Spam calls update:

To my mind it has gotten worse since POPIA was implemented.

Getting a spam call as I'm listening to this

🤣🤣🤣

I have no hack, however I've even stopped taking calls from numbers shown but not marked as spam. I can't articulate my rage.

My favourite thing to do is when they ask, "Hello, is that Mr so and so?" "I respond ja let me just call him," and I leave them hanging on... And I just carry on with what I'm doing, and I see how long they wait before they give up and hang up. 😂

If I don't recognise the number, I just don't answer it. They really piss me off, you're right, it's not just you.

I have Google. If I need your crap I'll find it.

I gave someone R 50 to buy a SIM card from a taxi rank...did the trick, I get no spam calls at all...

There was a great scene in Seinfeld where he answers and then says, nah he is busy at the moment but if they give him their personal number he will phone them back. The joke writes itself. Ahh. Found it.

Just today so far 6 Spam calls, 8 yesterday, 11 on the 5th. Its mad, I put my cell on silent mode now.

There exists some extraordinarily high-tech workarounds; certain phones and Android distros frustrate this malarkey and mischief. That an ordinary citizen must go to such lengths to avoid what is essentially an illegal activity is a different conversation.

I think this will work perfectly:

This is a can of worms Gareth . South Africans are having our information sold to the highest bidder from a sinister and unknown entity. This is also being used for scams and hacks. It feels bigger than just simple incompetence.

My approach has always been that if it’s important, the person will leave a message, otherwise, it’s most likely spam and it gets blocked. It automatically gets blocked if it’s a call from a province I have no business or connections with.

This all started happening once the Rica law came into affect. They have your number became figurative and literal.

Its not just spam call, advertising is relentless. I literally emailed a company this morning telling them the reputational damage they are causing as their advertising is more lile harassment. 10 ads a day! Even when blocked. I boycott businesses who do this.

I was getting computer generated spam calls 3-4 times a day from one companu claiming to be referred by my bank, despite asking them to stop I eventually tracked them down to a company called Alpha Debt Management - a debt counsellor. I tracked the company owner and told them

@BafanaSurprise Yes agree, being with discovery medical they advised me to get used to using the app. Well I tried to find out how much my car insurance would be on the app. Useless app! From that moment on I got 3 to 5 calls a day from spam discovery call ffs!!!!!

I just answer “Joburg mortuary good day”

Correct

What company/advertiser can be more disgusting, than one giving you a robotcall?

If only 5% are successful its a win for them

I am going to try this Gareth On Android: Open your Phone app, tap the three dots in the top right corner, and go to Settings > Caller ID & Spam. Turn on "See caller and spam ID" and "Filter spam calls." This prevents suspected spam calls from ringing your phone at all (they will just show up quietly in your history). ​On iPhone: Go to Settings > Phone and turn on "Silence Unknown Callers." This is a stricter setting: it automatically sends any number not in your contacts, recent outgoing calls, or Siri Suggestions straight to voicemail.

I have 2 numbers and was getting multiple spam calls per day on my Vodacom sim. I set up call forwarding to an automated service number for a month, then turned it off. Zero spam calls since then, it's been 2 months. Only viable if you have multiple numbers, but it worked.

Sick of the calls Even Truecaller is useless against the scourge of spamming

100%, cell phone providers are sharing number. This I know.

It works on the elderly

Let me guess, you're an MTN / Voda client? The rest is not spam, it's scammers. As for POPIA, the government leaks your info left, right and center, why would they protect it?

My technique was to answer in pure Afrikaans, explaining that I dont understand a word they are saying. Kry my 'n Afrikaanse agent op die lyn en dan sal ek praat! They usually cut the call right away, but now I dont even bother any more, 2 many calls now.

I agree 100% Gareth. I actually feel sorry for the people making these calls to us. We should not be angry or rude to them - they have been offered a job by the idiots who hired him/her and thereby created an expectation to earn a salary. Most of them work on a commission basis.

MTN by default have you opted in for 3rd party marketing when you get a SIM card, you can opt out afterwards by dialling 135 and disabling a number of services, but that’s too late your info is already passed on. I was getting 10 calls a day at one point

My other mobile that uses Vodacom is always on the Airplane mode ✈️ because of these irritating spam calls

All those cellphone apps that we grant access to contacts when installing

The only "hack" is to use call-screening apps like TRUECALLER. It has an "AI Voice Assistant" which just ANNOYS the hell out of any telemarketer/fraudster

Old Mutual Iwize.. Driving me insane.. Constant calls..