I think about this guy a lot: https://www.npr.org/2021/10/26/1049252333/lost-hiker-mount-elbert-colorado-ignored-rescuers-phone-calls
There are more morally significant examples, to be sure, but the pervasiveness of spam calls is really all anyone should need to notice that we live in a broken country that has no interest in improving the lives of its people.
Oh ffs, seriously? "If you get lost, remember to completely upend your relationship to communication technologies that's been slowly ingrained into your habits over the last decade or more by always answering the phone!" Maybe the rescue teams could stop being total boomers and send a fucking text message?
Honestly, I haven’t noticed too many spam calls these days. Maybe 2 a month
Depending on your carrier and phone, you can enable spam blocking on the network side and/or locally.
non. fucking. stop. always netflix. i don't have netflix.
i hate seeing that text symbol makes my heart jump because i think it's something about work
my cell carrier has a spam blocking app, it catches at least at least 3 spam calls per day. I don't get the texts as often but its always about my amazon account I haven't used in like 2 years.
I use this on all the scams that end up asking for a credit card number. Have your whole story memorized beforehand: name, birthdate/age (i.e. they'll ask you both and will know you're shitting them if you're doing the math in your head), address, CVV, SSN, partner's name, what you like to do on vacation, etc.
Idk about other countries, but aus has https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/ for reporting new/current scams, along with historical data
Something I noticed is the second my car hit the seven year mark in age, all car related service calls stopped. But then the "time for a new car!!!!" mailers started coming in.
I have 2 cars: commuter and work truck (for the house - any homeowner these days basically has to have a truck). I haven't had a car payment in years. And it drives me nuts that every facet of our society is invested in taking money from you - in this case being how you get around. Can't I just enjoy not being straddled with transportation related debt?
I only get spam calls about my Medicare part B. Recently they started asking if I've received my no cost COVID tests yet.
I know that there’s that supposed “unsubscribe me” workaround
I don't know for sure, but I'd guess all that does is confirm you're a real and valid number.
with that much willingness to optimize, why even do scams? You could just do legit business. It's just as worthless and annoying, bu it wouldn't be illegal.