Robo calls

[ankh]

Fusion Voicemail from J2 GLOBAL COMMU [415-324-8746] -- it's the IRS-will-arrest-you phishing scam.
Callback number stated in the voicemail is: 415-324-8746

Several reports of the same number at
https://findwhocallsyou.com

Are these the sort of thing worth reporting since the number appears to be trackable?

[ankh]

Correcting my earlier wish -- live screening is apparently available as a choice on the comm portal. This may be an outdated screenshot as I believe that's been updated.
It was mentioned in another thread a few weeks ago.

https://wiki.sonic.net/images/1/1f/Commportal10.png

[ankh]

I finally set up voicemail through *99

I first played the recommended robocaller SIT disconnect audio file
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_information_tone
from the computer speaker into the phone handset, then spoke our outgoing message.

Problem -- when I call our Sonic phone number now from another phone, I hear the three tones, then my voicemail message starts to play --- but the phone continues to ring, making it hard to hear the message.

Is it possible the SIT tone is interfering with the response of the system?
I'd expect the ringing to stop when the voicemail outgoing message is played.

Question also emailed to Support.

EDIT -- WORKAROUND

Cutting down to 2 rings before rolling to voicemail (from 4 rings) seems to have avoided the problem.

[ankh]

Drat. First robocaller just got past the new SIT tone and left truncated voicemail.
It's from: KEARNY NJ (2012994314)
and the voicemail left that same number asking me to call back.

So it ought to be considered verified as appropriate to block, right?
I can forward the voicemail to Support if you need to hear it.

[ankh]

Support replied:

It could have been an error in the configuration which can usually be fixed by toggling settings.

That worked, switched to allowing 4 rings, and the ringing no longer continued to be heard over the outgoing voicemail message. Then switched back to 2 rings, and no problem. (except that the SIT tones sounded very staticky and so did the "at the tone leave a message" tone -- more noise than music.

[ankh]

And the staticky replay of the SIT tones and the "leave a message" beep also went away.

Self-fixing problems, I guess.

[ankh]

Three robocalls in the past 18 hours, identical, claiming some licensing problem and "please press 1 to connect to a technician" -- AND ALL THREE SPOOFED OUR SONIC LANDLINE HOME PHONE NUMBER

Can Sonic block calls spoofing the called number? I assume there's no way on Earth that calling your Sonic landline from your own Sonic landline could be appropriate.

[ankh]

PS for Sonic techs -- I realize you can't just block our home landline number since it's being spoofed exactly.

I'm asking if it's possible to program some logic so when "my number" is used as the caller-ID to call that same number, Sonic will bounce it.

This robot is calling several times a day, and gets past the screening and leaves a fragmentary voicemail message each time:

"license key. So please press 1 to get connected to the technician"

Alternatively, some logic to compare a voicemail message to an archive of known VM from robocallers ....

I know, I know, simple matter of programming ....

[ankh]

Seriously, Sonic folks, it'd be worth paying extra for some logical testing of the calls.

Test for inconsistency in caller-ID between area code claimed and 2-letter state abbreviation claimed?

A database of voicemail left by robocallers to test their messages against?
We can do face recognition, right? Surely "Rachel from cardholder services" can be recognized as a voice file.
Or "IRS" like the ones calling me two or three times a day.
Yeah it all goes to voicemail, the SIP tones are ignored.

It's still a real hassle to clean the crap out of voicemail.

[Pepe]

Check out NoMoRobo which is free for landline and VoIP, but may not work with Sonic voice service. I've used it for over the last 2 years and works great for me.