplied by the number of people getting the same call. How many manhours was wasted at their expenses. Multiply call density a few times... Get a real person on the other end and share the cost burden with the caller. Multiply that by a few thousand non sales, and the call center overload becomes a real expense for THE CALLER.

[@bonkmaykr]

Everyone irl lol

[@DVZM.]

I'm from Austria, Europe and have never heared about "Robot-Calls". Did not even know that it existed, it does not exist here.

[@YuvrajSingh-sz2gg]

yeah it doesn't exist in backward areas

[@DVZM.]

@@YuvrajSingh-sz2gg When a "Singh" calls Austria a backward area because the people there don't get calls by robot scammers. I'm glad that I have not been born in a shithole like india.

[@Marty-uv7ep]

DVSM amen brother

[@Daniel-wx3qn]

No robotcalls in Portugal too. In Brazil you receive a minimum of 10 calls a day, but in Portugal, not at all.

[@adiabd1]

Usually they're only targeting the US and UK citizens

[@NathansVideos46]

I downloaded a call blocker app and the number of calls increased. I felt like the app sold my number then blocked the calls

[@angelamurry2068]

It is hard to stop because legit companies that we use in the US sell our numbers to make money. Ex. Credit card companies, utilities companies and even phone companies.

[@SapphireX413]

The best robocaller: Scam Likely

[@user-yd7me7ns1o]

Have you ever used Do Not Disturb mode on your phone? - It can be set so only your contacts, or repeat callers can actually ring your phone. Everyone else goes to voice mail.

[@SapphireX413]

@@user-yd7me7ns1o I just blocked the number because I have too many legitimate robocalls for appointments and events that I need to be reminded of

[@seth3182]

You must have a Google pixel phone?

[@SapphireX413]

@@seth3182 If you're asking me, I have a cheapo LG. Serves its purpose well enough for me lol

[@anthonyherrera2906]

Beckah Mataronas she has T-Mobile

[@adiposerex5150]

As long as ATT makes money, it will never stop.

[@S2Tubes]

They're obviously not going to stop if people keep giving them money.

[@TrainerAQ]

My favorite is the call informing me I haven't made my payments to my Chevy. I have never owned a Chevy.

[@MyChilepepper]

Hahaha, I've got texts information on packages delivery from Amazon account or Wells Fargo account is withdrawn and I never had any of these accounts. Or texts of a trip on a cruise ship is confirmed and I wasn't going on any trip. Or my non existent grandson stranded in Africa. Weird

[@michaelpayton9164]

Set my phone to only ring if the number is in my address book. Not even robotexts get thru.

[@christopherhernandez3909]

Michael Payton that’s a brilliant idea.. now I gotta check if my phone has this capability

[@joseeduardoescobar]

Done that , android has a “ do not disturb “ mode I set up only family and friends and work related people that can call or text me , every one else get f*ck , IPhone should have a similar setting, those setting should be in your phone already, no need to download an app

[@MyChilepepper]

Set your iPhone on to do not disturb mode and accept calls from address book only.

[@trevorgreycattleco]

I get them non stop. I take the time to act interested and then I start insulting them. If they don’t stop at least I can annoy them a little.

[@LupinMauvaise]

Don't work! They are the scum of the Earth and do not care if you insult them. Everybody does. But ... you can send them irritating infrasound while they are on line.

[@LupinMauvaise]

Robocalls are in fact impossible to stop completely, given our present infrastructure. But ... it is possible to eliminate 99% of them, if the phone companies would put just a little effort into it. You can compare the physical origin of the call by area code with the area code of the call header, and eliminate or warn when they don't match. However, this means that local COs will have to insert the local AC in the header; you cannot rely on the sender to do it. Phone companies are in business to make money, and I'm sure that they would not support the additional expense, for the call blocking development, testing, implementation, troubleshooting, customer support and hardware purchase that would be required. Massive initial costs, even if the burden were shared, and ongoing costs that telcos are not required by law or regulators to support. They will need to be forced. And did you consider that they may be making money off of the status quo?!

[@WilliamMohamad-uv5fi]

i would pay more if my cellular provider stopped robo calls

[@NomoregoodnamesD8]

They can at the very least prevent robocallers from using the IRS/FBI phone numbers from off-location...

[@razidar34567]

It's just like RoboCop! impossible to stop!

[@bruhdabones]

Pro Tip: if you don’t recognize the number, answer and DONT SAY ANYTHING. Most robocall systems cannot recognize when the other end has picked up. Instead, they wait for “Hello?” or general noise. If it’s truly a human calling you, they will say something.

[@bruhdabones]

Mike Studmuffin But you can’t be sure if the human is someone you know until you’ve said a few words. So, weeding out robots is nice.

[@mumsyxc]

So telemarketers are legitimate?

