Annoying unwanted international fake calls

Peter256 · 19-12-2018 7:35pm #1

Does anyone know a way of blocking these fake international calls ?
I have previously contacted vodafone about it and even though they know people are having this issue they don't seem to be able to do anything about it.
I have tried some call blocking apps but I haven't found one that completely does the job. The apps may block the foreign numbers ringing but you will still get messeges on having missed calls from them because the calls go through to your message minder.

advertsfox · 19-12-2018 8:02pm

Have you tried TrueCaller? It's really quiet good, I use it all the time and can't recall my last fake call.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.truecaller

Peter256 · 19-12-2018 8:28pm

advertsfox wrote: »

Have you tried TrueCaller? It's really quiet good, I use it all the time and can't recall my last fake call.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.truecaller

Do the fake calls still go through to your message minder and does your phone then notify you about the missed calls ?

Mantis Toboggan · 19-12-2018 8:29pm

Blocking numbers is stock on android afaik, no need to download apps.

Peter256 · 19-12-2018 8:39pm

Mantis Toboggan wrote: »

Blocking numbers is stock on android afaik, no need to download apps.

These international fake numbers can't be blocked out totally with Android blocking.
The numbers have multiple codes and digets.
Every fake phone number is different. You could get 20 fake calls in a week all different number's and even if you blocked them out individually with android the following week there will be new numbers again.

Mantis Toboggan · 19-12-2018 9:46pm

Peter256 wrote: »

These international fake numbers can't be blocked out totally with Android blocking.
The numbers have multiple codes and digets.
Every fake phone number is different. You could get 20 fake calls in a week all different number's and even if you blocked them out individually with android the following week there will be new numbers again.

True but I was getting similar numbers ringing me, I started blocking them and I haven't got them in months.

ED E · 20-12-2018 3:47pm

Peter256 wrote: »

These international fake numbers can't be blocked out totally with Android blocking.
The numbers have multiple codes and digets.
Every fake phone number is different. You could get 20 fake calls in a week all different number's and even if you blocked them out individually with android the following week there will be new numbers again.

You're missing the point.

Don't block +252 123456789898 but instead block +252/00252 so all of Somalia cannot call you. Do that for Ukraine, Nigeria, India, Pakistan etc and they all stop.

monty_python · 20-12-2018 3:50pm

Answer the calls and have a bit of craic with them. Just take the piss out of them. That's what I did when I was getting calls and they stopped after a few days

corks finest · 20-12-2018 4:09pm

monty_python wrote: »

Answer the calls and have a bit of craic with them. Just take the piss out of them. That's what I did when I was getting calls and they stopped after a few days

I find that a loud whistle ( ear defenders needed) works

20-12-2018 4:40pm

That's not how they work. It rings for a second (or sometimes not at all) and then you have a missed call. When you dial the number back its a recorded message of "Please hold while we connect your call......please hold while we...". The way the scam works is that it's €10 a minute or some such charge. No point blowing a whistle down the line at a robot.

corks finest · 20-12-2018 4:43pm

Deleted User wrote: »

That's not how they work. It rings for a second (or sometimes not at all) and then you have a missed call. When you dial the number back its a recorded message of "Please hold while we connect your call......please hold while we...". The way the scam works is that it's €10 a minute or some such charge. No point blowing a whistle down the line at a robot.

Ah sorry,but a friend got loads of Indian scamners recently,ref Microsoft,her p.c. corrupted etc,1 answered a few of them and gave them as loud a whistle as I could, result,,,no more calls

corks finest · 20-12-2018 4:45pm

Deleted User wrote: »

That's not how they work. It rings for a second (or sometimes not at all) and then you have a missed call. When you dial the number back its a recorded message of "Please hold while we connect your call......please hold while we...". The way the scam works is that it's €10 a minute or some such charge. No point blowing a whistle down the line at a robot.

