Spam/scam phone calls and texts

[hhinner]

Recently I've been getting calls purporting to be from DHL.

The calls are automated and a recorded voice tells me I have an undelivered parcel that requires some action and I should press a number to speak to an agent or other options.

The voice recording is in Thai so most board members would probably just hang up anyway (I always hang up on automated calls anyway, even if they might be legitimate), but wives and girlfriends may be taken in, especially if expecting a parcel through DHL.

I've received 5 calls so far this week, from 5 different numbers (I block each number).

Numbers are all local Thai numbers beginning with 06000.

[buksida]

Likewise, probably get 2-3 of them per week (usually finance companies), I hang up straight away and block the number.

This is why I don't like dishing out my phone number or writing it on forms to get in somewhere - phone numbers are a commodity here and are sold on to advertising companies that spam you.

[hhinner]

^^ I used to get calls from 'investment advisers' when working in BKK about 20 years ago. Not automated, and from foreign English speakers. The calls usually ended right after I asked who gave them my name and phone number.

[stretch]

When in uk many call like this mobile and land line usually a indian accent and his name either dave or george a few old english words gets rid.

[pharvey]

Christ, in the UK, I have to "Block" 3 or 4 numbers every day. God knows how many "Blocked Numbers" still attempt to call.

The people behind these scams need to be castrated, named and shamed and handed to Joe Public.

[lindosfan1]

I managed to stop most of the spam calles, I either never enter my phone number on any internet site, if it insists on a phone number I change 1 number, unless I want them to call me. My landline number is never put anywhere. One of the biggest suppliers of phone numbers I believe is local councils in the UK selling them.

[centermid7]

Only that is NOT how it is done. A computer is programed (lots of computers) to generate the call by simple computer dialing the "next" number in a numerical list i.e XXX-XXX-0001, XXX-XXX-0002, etc. The call then at the same time goes to either a robot voice or perhaps to an actual operator. It never hurts to not give out ones phone number but computers and the algorithms are what drives phone calls.

[lindosfan1]

Only that is NOT how it is done. A computer is programed (lots of computers) to generate the call by simple computer dialing the "next" number in a numerical list i.e XXX-XXX-0001, XXX-XXX-0002, etc. The call then at the same time goes to either a robot voice or perhaps to an actual operator. It never hurts to not give out ones phone number but computers and the algorithms are what drives phone calls.

I agree some are done that way, However below is a link to a common way of using and obtaining numbers. Which confirms why we we get very few spam calls about 2 a month on average.

https://eu.theadvertiser.com/story/news ... 100125102/

[handdrummer]

How do you block numbers on a smartphone in Thailand?

[hhinner]

How do you block numbers on a smartphone in Thailand?

On mine find the number in recents (or call history), long touch it, you should get a context menu with a choice of block. It's your phone doing the blocking rather than the phone company.

[migrant]

Just ignore all calls, it's kept me out of a lot of trouble.

[pharvey]

Just ignore all calls, it's kept me out of a lot of trouble.

Done the opposite for me when the caller's the LHG!!

[Chazz14]

When I got my current AIS 12Call number 8 years ago I was receiving junk calls (mostly trying to sell me music) on a daily basis.

I called AIS Customer Service. They were very sympathetic and gave me a code to input. Since then I only get 1 0or 2 junk calls a year - which I blacklist.

[handdrummer]

Thank you all, now I have to convince my wife that not every phone call from an unknown number is important and that she is under no obligation to listen to their sales pitch.

[handdrummer]

How do you block numbers on a smartphone in Thailand?

On mine find the number in recents (or call history), long touch it, you should get a context menu with a choice of block. It's your phone doing the blocking rather than the phone company.

Right, the phone co. is probably selling the numbers so they're not interested in blocking them.