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Re: Does call blocker work when phone is off?

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Micky wrote:

> If I have my phone off, and a spammer calls and leaves a voicemail,
> will it still get blocked in any way by a call blocker?

Does my TV still shows movies when it is powered off?
Does my microwave still heat food when it is powered off?
Does my car go from 0 to 60 in x seconds when it has not been started?

C'mon.  Even you know if something is powered off then it obviously
cannot do anything.

If you want incoming calls to get blocked while your phone is powered
off then you have to add those phone numbers to a blacklist stored up on
the phone service.  Check if they have a web site where you can
configure your phone features to see if they provide a call blocking or
screening option to which you can add numbers to block.  Most cell phone
providers also have a code you can dial that will register with your
service provider in your account a number to block - but obviously you
need the phone powered ON to issue the command up to the server.

> Or do they only work when the phone is on?

There are apps that include call blocking.  Most of the freeware
anti-virus/malware apps for Android include a call blocking feature.
Obviously an app can only run when it is loaded on the smartphone and
that obviously means the phone must be powered on (and that it be a
smartphone so you can run apps).

If your cell phone provider lets you issue codes to add callers or
specify numbers to add to a blocklist or they let you do the same by
logging into your account on their web site then why bother with call
blocking that works only when your smartphone and the app are running?
After all, if you have voicemail service, it will kick in and take the
call while your smartphone is powered off - so any calls you added to a
blocklist for an app have no chance to be rejected (the phone is off so
the app isn't running, either).

> If any will work when the phone is off, I could use a recommendation. 

Find out from your cell phone provider what are their codes to enter on
your smartphone to perform a slew of functions.  Most times, the code
looks like "*xx" where xx is a 2-digit number.  Else visit their site
and log into your account there to see if they have a Call Blocking list
you can update.

> They've been using this number since Sept. of 2009.  Should 7 years be
> time enough for someone to shut them down? 

The problem with call blocking is that any caller can spoof their CID
(caller ID).  In fact, there are site that offer this service, and some
are free.  That means a spammer, scammer, or malcontent could pretend
they are a number at the FBI or your mother or anyone.  If you block a
number, make sure it is one that you do not know.  That might mean
reviewing all numbers in your contacts; however, you might not have your
dentist, optometrist, a contracted service doing confirmation calls on
the behalf of someone else (Google uses one of those when you change
settings in your account regarding security settings), or a slew of
"good" callers won't be in your contacts list.  I've seen where someone
got a spam call and then blocked that number; however, the spammer put
the callee's phone number in their CID, so the callee ended up blocking
themself (which meant they couldn't use their phone to call their cell
phone service to check on voicemail).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caller_ID_spoofing

Lots of overseas spam centers will spoof their caller ID so it looks
like the caller is in your country.  Be judicious when deciding to add a
caller to your blacklist.  You won't know for sure who you are really
blocking.  With CID spoofing, they'll change it every day or few hours
so you'll still get nailed by them later.

CID is as unreliable as the From header is in e-mails.  Only good
callers provide an accurate CID, so you end up blacklisting those
behaved callers from whom you don't want calls.  The bad callers may not
be doling out their true CID (just like spammers don't use their true
e-mail address).

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Thread

Does call blocker work when phone is off? Micky <NONONObobbyburns1111@gmail.com> - 2016-07-30 11:28 -0400
  Re: Does call blocker work when phone is off? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-07-30 12:10 -0400
  Re: Does call blocker work when phone is off? VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2016-07-30 18:07 -0500
    Re: Does call blocker work when phone is off? Micky <NONONObobbyburns1111@gmail.com> - 2016-07-30 23:15 -0400
  Re: Does call blocker work when phone is off? Mark F <mark53916@gmail.com> - 2016-07-31 06:29 -0400
    Re: Does call blocker work when phone is off? Micky <NONONObobbyburns1111@gmail.com> - 2016-07-31 07:17 -0400

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