How do I stop Robocalls? Help!

[Elisa.woods]

A few days ago I got a new phone number from Rogers. One company has been calling my number multiple times a day everyday from 8:00am to 9:00am. They use a hidden number and same message every time, saying that there is an important message for "Someone's name (not mine)", and ask me to call back to their number provided.

So I called their number and told them I just got this number and not the person who they are looking for. He asked my personal information which I refused to provide. I asked him to remove my (He hung up the phone right here) number from their data base...I received more robocalls from them next morning so I called again. The same guy picked up the phone and it took 3 seconds to hung up the phone again.

How do I stop these guys from calling? They use a hidden number so I can't block their calls without blocking some legit calls as well (and my phone still ring once using a call blocking app). I called Rogers for help but it is going no where. Help! :cry:

[zz000ter]

Ask for a new phone number

[kuhai2001]

Register your number on national do not call list

[Simaahoy]

Register your number on national do not call list

Nothing is going to change...

OP you have no choice but to change your number at this point.

[LaserEnvy]

Sounds like a scam. I think you shouldn't have even called back. Maybe you can forward it to the police.

[Jucius Maximus]

It sounds like a debt collector. I guess the previous owner of the phone number got tired to the debt collector's calls.

The collector cannot disclose to other people that they are collecting your debt. (They can try to contact other people in order to get your contact info, but that's all they can do.) They are probably too brain-damaged to figure out that calling you isn't helping them.

My recommendation... tell them that if they call again, you will consider the phone call to be an obscene call and as a result will try to deafen them. If they call again, do not even speak. Just use something like a sports airhorn or some other very loud noise generator. They may eventually get the idea that it's not a good idea to call you.

[jaysfan4life]

Rogers has a call manager that you can add numbers you don't want calls from

[wilsonlam97]

It sounds like a debt collector. I guess the previous owner of the phone number got tired to the debt collector's calls.

The collector cannot disclose to other people that they are collecting your debt. (They can try to contact other people in order to get your contact info, but that's all they can do.) They are probably too brain-damaged to figure out that calling you isn't helping them.

My recommendation... tell them that if they call again, you will consider the phone call to be an obscene call and as a result will try to deafen them. If they call again, do not even speak. Just use something like a sports airhorn or some other very loud noise generator. They may eventually get the idea that it's not a good idea to call you.

Or play a high-frequency garbage that is within the range of the telephone's capabilities.

[abu_sme]

Rogers has a call manager that you can add numbers you don't want calls from

Only works if you know the number.

Easy answer is to change your number.

[tim-x]

If you are getting the same person everytime I would just call relentlessly and yell in their ear. Childishness works best :D

[Conquistador]

*57 (call trace)
keep log for two weeks
contact police

[ronin1701]

Or play a high-frequency garbage that is within the range of the telephone's capabilities.

Air horn :D

[mbg]

take out the battery on the robot

[sandikosh]

A few days ago I got a new phone number from Rogers. One company has been calling my number multiple times a day everyday from 8:00am to 9:00am. They use a hidden number and same message every time, saying that there is an important message for "Someone's name (not mine)", and ask me to call back to their number provided.

So I called their number and told them I just got this number and not the person who they are looking for. He asked my personal information which I refused to provide. I asked him to remove my (He hung up the phone right here) number from their data base...I received more robocalls from them next morning so I called again. The same guy picked up the phone and it took 3 seconds to hung up the phone again.

How do I stop these guys from calling? They use a hidden number so I can't block their calls without blocking some legit calls as well (and my phone still ring once using a call blocking app). I called Rogers for help but it is going no where. Help! :cry:

Return the favor and keep calling him! Bug him just as his calls bug you. Eventually he will get the message and remove your number.

[JustBob]

Since you mention "app" I'm going to assume it's a cell phone and not a landline. You could:

- Try another call blocking app, some have a silent mode on blocked calls so your phone would not ring at all.
- Blocking all hidden numbers would be the easiest, but you state that you receive legit calls from some hidden numbers. But since you say they always call between 8:00 and 9:00 AM, you could block all hidden numbers in that time frame and turn the feature off afterwards. Do this for a few days and check the logs to see if you're still getting blocked calls during that time period.

Other than that, I'm not sure what you could do aside from changing your number.

[pshch]

Or simply do not pick up the phone if you do not recognize number. And do not worry about missed calls, anybody who really needs you will leave a message. Works pretty well for me.

