Harassing Phone Calls, up at a new level.

[Ursatdx]

Operation Robocall Roundup sends warning letters to robocall companies about illegal activity​

State attorney generals from across the country, including Michigan, have issued warning notices to over three dozen companies, demanding they take action to stop illegal robocalls being routed through their networks.

https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/operation-robocall-roundup-warning-letters-2025/

 

[Owen Lucas]

Apparently they've found a way to capture a few seconds of one of your video calls and then use your image as evidence that it's really you asking for the money. Not surprisingly it wasn't really her.

Midjourney.com and likely many other AI apps can animate any picture.

Pro Tip: If there’s and accent, it’s likely a scam.

 

[Saturnguy]

Sign up for the do not call registry…

https://www.donotcall.gov/

 

[rijndael]

Sign up for the do not call registry…

https://www.donotcall.gov/

Save your time, it doesn't work.

 

[goblin]

It does work, for legitimate robocalls, of which there are still many.

 

[rijndael]

https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/scams/2025/06/why-the-do-not-call-registry-doesnt-work

IME, Nomorobo works better. I use it for my landline.

 

[97prizm]

My father and my wife would have a competition to see who could get the caller to say the worst thing after they realized they were the ones being messed with. I once asked a caller out on a date.

What's really weird is that The REALLY DON'T like to give out where they're located. Jeff Foxworthy one time asked the caller "mike" if elephants and Tigers could be seen outside his office. The guy hung up.

 

[Hermann]

Since I started using MNVO's for cell service I get very few spam calls. Noticed this when I was using Trac Fone, now Mint Mobile is just resistant to spam.

 

[scrllock]

The one thing you don't want to do is talk to scammers. Too easy to record your voice and have it stolen via AI and then used to scam people you know. Sounds paranoid but everything has become so much worse these days.

 

[rijndael]

Too easy to record your voice and have it stolen via AI and then used to scam people you know. Sounds paranoid but everything has become so much worse these days.

It's not paranoid, it's real. https://www.npr.org/2023/03/22/1165448073/voice-clones-ai-scams-ftc

 

[goblin]

I am sure that Malwarebytes, on a page where they advertise a paid anti-spam call service, will be 110% truthful .
The donotcall registry is of limited use, but still useful. It is not enough on its own, it's clear.

 

[rijndael]

If you get benefit from it, great, you should use it.

 

[doitmyself]

I had a very convincing live person call the other day from "Homeland Security" telling me I have criminal activities in Florida (daughter lives there) and that if I didn't cooperate they'd release arrest warrant to my local sheriff in next few minutes. I played with them for quite a bit and they finally hung up.

It was scary how convincing it was and I am concerned that very old and/or naive people could fall for this.


Crying Wolf type syndrome........... a month ago I received text from unrecognized local number that they were bedridden and needed emergency help. I questioned if real or scam. Gave phone number to police and they called back and said it was a legitimate!!!!

 

[CKN]

Thanks, time for me to google the numbers and see if I can identify any.

They use made up numbers...your wasting your time.

 

[goblin]

The googling is to check whether the numbers actually belong to someone semi-legit.
The ones using the made up numbers rake much wider and would typically give up quite fast.
For someone to insist over time - it's usually someone you're in buisiness with, or someone who thinks you own them money. Debt collectors would do that.

 

[Hall]

You can figure this out because if you say hello it will take 3 or 4 seconds before an actual person comes on the line.

Yeap, that's the telltale clue generally. That or a computer-generated voice will "talk" to you.

 

[Elkins45]

They use made up numbers...your wasting your time.

That's one reason I worry about blocking spam numbers. They might be legitimate numbers that are being spoofed, or unassigned numbers that might be assigned to a real person in the future.

 

[George7941]

That's one reason I worry about blocking spam numbers. They might be legitimate numbers that are being spoofed, or unassigned numbers that might be assigned to a real person in the future.

That is a concern of mine too.. But anyone needing to reach me can always leave a voicemail.

 

[Elkins45]

That is a concern of mine too.. But anyone needing to reach me can always leave a voicemail.

If you block someone they can't leave a voicemail.

 

[George7941]

No. They can still leave voicemails. That is exactly what is happening to me. I have blocked the number(s) but they still fill up my voicemai and I have to delete them twice a day.

Google search for "Can blocked callers leave voicemail?"
AI Overview

Yes, a blocked caller can typically still leave a voicemail, even after their number has been blocked on your phone. Blocking a number on your device primarily prevents your phone from ringing when that number calls, but it doesn't usually stop them from being able to leave a voicemail message.