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Let’s Destroy Robocalls

nytimes.com

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Re: Let’s Destroy Robocalls

#81

Post by petters »

cletus wrote: post #62

So robocalls are the result of: - Cost of phone calls decreasing to basically zero - Cost of automation going to basically zero - Phone calls that can come from the Internet so there are no national boundaries anymore - Caller ID operating on essentially the honor system - Bad actors (telephone companies) benefitting from this traffic by charging for it - Larger players having no incentive to punish bad actors There'…

> Why I can't get this is beyond me.

The first setting in my default Android phone app is to block unknown callers. What specifically do you want?

Re: Let’s Destroy Robocalls

#82

Post by nonbel »

cletus wrote: post #62

So robocalls are the result of: - Cost of phone calls decreasing to basically zero - Cost of automation going to basically zero - Phone calls that can come from the Internet so there are no national boundaries anymore - Caller ID operating on essentially the honor system - Bad actors (telephone companies) benefitting from this traffic by charging for it - Larger players having no incentive to punish bad actors There'…

It never made much sense to me that the providers would not offer some kind of robocall-free plan. I would instantly switch to avoid getting any more of these spoofed calls, which would block the vast majority of robocalls. It turns out that it is government regulation somehow preventing this:

>"The FCC last year authorized voice service providers to block more types of calls in which the Caller ID has been spoofed or in which the number on the Caller ID is invalid." https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/10/robocallers-evol...

Re: Let’s Destroy Robocalls

#83

Post by zenexer »

toast0 wrote: post #57
darksaints wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a really tough time comprehending why it is such a difficult problem to solve. The FCC could have solved it by now, independently of congressional legislation, considering the fact that they regulate the issuance of phone numbers. Those overseas companies still have to get their US phone numbers from an FCC regulated body. What am I missing?

Two things: 1) Most of the spam calls are spoofing numbers, so it doesn't really matter who issued the numbers. 2) Spam calls could come from overseas numbers instead, I've certainly gotten a few. I'd rather they come from US numbers, so at least when people call back, they're not paying an arm and a leg for the call if they don't realize the number is non-US.

#1 is a key point here, and understanding it is essential to solving this problem once and for all. It's not just caller ID that they're spoofing. PSTN works a bit like the internet: there are "good faith" peering agreements between telephone companies, and they rely on each other to report truthfully where a call is coming from.

However, there are many companies, especially overseas, that either deliberately shirk these duties or simply lack the funds, technology, and infrastructure to authenticate the sources of telephone calls. The result is something akin to IP address spoofing.

Without imposing major infrastructure overhauls on foreign nations, there's little the US government can do to eliminate these problems.

Re: Let’s Destroy Robocalls

#84

Post by cfallin »

One solution, not practical for most folks but works well for me: live in a different area code than phone number. (My cell number is in the area code I grew up in.)

It seems most spam calls either fake a source number that's in my phone's area code, or use a completely random source. Almost any inbound call I actually expect without an address-book entry would come from my (new) local area code, so I can pick up a call if (in current area code) OR (in address book). So in essence, my current area code is a 3-digit passcode.

Perhaps a nice trick if one is allocating a new VoIP number -- at the cost of looking like a non-local when giving it out, you can effectively screen for actual local calls...

Re: Let’s Destroy Robocalls

#85

Post by mrguyorama »

wlesieutre wrote: post #12
gonehome wrote: post #3

What confuses me about this is that Apple could solve this in two seconds by allowing contact whitelists where only incoming calls in your contacts are accepted and everything else is sent to voicemail or dropped. Is there a law against this or something? Nomorobo, Robokiller, Hiya all do an okay job as blacklisting applications but that seems like the wrong way to go about it. Some suggest using do not disturb to do…

Voicemails are still annoying, I have a red alert badge on the home screen and have to go in, check that it's not real, and delete it. Would love to be able to junk filter incoming voicemail based on the transcript. Anything with "card services calling about your credit card account" or "qualify for a medical grade back or knee brace" goes straight to trash. Of course that only works for a few months until scammers a…

I find that the scam calls I get don't leave a lot of voicemails

Re: Let’s Destroy Robocalls

#86

Post by calebegg »

Shivetya wrote: post #59

Just an observation, unless Congress includes political calls in this legislation then I am not truly impressed. They are no more welcome to call me than the knee brace lady is. Just because I voted in an election; and why do they know which party/who I vote for; does not give them the right to call me. I don't care if they are in office or not.