Ah sorry,but a friend got loads of Indian scamners recently,ref Microsoft,her p.c. corrupted etc,1 answered a few of them and gave them as loud a whistle as I could, result,,,no more calls wouldn't have the patience

Alun · 20-12-2018 4:45pm

It's far easier to simply not return calls with strange country prefixes you don't recognise.

coylemj · 20-12-2018 5:18pm

corks finest wrote: »

Ah sorry,but a friend got loads of Indian scamners recently,ref Microsoft,her p.c. corrupted etc,1 answered a few of them and gave them as loud a whistle as I could, result,,,no more calls wouldn't have the patience

This is a different scam, the people who call you from the countries mentioned above make money when you call back their premium phone line. They do not want you to answer the phone when they call you, the scam is in the return call. Which is why you will barely hear your phone ring when they call you, they hang up the minute they get the ringing tone. The aim is to leave a 'missed call' on your phone in the hope that you will call back without checking the number and noticing that it's an internationcal call.

The Microsoft scam involves you paying them money to 'fix' your PC - that fraud requires you to answer when they call you.

corks finest · 20-12-2018 6:15pm

Alun wrote: »

It's far easier to simply not return calls with strange country prefixes you don't recognise.

Kinda hard to spot when the majority of ppl haven't got caller ID

LionelNashe · 20-12-2018 6:25pm

corks finest wrote: »

Ah sorry,but a friend got loads of Indian scamners recently,ref Microsoft,her p.c. corrupted etc,1 answered a few of them and gave them as loud a whistle as I could, result,,,no more calls wouldn't have the patience

If anyone is interested in how this Indian scam operates, the 'Reply All' podcast has a couple of good episodes on it. The podcast-host not only answered the calls and had a chat with the guys, but they also investigated them as much as they could and then they travelled to India to doorstep them at the call-centres they operated from. It's very entertaining.

jmreire · 20-12-2018 6:36pm

ED E wrote: »

You're missing the point.

Don't block +252 123456789898 but instead block +252/00252 so all of Somalia cannot call you. Do that for Ukraine, Nigeria, India, Pakistan etc and they all stop.

Like everyone ( or nearly everyone) I have been getting these scam calls..usual procedure, missed call, so you redial, thinking that it's an Irish Nr and genuine. But it's a scam. You call back and its on a premium line, and it rings and rings and rings...then when it's picked up, there is more delay's ( with the charges mounting up ) So now I check the Country Code first on any "Missed Call"and if its foreign, then I add that Nr to the blocked list. That's that Nr sorted, but soon new Nrs appear.. and off we go again.
Next time I get one of these call's, I should block +252/00252 ( change code to appropriate Country ) in the same format as you have done? Or what? I have several codes to block... for example, +882. So to block this NR, I should enter it as +882/00882 ????
Thanks for that very useful advice

LionelNashe · 20-12-2018 6:40pm

Those of you who call the numbers back.. are you using the phones for business?

ED E · 20-12-2018 7:41pm

The "Begin With" option is what you want. Im not sure if they alias 00XXX and +XXX but you'll quickly work out which works.

Unfortunately not all builds of Android have this so with some you'll need to use an app to do the same thing (block prefixes).

artanevilla · 20-12-2018 7:43pm

corks finest wrote: »

Kinda hard to spot when the majority of ppl haven't got caller ID

Kinda hard to ring back too...

jmreire · 20-12-2018 7:49pm

ED E wrote: »

The "Begin With" option is what you want. Im not sure if they alias 00XXX and +XXX but you'll quickly work out which works.

Unfortunately not all builds of Android have this so with some you'll need to use an app to do the same thing (block prefixes).

I have an Android phone, but it only give's me the option of blocking the calls individually that I have received..but not blocking by country code. But it will do for now, they seem to have tapered off a bit lately. Thanks for your help.

Kristopherus · 20-12-2018 7:53pm

If I get a call trying to flog me something I don't want/need, I string them along for a few mins and then tell them "Stick your head between your legs an vanish up your h**e.

Peter256 · 20-12-2018 9:37pm

ED E wrote: »

The "Begin With" option is what you want. Im not sure if they alias 00XXX and +XXX but you'll quickly work out which works.

Unfortunately not all builds of Android have this so with some you'll need to use an app to do the same thing (block prefixes).

I don't have this option on my phone that can block out all numbers from a certain country by the code.
The apps like 'true caller' also give this option.
But it will only stop you getting the ringing, but you will still get missed call messages, as the calls go directly through to your message minder.
I'm not sure if the android stock blocker is the same or does it block out the calls and not allow them to go to message minder.
Anyway as I said I don't have the android stock option so I was hoping someone would know a good app that deals with the issue completely.

Annoying unwanted international fake calls

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