New spam

[question everything]

"This is Nancy your patient advocate with Medicare.." this is when I hang up.

Does not always work but in general: a call that starts talking as soon as I pick up, without first asking for someone in the household is a spam. And this one, like others, clearly is aimed at seniors who are not sure, who assume that it comes from Medicare and is legit. I guess that later in the "conversation" they would want the Medicare ID.

[Sherman A1]

1. Got one yesterday and today

That claims they will start legal proceedings against me. I just let it go to voicemail but will file a complaint with the state and federal do not call lists.

[Siwsan]

2. I got one from someone claiming to be a collection agency.

The voice mail was pretty threatening and told me to call an 800 number to see who I owed, and how much. One would think the collection agency would have that info, right at hand.

[dameatball]

4. I get these occasionally, all referencing the same person, who I do not know. But somehow they use

my phone number, which I have had since 2012. After the second time they called I did return their call and explained the situation and requested that they take me off their call list. Apparently they did, but about six months later I got the same call from a different collection agency, or whatever term they use. They claimed to not know about my previous contact with the other company. I think what is happening is there are phone lists that are resold after a company fails to get you to comply with whatever it is they want. At that point a second company attempts to do the same thing. It has now been about a year, so maybe I am, now officially off the list.
By the way, for the past several years I just ignore the message. Nothing ever happens and my credit has not been affected.
The name they always reference is Bill -------. Jr., who I have never heard of.

[Siwsan]

5. Before I got caller id, I'd just hang up.

Now, I've stopped answering any calls if I don't recognize the number. If it's a legitimate call, they will leave a message.

I also signed up with a robo call screening service that my cable service provides, for free. It's made a huge difference.

[katmondoo]

3. Every time I get a phoney number I ask "are you a scammer or a fake fundraiser"

Sometimes I add a few nasty comments if I am in a bad mood, which I seem to be all of the time these days.

[No Vested Interest]

6. How about the ones that want to refund "your money"?

Is it "Microsoft Service" calling on that one?
I get so many I do lose track.
I did just buy a set of 5 phones with call blocking, on QVC or HSN - can't remember which- which I used quite liberally when I first got it.
The phones are said to be made by AT&T. - there again I suppose some entity, likely Asian, bought those naming rights.
But the phones do work well enough