How do I stop scammers calling me?

leapyear

For the last 3 weeks or so, I've been getting automated scamming phone calls to my landline. I know how to block a number but each time the scammers call, it is an entirely different number, so they keep on coming. How can I stop them?
The first phone call was them pretending to be BT, second was Amazon. I don't answer the phone if it's a number that I don't recognise, anymore. But I am worried I'll miss a genuine person/company if I continue to do that.

Browntoa

Get a BT call blocker phone 

TadleyBaggie

Or a Truecall device.

Neil_Jones

leapyear said:

For the last 3 weeks or so, I've been getting automated scamming phone calls to my landline. I know how to block a number but each time the scammers call, it is an entirely different number, so they keep on coming. How can I stop them?
The first phone call was them pretending to be BT, second was Amazon. I don't answer the phone if it's a number that I don't recognise, anymore. But I am worried I'll miss a genuine person/company if I continue to do that.

If you're not expecting a call about something then don't answer it.  Simple as.  Any genuine company or person will leave a message on the answer machine if they have a genuine need to speak to you.  Otherwise they won't.

jsmith9

The BT call blocker / Truecall device are excellent.

You could also take a second to review if you need a landline - I ditched my landline number years ago and use mobile - never looked back. 

Carrot007

Genuine companies will leave a message.

And you are aware they are going to call usually.

If they do not leave a message it is not important.

Ditching the landline will not help, scmammers call mobiles too. Less I agree as anyone who picks up a landline is more likely to fall for the scam, however if people stop answering on lanline they will move.

What we need if for a proper implementation of caller ID that cannot be spoofed. However callerid was not even possible when it was created so it is a bad hack and easy to change for anyone with not much effort.

JJ_Egan

You are not going to stop them calling you .

But as said via call blocker etc you can have a whitelist . Others just get asked to leave a message ,99% of scammers ring of at that point .

Be aware landline  is part of your broadband package  .

george9071

I have had the same problem ever since being with BT it's very annoying but since me and my family all have mobile phones we have no use for the landline so we leave it unplugged. There is no true way of blocking all scam calls because they always pop up with a new number. You could either get a call blocker or you could do the long way and give all the people/companies your mobile number and unplug the landline.

Emmia

No landline but I get a lot of scam calls, and texts on my mobile. No real way of stopping them unfortunately.

tempus_fugit

I’ve had a few scam calls on my mobile over the years, but as I am fastidious in not answering them any more I hardly get any now. If I don’t recognise the number I don’t answer. If it’s someone I know it will tell me as they are in my contacts, and Smart Call shows me 90% of other legitimate callers if they are not in my list, e.g. if the bank calls me or whatever. I can safely say that I have never missed an important call. Just don’t answer the calls and they will go away.

JJ_Egan

The more people you give your number to the more food for scammers .

Get on one scam mist and its sold on forever more .