[PPRAANet] Don't Call Me, i'll Call You

[Jim Madsen]

I have Xfinity and it is pretty good at blocking spam/scam calls. It 
uses VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). I have the settings so that if 
a spam/scam call gets through, if the call is marked "High Spam Risk" or 
"Medium Spam Risk", it automatically hangs up on them. If it is marked 
"Low Spam Risk", it goes directly to voice mail.

I am also enrolled in Nomorobo (No More Robocalls) nomorobo.com When 
someone calls my home phone, I can have it ring up to 5 different phone 
numbers at the same time. So when they call me, I have it set up, so 
that all calls ring both my phone number and the Nomorobo phone number 
in Washington, DC (it also rings my cell phone). If the call is a 
spammer, scammer, etc, and has been reported to Nomorobo, the 
Washington, DC number answers and asks them to solve a simple math 
equation before the call is forwarded to me (they usually hang up 
instead of solving the equation).

Sometimes if a caller gets through and is obviously a spammer or 
scammer, I answer, "Hello. This is the Colorado Springs Branch of the 
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Agent Smith speaking." Then I pause for 
a few seconds, and pretend to ask someone in the room, "Did you trace 
that number?" Then I reply to the caller, "You'll be hearing from us 
shortly" and hang up. They rarely call back.

I missed a good opportunity yesterday. I got a call and the Caller ID 
said "PCH". I guess that's Publisher's Clearing House. I should have 
answered, "Hello, this is Publisher's Clearing House" to confuse him.

I know -- I'm crazy, but I guess you knew that all along. See you all 
tomorrow at the PPRAA meeting.

73

Jim Madsen
K3ILC