Debunk if ye may: Found fix for spam "social security" calls?

[UTUSN]

About a month ago started getting the annoying calls, recordings saying, “This is a call from the social security administration. Charges have been filed for misuse of your account. An arrest warrant has been issued. For details press 1"

The male’s voice was threatening, the female’s robotic. The incoming locations were any different states, Puerto Rico, lots of NY, wherever. And no two numbers were ever the same, the most frequent prefix being 631.

I had been on the Do-Not-Call deal but forgot that the phone had been changed a couple of times, so re-did that. I started filling out the report form for the Social Security OIG, but the forms were limited to one call each and appeared to be geared towards money having been scammed. Started listing multiple calls in the Comments section. & of course no OIG ever replied.

I kept picking up the calls without talking and the calls seemed to multiply, at the peak 5 or more per day. Would Block each number before deleting.

Apparently the scammers don’t work on weekends!1 Or nights – thank Zeus that their Labor rights are observed!1

Finally, last week got tired of picking up and just Rejected – and voila, the calls went down to *one* and now, so far, *NONE*!1

So is this (don't pick up) an answer or did they just wind up a calling cycle?

[2naSalit]

1. I don't answer any incomeing calls

from numbers not in my contacts unless I'm expecting a cal back from someone and for those I ask what number to look for and tell some people, like friends whose number I don't have, that they should text me first so I know who it is and I will respond.

I get a few unknown calls a week but they often stop the call after two or three rings.

[UTUSN]

2. So not answering seems to work!

[2naSalit]

4. It does.

Some of those calls are also to see if it's a working number. Yes, not answering the calls is the best solution.

[Thekaspervote]

3. Had one myself last week....some are seriously falling for it..sad

[UTUSN]

5. "falling for it" - yip, well not that they sound real but the *threats* carry weight

[GeorgeGist]

6. I found an airhorn works also ...

But wait for human to answer 😜

[cwydro]

7. I never answer a number I don't recognize.

It really works for me.

[UTUSN]

8. Doesn't work for me at DU, try as I may