Moderately Confused by Jeff Stahler for February 27, 2021

Absolutely wrong to feel that way.

I got four of the damn things within ten minutes today. GRRRR.

Absolutely not sister.

I just look at caller ID. If I don’t recognize the number I let it go to voice mail. It’s amazing how many of those callers hang up when the get a recording.

What are robocalls like?

Nomorobo (it’s free for landlines) does a good job with robocalls. It does not catch them all, but probably 90% of them. When it detects a robocall, the phone rings once and then hangs up. Very often it’s one of the other extensions in the house that rings and all I get in the office is the caller ID. This is nice when I am on a conference.

Same here. I get about 15 of those a day, from just about every area code you can think of. Why do they keep calling when they know I never answer?

No.

RoboCalls? None for me! The closest phone line to my house is 250 ft down the drive way. I built my home 5 years ago, never ran the phone line to the house. Cell phone only and all unknown, robocalls, cold calls so on are blocked by the cell service.

There are so many things to feel guilty about; hanging up on robocallers shouldn’t be one of them.

I feel it is wrong that we cannot blow a police whistle at robocalls in retaliation.

Why does anyone bother to answer anymore? Robo calls usually don’t include a live person. And, it appears that some folks are compelled to answer whenever the beast rings. Waste of time. We look at the screen. Not a number or name we recognize, let it go. Rings 3 times, goes to answer, hangs up. Irritating so say the least but it can be put in the nothing worth bothering about basket and continue one’s day. Phone companies could fix it but they are about as efficient at it as a well-known southwestern power company.

“The telephone has no constitutional right to be answered.”WALTER MATTHAU – Dan Snow, First Monday in October.

You should feel guilty about answering the robo call in the first place.

Since I kept my number from the place I lived up north, when I get calls from that area code from “unknown caller,” I decline them. All my friends from there are already in my phone’s directory.

No. And very ok to block them.

It’s wrong to have hang up on robocalls. By the way, most of them can still “spoof” phone numbers, so blocking them has no effect. Hardware upgrades are in progress nationwide but it will be a while before number spoofing is completely eliminated.

It’s wrong that we pay a phone bill for these jack asses to use or phone and time!

reportfraud.ftc.gov

Probably doesn’t do much, but it makes me feel better.

I am sure the robots won’t feel a thing.

Many years ago, I believe, the original Dear Abby told a reader that no, contrary to what the reader’s mother had said, it was not rude to not answer your phone. She said, essentially, that you pay for the service, and it’s there for your convenience, and to use as you see fit.

The only time I ever spent more than a few seconds on the phone with an unsolicited call, it was one of those scams offering to fix a problem with my computer. Being too savvy to fall for that, I played the fool, wasting the guy’s time for several minutes before telling him off. Of course the moment I started doing that, he hung up.

So yes, lady-in-the-cartoon, free yourself to ignore or hang up on the telemarketers and the robocalls!

I miss the good old days when you could answer with a string of profanities and ask the caller why they don’t have a real job.

There’s several apps for that problem. Use technology against the technocrats.

If I answer a call from a number I don’t recognize, and no-one answers for a second, I hang up. I heard that pause is for the robot to cue up its message.

I sure am glad I live in Germany where such calls are illegal.

Yes it is. You should leave the line open and set the phone down.

Yes.

If you’re being subjected to more robo calls than real calls, it’s unethical to pay for phone service.

When those robo-“people” pay my phone bill, I MAY feel guilty for hanging up on them, or, not answering (for maybe, 1.2 seconds.).