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Sudden increase in spam calls on new Phone Power service

Started by kikikikopa, May 12, 2014, 07:47:36 PM

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kikikikopa

Just started new PP service last week and since then I've been getting an unusually high number of irritating and unwanted telephone solicitors.  I received four different calls just today alone.  I'm thinking there has to be a connection with the new service and the sudden increase in spam callers.  In the past, I would get a few calls per month but now it's everyday.  Smells a little fishy to me.  Anyone else experiencing the same problem?

Shale

Is that a new number, or was it ported? Maybe whoever you ported it from was doing spam filtering.

kikikikopa

The number is the same as it ever was.  I'm blocking them as fast as they come in but at the rate it's going, I'm going to hit the block limit pretty fast.

Shale

Was the carrier you ported from somebody who was doing spam filtering? GV for example? If so, I guess their filtering was good. Maybe they logged the numbers they blocked, and you could compare to your current profile.

On my provider I use filtering where numbers that are not in my contacts list have to perform an extra step. I don't know if Phone Power has that available at this point.

kikikikopa

Not sure how phone spam filtering actually works or is supposed to work.  I had no special setup with GV as far as filtering is concerned.  I guess it could just be a coincidence but I find it interesting that the amount of pestering calls increased right after I switched to PP. 

Please reply to this post if you're a new PP subscriber and have experienced a similar issue.

Taoman

Quote from: kikikikopa on May 13, 2014, 07:19:02 AM

Please reply to this post if you're a new PP subscriber and have experienced a similar issue.

You've been asked twice now and I will ask you a third time. It's a very simple question.

Was your PhonePower phone number ported from a different carrier like Google Voice? Yes or no?

kikikikopa

Hey Taoman...I don't need your heavy handed remarks so chill out...I already said it is the same number that I always had so SIMPLY read the post more carefully before you start spouting off about how many times a question was asked...You have something to contribute or just poking around?


Taoman

Quote from: kikikikopa on May 13, 2014, 09:40:22 AM
Hey Taoman...I don't need your heavy handed remarks so chill out...I already said it is the same number that I always had so SIMPLY read the post more carefully before you start spouting off about how many times a question was asked...You have something to contribute or just poking around?



Wow. Why do you think the question has been asked 3 times? Do you think the question could possibly be important? I realize you are using the same number. But that still doesn't answer the question, does it? You posted a question asking for help. We are trying to help but you won't answer the most basic question possible.

The point is Google Voice has the best automatic telemarketing block available. If your number is still on Google Voice and you are forwarding to PhonePower that is one issue. However, if you have ported your GV number over to PhonePower that is an entirely different issue. But apparently that information is secret. Sheesh.

AlanB

kikikikopa,

In this post you mention that you are fowarding your number.
http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=7977.msg52003#msg52003

This is very important to know, which is why Taoman asked again.   If you are forwarding your number, you are not just using just the same number, you are now using two numbers, the same at GV, and the new one at PP.

So, there could be two reasons why you are getting more telemarketing calls.
1) More calls to GV number all of a suddenly (thus the fishy comment I suspect)
2) Calls to your new PP number (no telling where that number's been in the past, like those bills in your wallet) (thus not fishy at all).

To troubleshoot, you need to compare your PP and GV incoming call logs.  Are the new calls coming only to PP?  If so, you'll need to stop them there if PP has any kind of blocking.  If they are in the GV log, then you can stop them in either location.

You can always add your new PP number to the national Do Not Call register, but dishonest callers will never honor that of course.

HDFLucky

Quote from: kikikikopa on May 13, 2014, 06:35:59 AM
I'm blocking them as fast as they come in but at the rate it's going, I'm going to hit the block limit pretty fast.
I think that's a good approach for an ex-spouse,  bad a approach for spammers... because it returns a message something like "the subscriber is not accepting calls from your number." Since most spammers have a PBX at their disposal, they can easily change their outgoing CID and just call again with a different number. As you said, you'll hit the 50 blocked number limit pretty fast. What I do instead is use the "selective call forwarding" feature to send them to a busy signal. That way, they don't know they've been blocked.

crystal19

I believe kikikikopa does not want to give hard time but does not understand the question. I have PP and have not ported the number and I have not got any new spam calls.

MikePA

Quote from: crystal19 on May 26, 2014, 03:54:45 AM
...but does not understand the question.

What is difficult to understand about the question, "Did you port your number from GV to PP?"?

Harley

I've had PP over 2 weeks now and not a single spam, It must be something your doing wrong with your number?

psuPete

I've followed this procedure for all of my DIDs:

https://www.donotcall.gov/

100% effective? no, but it helps.

kittyworld

Spam filtering is probably the only reason I am sticking w/ GV forwarding. It works extremely well. Combined with anonymous call rejection I get no spam now (knock on wood!).  I am also lucky in that the new PP number (also has anonymous call rejection enabled) has not brought me any spam yet. According to my GV log, I get at least 3-5 spam calls per day.

Of course all my phone numbers are on National Do Not Call list, so that's definitely a step you should not skip.

Taoman

Quote from: kittyworld on May 26, 2014, 08:55:38 AM
Spam filtering is probably the only reason I am sticking w/ GV forwarding. It works extremely well. Combined with anonymous call rejection I get no spam now (knock on wood!).  I am also lucky in that the new PP number (also has anonymous call rejection enabled) has not brought me any spam yet. According to my GV log, I get at least 3-5 spam calls per day.


Exactly. Wish more people understood this simple fact. No one beats Google for spam filtering in both voice and email. This is probably the primary reason why I will never port my GV number unless forced to.