Annoying Phone Calls and Text Messages

A few weeks ago I started getting a large number of calls on my personal mobile phone. I had so many calls that when I would hang up someone else would call immediately after. My number is listed on the Do Not Call registry and so it surprised me that everyone disregarded my request for privacy. It didn't just stop at calls, I also got an insane number of text messages. All of the calls were from low-paying job-posting sites, mortgage refinance places, and healthcare insurance companies.

It took me a while to figure out how all of these companies got my number and knew enough to call me by my first name. I never give out my personal mobile number and the calls frustrated me. Then I realized that I responded to an e-mail from Cybercoders and provided an updated resume that they asked for. While I am not looking for a new job, I am curious when someone says they have something for me in Utah. What a mistake as Cybercoders is really a scam to get all of the information off your  resume to sell to other companies. Think about how much personal information you have on your resume that you wouldn't normally provide anyone but a prospective employer.

After getting verbally abusive with the first group of callers, I decided to take a different approach. If somebody calls or text and tries to sell me something, I immediately block that number (it has to be an actual phone number) by touching the information icon on my iPhone, scrolling to the bottom, and touching the "Block this Contact" button. On Android phones it is a slightly different process but you can have your phone reject calls from specific phone numbers as well.

I didn't stop with just rejecting calls. If someone sends you a text message with a 4 or 5-digit number, you can reply with STOP and text messages have to stop. If it is an actual 10-digit number, you can forward the message to "SPAM" or 7726 and report it. I'm not sure what they do but I hope it involves something extremely painful.

Finally I stopped being rude to the people calling me and started asking politely where they got my name. I then explain that I am trying to track down who put my information on their list so I can seek legal action. That seems to have done the trick as the unwanted texts and calls have now stopped. I never did get anyone to give up how they got my number but am satisfied with the outcome.