Mike,

 >   Well, I've blocked them regardless. I've even blocked entire
 > area codes.

 MP> I wish I had the ability to block area code + exchange.  There are
 MP> several 502+xxx combinations that I know are going to be junk calls.
 MP> The last four digits are usually +1 from the last time they called.

  I've gotten several of those spoofed numbers as well. August Abolins
mentioned a deal called "Jolly Roger Telephone" (jollyrogertelephone.com).
I looked at it, but because of finances and other things, I just couldn't
see the benefit of it right now...even though it works for both landlines 
and mobile phones. 

  Apparently, what it does, once you have signed up with them (the
first 30 days are free), and you have your phone set up (it's $12 
a year for one line, $22 for two -- full prices are on their 
website)...it forwards any calls to their system database, to 
compare the numbers from whitelists (you have to provide such) and 
blacklists of known spammers, telemarketers, etc. It then either
directs legitimate calls back to you to leave a voice mail, where
you then add them to their whitelist, and return the call. Or, it
sends the spammers and telemarketers to "robots" (giving them a
taste of their own medicine...but the robots never "buy" anything
from these idiots. If it's not sure of the caller, it offers "a
challenge", where human callers have to press a number to continue
(robocalls don't know how to do that).

  The real funny thing is that the "pirate robot" (hence the name
Jolly Roger) engages the telemarketer, spammer, etc. in stuff for
several minutes...which takes away their time from going to make
other calls. It even will make recordings of the calls for you to
play back later. Yet, there are no long distance charges for you
to worry about.

Daryl

... Have a Tex-Mex Emergency?? Dial Nine Juan Juan.
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