[gostinger]

Robocop

http://www.kurzweilai.net/images/robocop.jpg

[zz000ter]

Call your MPs office and complain
Tell them to enforce the DNCL

[M1K3Z0R]

Get a new number. By picking up and interacting with the caller, you've just confirmed you exist.

Nowhere near as extreme of a situation as yours, but after I got a new phone number with virgin mobile, I would get an occasional text from someone demanding their wallet back and making badly misspelled death threats. Never responded (as doing so would likely leave my name on their CID), just ignored it and they stopped.

[brunes]

*57 (call trace)
keep log for two weeks
contact police

+1, and Step 4 is file lawsuit.

*57 will do a true trace and hiding the number will not help them

[joeyjoejoe]

Call your MPs office and complain
Tell them to enforce the DNCL

If they are blocking their number, which by the way is also illegal according to CRTC regulations, then why would they honor the DNCL? Also the collections is calling on behalf of a company which did business recently with who ever had the number prior to OP. This is an exemption in the DNCL. The only thing that can apply is an internal DNCL which the collector maintains.

OP - Prior to reusing a phone number for someone else, it must be put in a resting stage. This gives people who used to call that number time to realize the number is no longer in service. Sounds like Rogers didn't do that. Call them and request a new number. Alternatively, you can call the collections agency and be put on their DNCL. However, since there is virtually no enforcement with this it's a waste of time.

[manmanny]

A few days ago I got a new phone number from Rogers. One company has been calling my number multiple times a day everyday from 8:00am to 9:00am. They use a hidden number and same message every time, saying that there is an important message for "Someone's name (not mine)", and ask me to call back to their number provided.

So I called their number and told them I just got this number and not the person who they are looking for. He asked my personal information which I refused to provide. I asked him to remove my (He hung up the phone right here) number from their data base...I received more robocalls from them next morning so I called again. The same guy picked up the phone and it took 3 seconds to hung up the phone again.

How do I stop these guys from calling? They use a hidden number so I can't block their calls without blocking some legit calls as well (and my phone still ring once using a call blocking app). I called Rogers for help but it is going no where. Help! :cry:

I had same problem when I got my Fido number. It did no stop for almost 89 months. It was some collection agency calling for the ex-owner.
Reminding them that I am new owner did not work. So use as foul language as you can after reminding them its different owner of this number.

No new calls since then.

Its the same with Microsoft Tech support guys calling every day. Same trick used. But the MS tech scammers were real a$$hoels. They kept on calling every hour.

[Elisa.woods]

Yesterday I downloaded Whatsapp and logged in, I found that my account is full of messages in some Arab languages.

I called Rogers to change my number. They want to charge me $25!!!

[brian.gerson]

When they call again, ask the person's name just to know whom you are talking to and tell them you want to drop by with a cheque and would like to know their physical address. Then call the applicable provincial government agency (In Ontario I think it is a branch of Consumer and Corporate Affairs) and file a complaint asking them to commence enforcement action against the collection agency registered to that address, because what they are doing is absolutely illegal.

[Catherine111]

I would suggest for hanging up the phone, because engaging the caller could just provoke more calls. You can also ask your phone company for help in blocking future calls from that number.

[Forhad]

Consider signing up at StopPoliticalCalls.org, a service run by non-profit group Citizens for Civil Discourse. They’ve started a registry similar to the national Do Not Call list, but specifically for discouraging political campaigns. There’s no law backing it, but they’ve gotten commitments to cut the calls from several political campaigns. You can get put on the list for free, though there are paid options as well.
If you’re not already signed up, get on the National Do Not Call Registry. It’s free, and your number is never taken off the list.

[Conquistador]

If you’re not already signed up, get on the National Do Not Call Registry. It’s free, and your number is never taken off the list.
It is free but it's not permanent. You need to renew every five years.

https://www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca/faqs-eng#tq_link03

Is my registration permanent?

When you register a number, it stays on the National DNCL for 5 years. After 5 years, you must re-register.

You won’t be contacted when your registration is about to expire. It’s up to you to maintain your registration. You can also re-register any time, which resets your registration period to 5 years from the date you renew.

If you change you phone number (for example, if you move), be sure to register your new number with the National DNCL.

[brian.gerson]

I think you would have to be awfully dumb to get on the do not call list. They give that list to anybody, who resell it to people operating out of the US or overseas and are not subject to Canadian enforcement action. Just don't answer the phone if it's "unknown caller," "private number," or from an area code you don't recognize.

[mbg]

Robocop

http://www.kurzweilai.net/images/robocop.jpg

Are you saying Robocop shouldn't be allowed to make phone calls?