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Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?

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Re: Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?

#271

Post by linsomniac »

kd5bjo wrote: post #191
russelldavis wrote: post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This approach comes pretty close to solving the problem, but a couple issues are dealbreakers for me: 1) It mutes all notifications, not just non-whitelisted calls. As much as I hate notification overload, I do want a select few to come through. 2) I want a discoverable way for non-whitelisted callers to be able to break through (not everyone will know to call multiple times to break through). I'm working on an app t…

re #2: They can leave a voicemail; I'll listen to it and call back if necessary.

Usually works well, but when you get caught in a cycle of always missing each other it sucks. Usually this is a business or similar where they call and are making a bunch of calls, so by the time I call back they are on the line with someone else.

Re: Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?

#272

Post by wittedhaddock »

umvi wrote: post #262
wittedhaddock wrote: post #257

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you explain phone number spoofing to me? Is there truly phone spoofing that is more than faking the dialer on the client?

You should read the book "Ghost in the Wires" by Kevin Mitnick. It will really open your eyes as to what is possible with phones.

can I borrow your copy? I will pay shipping to and fro' :)

Re: Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?

#273

Post by daveFNbuck »

fyfy18 wrote: post #166

A few years ago my parents were getting a lot of spam calls on their landline. Basically all of them were automated calls, either a recorded message or you were connected to a person shortly after the call was connected. I bought an OBi100 [0], which is a small device designed to be a VOIP adapter, but you can setup rules on how calls (incoming or outgoing) are handled. I setup a rule that if the call was from a with…

What do you mean by foreign number? Most spam calls I get are from the same area code as my phone number?

Re: Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?

#274

Post by marcosdumay »

4mitkumar wrote: post #53

But you can! Mostly in Android though. I can confirm MIUI - the stock rom on Xiaomi phones - have this exact feature built in. You can block all hidden numbers, all numbers not in your address book, specific numbers, etc. Or one can use Tasker - an Android automation app to achieve the same functionality and more in any Android phone. I suppose these days, you can use Iphone's scripting functionality as well for the…

There is a "Blacklist Block" app on F-Droid that (despite the name) will do that on any Android phone.

Re: Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?

#275

Post by craftyguy »

wittedhaddock wrote: post #62

My name is James, I work for Community Phone, a nationwide cell phone company. Show of hands: if we opened up this feature for you to control this filter for yourself or your loved ones, holding all else constant (price and coverage), would that be sufficient to cause a switch to try out an alternate provider?

Sounds like it would require customers to provide you with all their contacts for creating the filter? If so, no thanks. This feature could be implemented 100% on the device itself, without leaking information.

Re: Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?

#277

Post by james_niro »

One IPhone you can turn Do Not Disturb option and only allow calls from your contact list. All other calls will be muted. Also, I do not answers numbers which I do not recognize and send it to voicemail, If they don’t leave voicemail I will add that number to my block list.

Re: Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?

#278

Post by C4K3 »

wittedhaddock wrote: post #226
joshstrange wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

James, your service looks interesting but your data plans seem very low (in size, not price). 1, 2, 4GB plans with $5/0.5GB overage costs?

Right. Most people people just sign up for our $25 plan for unlimited talk and text with 1 fast gigabyte of data, and overage 100mbs for $1 + sales taxes

Your website doesn't list the overage price for the $25 plan, only the two other plans.

Re: Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?

#279

Post by greedo »

cblades wrote: post #205
BillinghamJ wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not quite the same thing, but I have my mobile network set up to forward every call to a Twilio number which just states that my number doesn't accept calls. It sends me an SMS so I know someone tried to. It's great. People who do need to call me then will just use FaceTime Audio or WhatsApp calls.

That seems really obnoxious for anyone that has your number. Do you just not give your number out?

Because spam calls don't occur because you gave your number out, but because the spammers either farm your number from a "partner" or iterate through numbers.

Re: Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?

#280

Post by ryanlol »

magduf wrote: post #260
mark-r wrote: post #242

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly. With phone number spoofing, all the scammer needs is the phone number of someone on your list. With social media how long do you think it would take to generate such a list, and to get propagated to every scammer?

How is a spammer going to figure out phone numbers of people on my list from social media? I don't know about you, but I don't have my Facebook friends publicly viewable. And that's an awful lot of work just to cold-call someone to try to sell them insurance or whatever.

With a handy-dandy facebook bug that allows them to scrape such data at scale?

This has happened multiple times before, at least two separate incidents have made the news.

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