We’ve been getting a lot – A LOT – of freaking, disgusting, horrible ROBO CALLS on both our home and business lines. The scumbags who invade our privacy in such a nasty way deserve boils or locusts or some other plagues to fall on their evil heads!
The FTC states that the biggest single complaint they get are about robocalls. And the majority of the callers live in other countries, supposedly, and therefore our laws mean nothing to them. Even if they lived in the US, laws are NOT the answer! Technology is the best weapon we have because unless we make the calls unprofitable, they’re not going to stop.
A Solution?
We are delighted to have discovered a service that works really well. It’s at nomorobo.com and we haven’t answered one single robo call since we signed up. Not. One. Single. Call. That is truly awesome!
The FTC held a competition for companies who stop this garbage, and nomorobo won.
How Does It Work?
Nomorobo maintains a database of scammer phone numbers and will hang up the call so that the computer who is calling you doesn’t get through. And the database keeps growing. These losers can’t just get a new phone number and carry on. In a relatively short time the nomorobo database will detect a large volume of calls and cut them off.
What Happens When I Get A Call?
It depends. Sometimes our phone just rings once and stops. We’ve also had a ‘partial’ ring, meaning it just makes a quick sound and stops. Supposedly, some are stopped before they even ring.
Advice: make a habit of allowing your phone to ring once before answering it. If you pick it up mid-ring, you may likely be connected to the detested robo call.
What Does It Cost?
At the time of this writing, if you have a VOIP landline, the service is free. It’s $4.99 for cell phones which includes the primary phone and three others. According to their website, you have to get on a waiting list for this service at this time. If you have a POTS line (“plain old telephone service”), you’re just out of luck, I’m sorry to say.
Are There Any Downsides?
Well, yes. We’re very security conscious around here and sending our phone messages through someone else’s service isn’t all that comfortable for us. But it just shows how AGGRAVATING these stupid phone calls are to us. It’s great to finally be rid of all these horrid people.
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