Whitelists and Hi-Phone

[Traction Tim]

We are at the stage where the wired house phone line is only used for broadband internet, and our mobile phones are used for phone calls. The house phone is used very rarely. Since we are now getting a few spam calls to the house phone with fake caller Id, I wondered if there was a way to make a whitelist for HS3 to block them out ?

[Wadenut]

You can continuously add the scammer numbers to the HS Address Book and set them to hang up. This is a tedious and never ending task unfortunately.

Personally, I use a script run from an event which is triggerred when Caller ID becomes available.
The script hangs up on calls based on conditions like No CallerName except those with the local Area Code in the Caller Number (allows Cell phone Calls), Calls where the Caller Name, or partial name, is known to be a scammer, Calls with no CallerID at all, etc.

As a result, scam calls are caught before my internal phones ring.

You being in the UK I notice, my script probably wouldn't work for you as is anyway, but the idea could be a starting point for you.

[ITguyHS]

Here's a post that details how to do what you want.
https://forums.homeseer.com/forum/le...-using-hsphone

It sends all calls from numbers not in your address book straight to voicemail. Then the IVR script for voicemail requires them to enter a "1" to leave a message. Since robocall computers don't understand the "dial 1 to leave a message", they just get hung up on!

[Traction Tim]

Hi Fred,

Your existing script has kept those pesky spam callers with missing or short four digit numbers away for a few years now, but I recently started a proper contract for my mobile phone so I get unlimited calls with it. The house phone doesn't get used at all. I guess I could unplug it, but I do think it could be useful in an emergency.

My local area is suffering from a spate of pre-recorded spam calls (with fake local CID) saying things like "Your internet service will be terminated in 24 hours, unless you press button 1". I can only assume you get charged $$$'s if you do.

I have been adding the spammers one by one, but then I thought - whitelist ! I will take a look at that thread.

Thanks again,

Tim

[ITguyHS]

Hi Fred,

Your existing script has kept those pesky spam callers with missing or short four digit numbers away for a few years now, but I recently started a proper contract for my mobile phone so I get unlimited calls with it. The house phone doesn't get used at all. I guess I could unplug it, but I do think it could be useful in an emergency.

My local area is suffering from a spate of pre-recorded spam calls (with fake local CID) saying things like "Your internet service will be terminated in 24 hours, unless you press button 1". I can only assume you get charged $$$'s if you do.

I have been adding the spammers one by one, but then I thought - whitelist ! I will take a look at that thread.

Thanks again,

Tim

You could modify the IVR script slightly if you don't want to accept messages at all! Just remove the "press 1 to leave a message" portion as well as the "record prompt" and "record" portions. That way, IVR would answer and then just hang up! If you're using my "incoming call processing" script, you probably wouldn't need that any longer - just the IVR script would do it.

[joegr]

You could modify the IVR script slightly if you don't want to accept messages at all! Just remove the "press 1 to leave a message" portion as well as the "record prompt" and "record" portions. That way, IVR would answer and then just hang up! If you're using my "incoming call processing" script, you probably wouldn't need that any longer - just the IVR script would do it.

I have been used HSPhone to screen all callers not in my white-list for a few years now. They are prompted with various options, including leaving a message. So far, in all those years the only ones who ever actually selected leave a message were people that I actually did need to talk to. I'd leave it in.

[Traction Tim]

Whitelist testing has commenced. Thanks for the help guys

[Wadenut]

Just thinking... I'd like to have a bit of fun with the scam callers by giving them the runaround. IE. Having their calls answered with a list of options beginning with language selection...
For service in English, Press 1
For service in French, Press 2
For service in Mi’gmaw, Press 3
For Service in German, Press 4
For Service in Spanish, Press 5
And so On to
For more options, press 9
Then give them a whole new list of options until they get so frustrated they hang up. It's their dime afterall.
When they do make a selection, tell them "Your selection was not understood", then repeat the whole thing.

[ITguyHS]

Just thinking... I'd like to have a bit of fun with the scam callers by giving them the runaround. IE. Having their calls answered with a list of options beginning with language selection...
For service in English, Press 1
For service in French, Press 2
For service in Mi’gmaw, Press 3
For Service in German, Press 4
For Service in Spanish, Press 5
And so On to
For more options, press 9
Then give them a whole new list of options until they get so frustrated they hang up. It's their dime afterall.
When they do make a selection, tell them "Your selection was not understood", then repeat the whole thing.

Love it! There's a service on the net https://jollyrogertelephone.com/ that uses artificial intelligence to have a conversation with the scammer! Some of the recorded calls are absolutely hilarious! It's not fully automatic unless your telco supports "simultaneous ring" [mine doesn't, darn it!], but it's still cool! I'm not a user of the service - only because of that "not automatic" thing and the fact that my telco still charges for long-distance!

[Wadenut]

Sounds like just a collection of recordings. Good idea though. I think one could set up something like this to play a file from HS.
All kinds of options... I'm on a mission now. Much more fun than just having HSP hang up on them.

[joegr]

I present unknown (not on white list) callers with the following options.

Press one to leave a message
Press two if you would like for us to take a poll or survey
Press three if you are a charity
Press four if you are some other exception to the do not call list
Press five if you are from microsoft and wish to help us with a computer virus
Press six if you are some other scam
Press seven if you would like to hear a neat song about answering machines

I actually had one caller select option 6, which results in the message: I appreciate your honesty about being a scammer. Your number will be added to our blocked list. Be aware that it may take a few days. Goodbye.

I do have a blocked number list that just gets a hangup.