Tech pro tip: use Hiya Caller ID to block stupid annoying robocalls

"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein) 11/15/2017 at 11:25 • Filed to: None

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We’ve (probably) all gotten them: calls from a random number in our area code that we don’t recognize but maybe we’re inclined to pick up, because there’s that nagging sensation it might be a confirmation call from the dentist for an appointment we scheduled some unknown number of months ago. These calls suck!

Sure, there’s the national do-not-call list, but that doesn’t work because basically all legitimate businesses gave up on telemarketing a long time ago and only scammers (and charities and politicians) do telemarketing anymore. The scammers call with offers of things like lower interest rates on credit cards you don’t actually have, or extended warranties on vehicles you no longer own, or soliciting donations to fake charities. I’ve gotten several calls from the same possibly-automated guy who sounds like a cartoon cowboy wanting me to make donations to some kind of unnamed veterans’ charity.

I have it relatively easy when it comes to ignoring these calls. I have a Maryland area code but live in Wisconsin. The scammers have tried to get sophisticated by spoofing caller IDs with a number local to the one they’re dialing, so it looks like it could be legit. But in my case, the only people who would be calling me from Maryland are all in my contacts. So I just ignored anything with a random Maryland area code. I could’ve gotten some kind of call blocking app, but didn’t bother to try any of them.

Then I got my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. I didn’t quite realize what was happening when I first set up my phone and it asked me for some permissions related to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , but I remembered that when I helped my sister set up her ZTE Axon 7, she got a similar request for permissions. Turns out, both Samsung and ZTE !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! into their phones.

I started getting my usual spam calls, and lo and behold, the caller ID would pop up with messages like “suspected spam” or “telemarketer.” This was damn awesome.

In fact, I loved it so much I listed Hiya integration as one of the best things about my phone in my !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! of it.

Last week, my wife asked me if there was a call blocking app I recommend. Hiya is also available as a standalone app for both Android and Apple so I suggested it to her. Here is the actual text message exchange I had with her.

Wife: What’s your favorite call blocker app?

Me: Check out Hiya, it’s built in to my new phone but you can download it on yours

Wife: Do you screen all unknown numbers?

Me: I wouldn’t, most telemarketers nowadays try to fake a local-looking number instead of unknown number

Wife: Whoa.. It gave telemarketers names!

Me: Yeah when I get a telemarketer call it’ll be like, “suspected telemarketer” or “spam alert” etc

Wife: Ha! Blocked two guys with 354 prefixes leaving me bogus credit offers, thanks! 

This morning, I saw an !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! about the phone companies are trying to work with the FCC to help block all these scam calls, but there won’t be any immediate changes. So I posted on facebook about Hiya, and within a half hour, multiple friends chimed in on how they also like it.

So I’m sharing Hiya with you, the good people of Oppo. Because Hiya Caller ID is “Wife Tested, Atlas///M Approved™.”

Get it here in the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! or the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

Nibby > Textured Soy Protein 11/15/2017 at 11:33

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Thank you for your interest in Oppositelock. We will review your resume and contact you if your qualifications meet the position criteria.

Textured Soy Protein > Nibby 11/15/2017 at 11:35

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I didn’t know I was interviewing. I can cook ! Hire me?

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Textured Soy Protein 11/15/2017 at 11:37

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The spoofing of local numbers really, really, REALLY grinds my gears, because one of the numbers that they spoof is *my* number. And they use an auto-dialer and don’t leave messages, so the only times I hear about are when they called somebody and didn’t give anything but dead air, or a call was missed -*and* the person called back or texted me. Something like seven times now, so how many times they’ve spoofed me to no answer or spoofed me to people who picked up, it’s impossible to say.

It is almost certain that my number is now on a suspected spam list or two thanks to these twisted scam-mongering feculent assrackets.

Takuro Spirit > Textured Soy Protein 11/15/2017 at 11:38

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Nice. I’ll give it a try. I’ve had issues recently with local numbers being spoofed as well. My phone, my wife’s phone, and my daughter’s phone are all 414-305-XXXX numbers, and that’s the number these spoof calls are now using to promise lower credit card rates (lol the one I have is already 0%) or ask for donations to boobie cancer.

I called Verizon (since its thier exchange) and they said there’s nothing they can do, even though its thier customers being spoofed. If I were to call one of those numbers back, I’d get an unsuspecting innocent cell phone user. Like myself.

Its bullshit and something needs to be changed in the law, but I guess the app is a good stop-gap if it works well.

HammerheadFistpunch > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 11/15/2017 at 11:40

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Thats my fear. I can block numbers and do but who’s legit number am I blocking...or who is blocking my number?

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Textured Soy Protein 11/15/2017 at 11:40

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Sure, there’s the national do-not-call list, but that doesn’t work because basically all legitimate businesses selling directly to the end user gave up on telemarketing a long time ago and only scammers (and charities and politicians) do telemarketing directly to the final consumer anymore.

ftfy. Telemarketing is alive, well and pretty effective for B2B selling. Calling random private individuals, not so much.

Textured Soy Protein > Takuro Spirit 11/15/2017 at 11:41

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I hate the damn breast cancer ones. “What contribution can the ladies count on from you?” There are no ladies! You made them up!

Nibby > Textured Soy Protein 11/15/2017 at 11:42

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Done. Official Oppositelock chef. Welcome!

Also you will receive a free Jalopnik Gold card in the mail.

Textured Soy Protein > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 11/15/2017 at 11:43

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Well yeah, that’s called inside sales. 

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Textured Soy Protein 11/15/2017 at 11:44

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Diseases in general. They try and guilt you into supporting some “noble cause”... yeah and let me guess everything is payable to you lol

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Textured Soy Protein 11/15/2017 at 11:45

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Technically still telemarketing though.

I MUST BE TECHNICAL

Straightsix9904 > Textured Soy Protein 11/15/2017 at 11:56

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I use the AT&T call blocking app available in the App Store. I approve!

Future next gen S2000 owner > Textured Soy Protein 11/15/2017 at 12:02

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I put them on hold and play games. If you want to waste my time, I’m going to make it painful for you.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Textured Soy Protein 11/15/2017 at 12:30

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HUGE SUPPORTER OF HIYA

I’ve been using it for well over a year now and it’s great.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > Textured Soy Protein 11/15/2017 at 12:49

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I feel obligated to share these episodes of the Reply All podcast -

102 & 103 - going through some hilarious lenghts in tracking down a scam caller -

https://gimletmedia.com/episode/long-distance/

https://gimletmedia.com/episode/103-long-distance-part-ii/

And #104, a bit more directly related to how/why people do these weird spam calls -

https://gimletmedia.com/episode/104-case-phantom-caller/

E92M3 > Textured Soy Protein 11/15/2017 at 13:52

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I second this! HiYa is one of my favorite apps. I kept getting calls that appeared to be local, but were from overseas. It was getting to the point where 9 out of 10 calls were scammers.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Textured Soy Protein 11/16/2017 at 04:51

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just hang up on them.

ttyymmnn > Straightsix9904 11/16/2017 at 08:33

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I am an ATT customer. Do you think this works better than Hiya? As well?

Straightsix9904 > ttyymmnn 11/17/2017 at 09:58

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I’ve never used hiya. But I went from probably 8 calls a week to 1 in the past 2 months or so. When I got the rogue call, I just opened up the call blocking app and reported it, next time it came through it alerted me that it was blocked.