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Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

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Re: Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

#131

Post by todd3834 »

snowwrestler wrote: post #127

My solution to robocalls is to answer them and then be totally silent. After a few seconds, they disconnect. The number of robocalls I receive has plummeted since I started doing this. I receive hardly any these days. My theory is that due to silent answers, the autodialers eventually mark the number as bad, or as a machine-answered number. I have no proof of this, though.

I'll have to try that out. I've been noticing that most of the calls I was getting were from the same spammy place. I found out if I listen till the end they often have an option to be removed from their list. "Press 2 to be removed", if only it was always 2 that would be too easy. I hate listening to the entire ad but I have been getting a lot less since I've been hanging in there and asking to be removed.

Re: Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

#132

Post by RoadieRoller »

snowwrestler wrote: post #127

My solution to robocalls is to answer them and then be totally silent. After a few seconds, they disconnect. The number of robocalls I receive has plummeted since I started doing this. I receive hardly any these days. My theory is that due to silent answers, the autodialers eventually mark the number as bad, or as a machine-answered number. I have no proof of this, though.

True, I do the same too. I take the call, mute my phone and keep it as long as the other person wants it. Spam has reduced, one call in the last 3 weeks. It could also be that the spammers are holidaying.

Re: Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

#133

Post by nikanj »

awakeasleep wrote: post #14

"At the telelphony-infrastructure level, it’s a supremely difficult problem that lacks a short-term fix because the underlying protocol is hopelessly insecure." This is only partly true. Technologically the solution is difficult, but it's easy from the social side as carriers can blacklist the smaller carriers that allow this fraud to take place. The real problem is that everyone except the consumer benefits from thi…

I’d be happy to have a SPF like framework for calls.

The phone number blocks are allocated to companies, and it should be trivial to ensure the incoming call comes from the legitimate holder of the block.

Add an authorized user api so you can still use your number in outgoing calls with Skype etc.

After number faking is fixed, I can safely ignore all calls from foreign countries and weird area codes.

Re: Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

#134

Post by matte_black »

The idea of a phone call taking up an entire screen and interrupting your activity hearkens back to the days when Apple emphasized that the iPhone should still be prioritized as a phone first. Clearly, people have evolved to richer forms of communication, and phone calls should not be put up on such a high pedestal.

Re: Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

#135

Post by matte_black »

RoadieRoller wrote: post #132
snowwrestler wrote: post #127

My solution to robocalls is to answer them and then be totally silent. After a few seconds, they disconnect. The number of robocalls I receive has plummeted since I started doing this. I receive hardly any these days. My theory is that due to silent answers, the autodialers eventually mark the number as bad, or as a machine-answered number. I have no proof of this, though.

True, I do the same too. I take the call, mute my phone and keep it as long as the other person wants it. Spam has reduced, one call in the last 3 weeks. It could also be that the spammers are holidaying.

They are definitely holidaying. As soon as the new year starts up expect them to be firing on all cylinders.

Re: Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

#136

Post by jen729w »

snowwrestler wrote: post #127

My solution to robocalls is to answer them and then be totally silent. After a few seconds, they disconnect. The number of robocalls I receive has plummeted since I started doing this. I receive hardly any these days. My theory is that due to silent answers, the autodialers eventually mark the number as bad, or as a machine-answered number. I have no proof of this, though.

I answer and have fun pretending that I’m a lunatic. I generally get hung up on within a minute, and at least that minute is a bit of fun.

Re: Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

#137

Post by nikanj »

timbit42 wrote: post #113
thatswrong0 wrote: post #4

I would love to be able to block all numbers coming from my area code and the first 3 digits of my number.. all my robo calls come from a number that looks just like mine.

I use an app called Should I Answer? It uses crowd sourcing to collect robocalling numbers. My phone doesn't even ring for most of the robocalls now, and the ones it misses, I can add to their database so others won't get them.

How does the database work, when it’s just your own number with the last two digits different?

Re: Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

#138

Post by scarejunba »

snowwrestler wrote: post #127

My solution to robocalls is to answer them and then be totally silent. After a few seconds, they disconnect. The number of robocalls I receive has plummeted since I started doing this. I receive hardly any these days. My theory is that due to silent answers, the autodialers eventually mark the number as bad, or as a machine-answered number. I have no proof of this, though.

My solution is to let Google spam filter them. It does a good job and I report every call that manages to get through. Haven't picked one up in months now.

Re: Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

#140

Post by oh_sigh »

nikanj wrote: post #133
awakeasleep wrote: post #14

"At the telelphony-infrastructure level, it’s a supremely difficult problem that lacks a short-term fix because the underlying protocol is hopelessly insecure." This is only partly true. Technologically the solution is difficult, but it's easy from the social side as carriers can blacklist the smaller carriers that allow this fraud to take place. The real problem is that everyone except the consumer benefits from thi…

I’d be happy to have a SPF like framework for calls. The phone number blocks are allocated to companies, and it should be trivial to ensure the incoming call comes from the legitimate holder of the block. Add an authorized user api so you can still use your number in outgoing calls with Skype etc. After number faking is fixed, I can safely ignore all calls from foreign countries and weird area codes.

How do you handle number portability?
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