topic Re: Unsolicited land line phone calls in Home phone

Can you prevent spam calls to landline?

dakotamar — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 22:02:27 GMT

so 3 calls today alone from 'VISA security'. I have no call display and this is getting annoying. we get this call regularly and also 'microsoft'. I was hoping this was going to stop after reading bell was putting in new software to stop this but I guess that was only on their mobile network as it hasn't made a difference on my landline. (still twisted pair).

any solutions to put a stop to these calls? it would be nice if bell at least offered free call display if they can't regulate their network.

Re: spam calls to landline

BellPatricia — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 15:07:11 GMT

Hey there @dakotamar. Thanks for your post and welcome to the Bell Community 🙂

Our Call Privacy feature offers Selective Acceptance which screens incoming calls against a list of numbers you specify and then accepts calls from only those numbers on the list. All other calls from unknown/private numbers that are not on the list will be directed to voicemail. Check out How to use Call Privacy on my Bell Home phone to learn more.

- Patricia

SPAM calls to home phone

User1637 — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 18:36:42 GMT

Today , once per hour, we've had three robocalls from "Service Canada" saying my social insurance number has been locked and to press 1 for more details. 3 different source numbers have been generated so far of which none are in operation after each call finishes: 1-***-***-4785, 1-***-***-5613, 1-***-***-8498. I will painstakingly report these and BELL isn't their anything you can be doing to pre-empt this spam activity?

Re: spam calls to landline

dakotamar — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 15:29:25 GMT

these calls are from scammers that are not going to follow a do not disturb list. If bell is un-willing to tackle the problem to protect their customers, I may just have to give up my land line. at least my cell phone comes with FREE call display and I can choose not to answer it...

Incoming numberblock

Art — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 23:20:09 GMT

How do you block and report scam on a home phone.

Robocalls

User3679 — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 23:31:56 GMT

We've gotten at least 20 robocalls (Olivia from Amazon, $600 charge) in the past two hours. Is there anything we can do to stop it?

Re: spam calls to landline

BAM — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 15:59:04 GMT

We go through days where there are six to twelve calls to our fax line or home phone from a series of numbers beginning 613-74x-xxxx. Never the same. Fairly close together. Think numbers are being spoofed. Is there anything we can do to stop this? Blocking a number doesn't help when it just changes for the next call. And the scammers don't care about the do not call list.

Spam and spoofing calls to land line

Pickering1 — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 21:30:19 GMT

In the past hour I have received 10 spoofing calls. Those answered were from "Olivia at Amazon" To block these numbers is a waste of time as they are not coming from the number displayed. Can Bell not figure out how to stop this harassment of its customers?

Re: Spam and spoofing calls to land line

brogaduce — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 16:38:29 GMT

Bell's solution is to charge you 8.95 a month more for Call privacy service, which can be used to block calls from unknown number (such as my wife's doctor's office) or let you block everything outside a list of approved numbers (once again, blocking calls that you may want from people that rarely call you)

I am a computer programmer with experience in programming telephone systems that accept incoming calls. There are clear patterns to the spam calls that could easily be exploited to block or flag these calls.

The most common pattern right now is for their systems to loop through the phone numbers in an exchange and use the out-of-service numbers or ones who did not answer to call the next potential victim. A simple check on using out of service numbers would block most of these. Another pattern is that the caller name is some sort of hash that looks like V0563aabcle or something similar. Since bell is selling the call privacy service and making money connecting incoming calls, there is no financial incentive to fix the problem.

It is worth it to subscribe to caller id and caller name service. If you get a call from an unfamiliar number or name, answer in a language other than English, even if you have to learn a few words.

e.g. in spanish "Bueno" is commonly used instead of hello, and "I don't understand" is "No entiendo"

"Bueno"

"This is Kim from Home Comfort"

"No entiendo"

Usually they hang up quickly, otherwise, just keep repeating "No entiendo"

Re: spam calls to landline

brogaduce — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 17:47:22 GMT

Also, never use the word "yes". They can use a recording of your conversation to fake a yes, as part of another scam.