Yeah, I noticed that the bill was called "Stopping Bad Robocalls", implying that there are "good" robocalls too, and I knew immediately that it wouldn't help with the political ones.

Re: Let’s Destroy Robocalls

#87

Post by escherplex »

cletus wrote: post #62

So robocalls are the result of: - Cost of phone calls decreasing to basically zero - Cost of automation going to basically zero - Phone calls that can come from the Internet so there are no national boundaries anymore - Caller ID operating on essentially the honor system - Bad actors (telephone companies) benefitting from this traffic by charging for it - Larger players having no incentive to punish bad actors There'…

A smart phone app which behaves as a firewall requiring callers to enter, say, a three character PIN code before phone rings may be useful. Incorporate two message files, one for leaving messages from those who know the PIN code and one those who don't, would allow for any contingencies. A front end answering machine box for the home with the same functionalities may be useful as well.

Re: Let’s Destroy Robocalls

#88

Post by gnicholas »

wlesieutre wrote: post #12
gonehome wrote: post #3

What confuses me about this is that Apple could solve this in two seconds by allowing contact whitelists where only incoming calls in your contacts are accepted and everything else is sent to voicemail or dropped. Is there a law against this or something? Nomorobo, Robokiller, Hiya all do an okay job as blacklisting applications but that seems like the wrong way to go about it. Some suggest using do not disturb to do…

Voicemails are still annoying, I have a red alert badge on the home screen and have to go in, check that it's not real, and delete it. Would love to be able to junk filter incoming voicemail based on the transcript. Anything with "card services calling about your credit card account" or "qualify for a medical grade back or knee brace" goes straight to trash. Of course that only works for a few months until scammers a…

Don't forget about calls about "your Visa Mastercard".

Re: Let’s Destroy Robocalls

#89

Post by GordonS »

toast0 wrote: post #57
darksaints wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a really tough time comprehending why it is such a difficult problem to solve. The FCC could have solved it by now, independently of congressional legislation, considering the fact that they regulate the issuance of phone numbers. Those overseas companies still have to get their US phone numbers from an FCC regulated body. What am I missing?

Two things: 1) Most of the spam calls are spoofing numbers, so it doesn't really matter who issued the numbers. 2) Spam calls could come from overseas numbers instead, I've certainly gotten a few. I'd rather they come from US numbers, so at least when people call back, they're not paying an arm and a leg for the call if they don't realize the number is non-US.

Here in the UK, nowadays almost all robocalls and scam calls are coming from outside the UK. Mostly India as far as I can tell (they've sworn at me in Hindi).

Re: Let’s Destroy Robocalls

#90

Post by tprynn »

autotune wrote: post #76
cletus wrote: post #62

So robocalls are the result of: - Cost of phone calls decreasing to basically zero - Cost of automation going to basically zero - Phone calls that can come from the Internet so there are no national boundaries anymore - Caller ID operating on essentially the honor system - Bad actors (telephone companies) benefitting from this traffic by charging for it - Larger players having no incentive to punish bad actors There'…

iPhone at least has the option for a contacts only whitelist, I only get notifications from contacts and everything else gets ignored. No point in even considering answering a call from someone I don’t know, if it’s truly important they can leave a message and I respond asap.

That's only true with Do Not Disturb, which also silences all other notifications as well, a major drawback (for me, at least).
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