[@bruhdabones]

@@mumsyxc Huh?

[@owenchuarbx]

Hang up when you hear a robot.

[@richardwilde1348]

Won't be long before it's extremely hard to tell the difference. People will become increasingly distrustful of phone calls, especially from an unknown number.

[@adventureoflinkmk2]

@@richardwilde1348 which is sad, given the process used to wait for "the call" for my transplant... it would come up either as private number, unknown, unknown caller, caller ID blocked, or just be blank.

[@michaelb.8953]

Sometimes it's hard to tell right away if it's a robot as that technology has gotten better over the years. Fairly recently I got a robot call and it sounded so close to a real person that it almost got me. I asked it if it was a robot and it denied being a robot and continued trying to convince me it was a real person. Then I started asking it some other questions and I messed up system of responses and the whole system went haywire giving multiple responses at the same time and then it disconnected the call. Haven't done it as of yet, but next time I get a call and I suspect it to be a robot I'm going to ask it to recite the first three letters of the alphabet or I could just hang up.

[@Mundus-vult-decipi]

by answering the call you’re telling the robot that it’s an active number and it will continue to call just to annoy you

[@sometimesiheardualipa]

Simple Solution: Put Your favorite song as your ringtone and don’t call the unknown numbers and just sing and jam out to the song

[@Rudster14]

How at "telemarketers" legitimate?

[@mikehunt545]

I replayed that part after he said it I thought i heard it wrong. lol

[@fearsomefawkes6724]

Legitimate vs illegal. They're annoying but following the law. If they're not following the law then it's a scam, not a telemarketer, and therefore illegitimate.

[@macbuff81]

it's not impossible. Here in Germany unsolicited calls are banned by law. It works irregardless of whether they originate from a landline or mobile callers

[@jaridkeen123]

I have been working on a software that can find the real robo caller so I can hack their bank accounts. What are they going to do? CALL THE COPS! LOL

[@Castawot.]

wheres the link i want it

[@seminolerick6845]

At wits end...I have bought & USED the loudest whistle available. Does not stop ‘em, but smile knowing I ruined a few minutes of their hearing day.

[@noahway13]

Make it criminal and give them jail time, not fines.

[@dusscode]

Mike Studmuffin dooshbag? Delusional.

[@amelliamendel2227]

If they're in the USA than lock the callers up, if it's outside the US then solve the issue with a cruise missile.

[@adiabd1]

1:16 pretty sure you mean India, not Italy

[@lothean2099]

You can stop them.. no phone, no calls. Also, you can change your number to collect a fee every time they call. A reverse 1-800 number.

[@GodsWheat]

Is that possible

[@lothean2099]

Yes, you are going to have to pay for that number. But its possible. Contact your phone company.

[@AndrewDeFaria]

The solution to this is simple. First - disallow spoofing of caller id. How do you do this? Simple. The phone number is added by the phone coming when it gets received. It is therefore always the correct number. IOW it must be "signed" and "certified" thus identifying the caller. If not then it is not allowed to travel on the network. Next, require all cell phone providers provide an option to only receive calls that were signed and certified and appear in the user's contacts list. All other calls will be sent a text message saying "call not accepted - send email". Then robocallers couldn't call you unless you know them. Of course, email filters will be needed too.

[@Greendragon434]

Andrew DeFaria I like your idea, except I would allow calls to come through that are not already on my contact list, as long as they are certified to be the caller's real number (not spoofed.)

[@eaminyashed7799]

I used to get robocalls but I started making a game of seeing how long I could keep these guys on the phone by making small chat, pretending I couldn’t understand even asking the scammer to hold. Now I’m off their lists.

[@ItsTimePictures]

I dropped my landline. It was impossible to stop the telemarketers from calling me all day long. Thankfully I have not had problems with my mobile phone.

[@MelsArchive]

I’m only a kid and the start made me terrified for no reason

[@Gabriel.4190]

Impossible to stop when they can spoof their numbers to appear local to your area. When you call back it says the number is disconnected or doesnt exist.

[@victorsvidss]

I once got a call from a Mexican dude who was super mad, luckily my friend spoke Spanish and was right by me and they swore at each other for 5 min

[@evansamekudzi5612]

The guy's HEAD.....it seems to be separate from the body.. . 😊

[@God-rz5qv]

yea it looks like photoshop

[@ginsuma1402]

Let me tell you a secret...its an old one that has always worked...even before cell phones totally took over...Record the "This number is not in service tone" as your voicemail for a day you get the most robo calls..That specific "doo dooo doooo" beeping tone will tell the system its actually reached an inoperable number even though its your voice mail...the calls will stop. This has worked for decades.

[@GeneralNuisance00]

They've leaked into Canada too.