Spam calls

Chowtime — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 17:37:14 GMT

I agree with poster that said Bell should offer this spam call service with an option for allowing certain calls through . Get with the times

Re: spam calls to landline

Grsierra — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 00:01:07 GMT

I had 5 spam calls in a row seconds apart this evening (from "BMO cancelling my card") and usually have several others every day. Like others in this discussion Bell needs to do something about these calls! I'm not paying extra to get call display and block these #s or whatever other "option" Bell suggests I will need to pay extra for! I kept my land line in case my parents called but now yey are gone so am seriously considering getting rid of it.

block incoming calls

Laurentian — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 00:59:54 GMT

I receive unwanted incoming calls to my landline two or three times daily. It is always the same two or three numbers.

If I answer no one is there and the line goes dead. If I do not answer a message is never left.

Can I block specific incoming phone numbers?

Re: block incoming calls

WelshTerrier — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 10:26:41 GMT

You can block calls with Bell Home phone. If you have Bell Home phone Choice, you can choose up to 8 calling features that are included. One of these features is Call Screen. This allows you block up to 12 numbers. You have the flexibility to add, change or delete any of these blocked numbers at any time.

How to use Call Screen on my Bell Home phone

https://support.bell.ca/home_phone/calling_features/how_does_call_screen_on_my_bell_home_phone_work

If you have Home phone Lite, it does not include these calling features. If you wish to change from Home phone Lite to Home phone Choice you can do this on MyBell. You can also add, change or delete the 8 calling features on the MyBell web site.

If you need further assistance, you can contact Bell Customer Service billing & orders at: 1-866-310-BELL or *611 from any Bell mobile device.

Another option is cordless phones. There are also any number of cordless phones on the market that also include a Call blocking feature. E.g. Panasonic, Vtech, etc. These can also be purchased at the The Source, a division of Bell, on their online web store or in one of their store locations across Canada.

These can be pricey & will not necessarily stop callers from leaving a voicemail message.

My preferred solution for you would be the Call Screen feature.

how do I activate call privacy ?

mizzq — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 15:13:53 GMT

how do I activate call privacy ? followed instructions to no avail

Re: how do I activate call privacy ?

WelshTerrier — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 16:22:39 GMT

How to use Call Privacy on my Bell Home phone

Call Privacy blocks incoming calls from private and unknown phone numbers. Note: This feature requires Call Display. There are numerous features associated with Call Privacy. E.g. Call Privacy Lists, Call Blocking unwanted numbers, Peace & Quiet, etc. etc. The link I have attached is comprehensive & is a must read in order to setup & understand Call Privacy.

Turning Call Privacy on or off

First, press *11 from your Bell Home phone to access the Call Privacy main menu.

To turn Call Privacy ON, press 1 and then 2.
To turn Call Privacy OFF, press 1 and then 1.

Selective Acceptance List

Selective Acceptance screens incoming calls against a list of numbers you specify and then accepts calls from only those numbers on the list. All other incoming calls from unknown or private numbers that are not on the selective acceptance list will be redirected to voicemail.

Creating a Selective Acceptance List

To add a number to your Selective Acceptance List:

Press *11 from your Bell Home phone to access the Call Privacy main menu.
Press 3 and then 1.
Enter a 10-digit phone number to add to your list.

Here is a web link that will explain this feature; how to use it; & the setup.

How to use Call Privacy on my Bell Home phone : What is Call Privacy?

Ringing constantly several times a day

SallySue — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 21:14:43 GMT

We are at about 2 to 3 times a day getting ringing on our home phone. It rings twice and hangs up. Morning, noon and around 5pm

Re: Ringing constantly several times a day

BellPatricia — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 17:48:13 GMT

Hi @SallySue,
Welcome to the Bell Community, and thank you for reaching out.
Are you subscribed to Fibe home phone or copper home phone service?
Does the call originate from the same phone number? If you are able to pick up when you receive the call, do you hear anything on the line?

- Patricia

Re: Ringing constantly several times a day

SallySue — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 18:17:20 GMT

Bell Fibe TV Bundle

Sometimes connects to a foreign call centre in the past trying to sell things although we no longer pickup because then calls can increase. We do not have call display as we rarely use the landline. Have been placed on do not call list in the past but only helped for a while.

spam?

frustrated613 — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 15:27:52 GMT

How do I block all calls originating form the Wisconsin area. I want to block any calls using the 4 digits after 608 819 or failing that all from area code 608