Spam calls

[JohnGray]

I received a phone call from someone who told me she had received a spam phone call apparently coming from my  landline number.

[Keith_Beddoe]

Very common, either someone has spoofed your phone number (quite easy on insecure VOIP), or they were just trying to see if there was a real person on your number, so they could add it to a scammers call list.

[JohnGray]

I guessed something like that.  'insecure VOIP' means nothing to me, however.  My concern is if that people receiving such calls  respond as I do and add my number to their blocked list, I may miss an important call.

[Keith_Beddoe]

Insecure VOIP (Voice Over IP) systems can spoof the CLI (Caller Line Identity) to make it appear that the call comes from any number, including yours.

The answer is to get a phone which uses BT Call Guardian, then they have to announce themselves first, and you can then choose to take the call, or ignore it.

Do not add your own number to any blocked list, as that will cause problems.

[JohnGray]

Thanks.  I have not heard of Call Guardian before, but it sounds like it is the lady who rang me who would have benefited from it. Thanks anyway.

[Keith_Beddoe]

Phones like the BT4600 have BT Call Guardian built in, and allow you to choose which calls you want to receive, or screen them first.

[gg30340]

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@JohnGray wrote:

I guessed something like that.  'insecure VOIP' means nothing to me, however.  My concern is if that people receiving such calls  respond as I do and add my number to their blocked list, I may miss an important call.

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When somebody adds a number to their block list it only blocks calls being received by their phone and not to any other person's phone so it will not block your number to any body else that wants to phone you.