[@ForestNinjaZero]

They're easy to stop - IF ON LIST: Always respond "No", or escape their prompt with "*" or "0," and never speak to the system. Ignore the call for one month. IF NOT ON LIST: Don't submit your phone number for any kind of personal advice, or financial services, unless your bank requires it for two-step verification. Tell your friends and family to stop publishing their address books on social media, or don't give them your primary contact information. Keep your profiles private.

[@gatewaysolo104]

if the phone companies would end caller id spoofing 99% of the scam calls could be blocked by apps.

[@karlmcnutty5323]

Yes telemarketers are legitimate robocallers, lol.

[@kascnef]

More robocalls on my landline than cell

[@ShakespeareCafe]

I answer and immediately hang up on any unrecognized number...it's an inconvenience to have to clear recent call on my iPhone and/or voice mail if I ignore it. If it's someone who needs to get a hold of me they will call back

[@CraftySquid-io8ih]

I love getting calls about my student loans I don't have yet

[@oldretireddude]

My Google Fi network gets very few robo calls. I used to get some, but it is very easy to report as spam and block numbers on GF.

[@delicious9179]

How do people sleep at night scamming and torturing people with these fake phone calls

[@desgreyskry8792]

God: *stops robocalls* Everyone: Oh mah gawd, Donald Trump stopped robocalls!

[@lotusjaggarage2989]

Yeah i dont think so the media hates President trump they would say the islamic leader or obama did it

[@randomkidsfromcherrystreet7430]

1:24 So THAT'S why I get so many robocalls from the city next over!

[@Lyzander911]

Why are telemarketers legal? I literally hang up every time, they call at the worst times. I want to scream at them.

[@Mrpepito1989]

3:58 "legitimate calls like marketers" Yeaaaaah noooo

[@ponderingypanda]

Sign up on the Do Not Call List from the FTC you can fine them if they call you when you are on the list.

[@TrioTunes81]

What about those duct cleaning service calls I kept receiving?

[@Krackerlack]

robocalls? *laughs in europe* article 13: allow me to introduce myself *O H F U C K*

[@user-yd7me7ns1o]

Did you get robocalls in the years before? - If no, article 13 would be moot most likely.

[@TonyStone3000]

All they have to do is accept a warranty from one of these companies and then site them for illegal business practices. These companies are in the USA and pay taxes. Our government isn't going to do anything because they do not want to lose the tax dollars.

[@Rozegolden]

How are they getting our numbers tho??

[@joshn2342323]

They dial randomly. like 818-000-0001, then 818-000-0002 and so on.

[@Babbleplay]

They can just close up. So, stop with the fines, and jump prison time.

[@purplefreak3]

I never answer my phone unless you someone I know or expecting a phone call.

[@gamerdude422]

I don’t think anybody answers or at least listens to these calls, why do they keep trying?

[@eluweniestargazer2570]

Dear Wall Street Journal, My, now belated dad, would just pick up and say "We don't want any". 📞 If they persisted, he'd repeat himself only once and say "goodbye". ☎ Then hang up, he was retired when I was a kid, he had fun with that. 😊 Peace ✌

[@ananasupreme]

Debt collectors are not allowed to harass you and it's illegal even if you signed a contract.

[@amelliamendel2227]

That's not true, if you owe me money you'll hear from be until it's paid, believe me

[@origamiandcats6873]

Do not disturb set toonly ring for contacts otherwise they go to voicemail. If it's important they'll leave a message.

[@michaelwatson113]

I hang up on robocalls. All of them. As soon as I hear a recorded voice I hang up. I figure that if everybody did that, the robocalls would come to an end.

[@iPodgirl]

I dont even answer the phone unless it's someone I know to begin with. If they don't leave a message, it ain't important lol

[@minoanlight4545]

Wonders of living in digital world. We fucked up ourselves and now there is no going back. This is just the beginning.

[@over00lordunknown12]

I just never answer or deny the call, then I block it. (If you deny the call then some bots see that it stopped ringing and know it was denied, thus knowing it's an active number.)

[@mantyme]

Want to end robocalls forever? Stop falling for their scams!! They'd be gone tomorrow.

[@arasb3258]

There's got to be a way to make spoofing caller id much more difficult. And a much better way to tie the calls to the real ID of a person, that can be held liable.

[@ulisesr614]

I feel like I'm the only one who's never gotten a robocall in my life.

[@Mundus-vult-decipi]

I use an app called call bliss. It I automatically sends all unknown numbers to voicemail and allows contacts only, whether my phone is being used or not

[@PinkVampire21]

I just want to know what those making the robocalls want from consumers

[@geofftuckfrump9891]

For what it’s worth, I use Nomorobo on my phone and it’s helping a bit, but certainly isn’t perfected.

[@tskjesusfreak]

Time to use email only for our communications.

