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My first thought was that this would be an interesting protocol for calling someone. I often receive more annoying robocalls on my personal phone than welcomed

My first thought was that this would be an interesting protocol for calling someone. I often receive more annoying robocalls on my personal phone than welcomed calls from unknown numbers. My usual solution is to quickly google the number to see if any scam reports are available and then quickly answer if not. But I might start the practice of texting ahead of calling someone unfamiliar with a quick message like “This is John Smith's phone. I'll be calling shortly.” That way, I would ensure that my call was picked up or at least given the priority they prefer. Or maybe I'm just a weirdo that worries too much about the consequences of actually answering robocalls :)

Nullabillity 10y ago
> But I might start the practice of texting ahead of calling someone unfamiliar with a quick message like “This is John Smith's phone. I'll be calling shortly.” That way, I would ensure that my call was picked up or at least given the priority they prefer. Hitta.se (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=se.hitta.android.app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=se.hitta.andro...) will automatically look up the caller's name in the (equivalent of the) yellow pages. I assume there's an equivalent in most other countries?
- reitanqild 10y ago
  Actually interesting: Around here we have a number of forward/reverse lookup services (I use 1881.no) but I have a hard time finding anything similar for other countries. Right now I am trying to look up what I believe is a Californian number but where do I find a usable phone registry for US?
tgb 10y ago
Isn't googling more work than answering and hanging up if it's a robot?
astdb 10y ago
Actually, the phone call has been considered dead for a number of years now. https://www.wired.com/2010/07/st_thompson_deadphone/ https://www.wired.com/2010/07/st_thompson_deadphone/
IgorPartola 10y ago
Just read an interesting strategy for dealing with robocalls: answer and immediately mute yourself. They will assume it's a dead line and take you off the list. Or do what I do and answer every unknown call with "911. What's the location of your emergency?"
- zdkl 10y ago
  That second strategy ought to get you on another, more interesting, list though.
  - pavel_lishin 10y ago
    How come? Is that illegal?
BronSteeDiam 10y ago
I use truecaller. It works well me, but robocalls have never been a major problem for me fohttps://www.truecaller.com/ https://www.truecaller.com/
- gruez 10y ago
  >https://www.truecaller.com/ https://www.truecaller.com/ Not the best option considering the app sends them all your contacts.
saghm 10y ago
> I often receive more annoying robocalls on my personal phone than welcomed calls from unknown numbers. My usual solution is to quickly google the number to see if any scam reports are available and then quickly answer if not. My strategy is generally just not to answer and let them leave a message if it's an actual person. Unless I have some reason to be expecting the call, I think that most people nowadays would find it reasonable that calling someone who doesn't have your number might result in you having to leave a message. If it is an actual person, I'll very often call them back immediately after listening to the message.

Nullabillity 10y ago

> But I might start the practice of texting ahead of calling someone unfamiliar with a quick message like “This is John Smith's phone. I'll be calling shortly.” That way, I would ensure that my call was picked up or at least given the priority they prefer. Hitta.se (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=se.hitta.android.app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=se.hitta.andro...) will automatically look up the caller's name in the (equivalent of the) yellow pages. I assume there's an equivalent in most other countries?

reitanqild 10y ago
Actually interesting: Around here we have a number of forward/reverse lookup services (I use 1881.no) but I have a hard time finding anything similar for other countries. Right now I am trying to look up what I believe is a Californian number but where do I find a usable phone registry for US?

tgb 10y ago

Isn't googling more work than answering and hanging up if it's a robot?

astdb 10y ago

Actually, the phone call has been considered dead for a number of years now. https://www.wired.com/2010/07/st_thompson_deadphone/ https://www.wired.com/2010/07/st_thompson_deadphone/

IgorPartola 10y ago

Just read an interesting strategy for dealing with robocalls: answer and immediately mute yourself. They will assume it's a dead line and take you off the list. Or do what I do and answer every unknown call with "911. What's the location of your emergency?"

zdkl 10y ago
That second strategy ought to get you on another, more interesting, list though.
- pavel_lishin 10y ago
  How come? Is that illegal?

BronSteeDiam 10y ago

I use truecaller. It works well me, but robocalls have never been a major problem for me fohttps://www.truecaller.com/ https://www.truecaller.com/

gruez 10y ago
>https://www.truecaller.com/ https://www.truecaller.com/ Not the best option considering the app sends them all your contacts.

saghm 10y ago

> I often receive more annoying robocalls on my personal phone than welcomed calls from unknown numbers. My usual solution is to quickly google the number to see if any scam reports are available and then quickly answer if not. My strategy is generally just not to answer and let them leave a message if it's an actual person. Unless I have some reason to be expecting the call, I think that most people nowadays would find it reasonable that calling someone who doesn't have your number might result in you having to leave a message. If it is an actual person, I'll very often call them back immediately after listening to the message.