[@android-user]

Never head about that lol

[@crgauth]

I wonder why they didn't mention STIR/SHAKEN. It is a system that authenticates the caller id info. While it won't stop the calls directly, you will be able to trust the caller id. Then phone providers can provide a service (ideally free) that a customer can sign up for to block any fake calls. Will not stop calls from legitimate phone numbers, but those would be much easier to block as they would come from a known set of numbers. You may have seen recently that ATT and Comcast successfully tested the first call between providers about a month ago. And all of the major carriers are supposed to have this in place by the end of the year.

[@johnhoo6707]

4:59 onwards.

[@SulistiyoRaharjo]

so just make nobody can call if you not verified your ID/company ID

[@LBOOGIEDAMANN]

Receives robocall while watching video on robocalls.

[@EnderCrypt]

just add an audio captcha for any numbers not in contact book

[@ryanz8775]

Most reasonable solution I've seen

[@miniena7774]

Just enlist in the national registry. It’s worked for me.

[@xinfuxia3809]

Greg Caesar are you being sarcastic ? The illegal operators can use the registry as an input list to make the calls.

[@j.w.5510]

Eventually, all phone calls will be robocallers calling each other.

[@-.TS.-]

Is this voiced by Grant from College Humor?

[@augustsmith9553]

no

[@condew6103]

Does anybody make a phone with a white list feature, where only calls from numbers in the phone's contact list will ring, the rest are dropped or go to voicemail? I use the block feature, but the robocallers seem to just move to another number.

[@adventureoflinkmk2]

They always do. It's like never ending whack a mole, take one out and two more pop up

[@Cocoatreat]

I just talk sexually to the caller and they hang up! I don’t answer my phone anymore unless I know them

[@jefdamen2977]

Lol people around you might think weird things of u...

[@bernardpolicarpio651]

Im from the phils and had been a scam caller twice

[@xponen]

Why does FCC rely on the Telecommunication industries themselves to fix the problem instead of awarding an independent solutions from independent entity, like how DARPA & NASA do to try to promote new technology, by giving away prize or contract?

[@mattperry5507]

Two reasons. The FCC would have to pay an independent company to research and development tools. The other being that the FCC has always been in bed with the telecom companies. They toss money back and forth to regulate, commission, and restrict. It's only after this issue has reached astronomical levels that caused the FCC to take action. They dont care if a grandma in GA was taken for $17,000 on some scam; that is no money out of their pocket. When subscribers leave, and money stops coming in at alarming rates to certain high tiered companies, that's when it starts to hurt.

[@drwho9437]

Scam the scammers and everyone agrees to lie and make up false data for them to try to use and loose money on transactions until they go out of business? Maybe that isn't legal either.

[@ano070602]

I just let the call go to voice mail. If they do not leave a message I know to just block the number.

[@stijill]

Punish the advertiser using the method os solicitation. Cut off the bad source.

[@rock-n-party9241]

They should play unique sounds before they start talking.

[@badza47]

I never get robocalls

[@jtc1947]

You get a call on Your cell phone that is NOT a CONTACT? Let it go through to VOICE MAIL. If You have a land line then get a cheap answering machine. This should not be rocket science.

[@86marcoz]

They need robocop

[@lotusjaggarage2989]

Their going to start texting soon ah I miss the 00s life was more simple

[@paulmcquown6831]

Give people an ALLOW list, numbers not on the person's allow list, get DDOSed. Spam the SPAMMERS back. auto flood the exchange the calls are actually coming from.Use technology against them.

[@hankh5977]

"Rococall" has got to the lamest word I've seen associated with "KingPin"

[@123456bmx]

Just press 3 or whatever and talk with the scammer person,Then call them a benchode repeatedly.

[@theeraphatsunthornwit6266]

Luckily not many in my country.... in my country we have sms that charges you money

[@ragnarox16]

Sounds like Kingdom Hearts music in the background

[@Airwr3ck]

Just go after the companies who use these robocalls.

[@AlexFlockhart]

Who is going to go after them and how would they have any jurisdiction in another country?

[@Generik97]

Robocalls are almost a thing of the past now it's robotexts that are the problem

[@MyChilepepper]

Easy, I don't pick up. Period.

[@SE7ENinc1]

Can confirm.. Generation Z will ditch the phone number. Not necessary in today's society.

[@jamesdf007]

If it's not on my phone book I don't even ancer the phone

[@kjvwarrior777]

When I retire, the first thing I'm going to do is get rid of my cell phone, and even my car, get me a bike, and live the simple life!

[@francismausley7239]

They call billions of annoying times... "A kindly tongue is the lodestone of the hearts of men. It is the bread of the spirit,.." ~ Baha'i Faith

[@thepiggie6790]

just use a whitelist feature

[@rockysage7760]

Mahindra is to develop a Blockchain based solution to block spam calls. Your welcome.