[ipython]

From anecdotal evidence (n=1) the call blocking feature on T-Mobile is about 70% effective. Unfortunately I don’t know of an api to pull my full phone and spam shield records but I estimate I received about 2,000 calls over the past three months. About 90% of those were spam/scam calls. Of those, T-Mobile identified and blocked about 70% of them.

It is reassuring to see the stir/shaken “checkmark” on my iPhone call log indicating that the call has been authenticated. Unfortunately as you say it’s not very effective yet.

I’ve noticed that there are carriers/voip gateway providers who are proactive on shutting down spam emanating from their networks and others who are not. Not affiliated but the list here seems to be accurate: https://scammerblaster.com/the-ultimate-method-of-scammer-pa...

[lifeisstillgood]

wait what. You recieved 540 spam calls over a quarter? (2000.9.3)

Holy crap. That's six a day. I would have thrown my phone away.

[ipython]

Correct. I think my high water mark was about 30 calls in one day. I would receive a call while messing with another, so I would sometimes conference them together for hilarity to ensue.

[lifeisstillgood]

Spam as in "want to use our website building agency?" or "want to buy this incredible new coin/NFT/pump dump stock?"

[ipython]

At some point my phone number was sold as part of a list of “old people”. So my calls consisted of a mix of Medicare supplement plans, Medicare scams (“free” diabetic supplies, something about chronic pain, and my favorite which was “a five year renewal” of my Medicare card. All they needed was all my PII, doctors name and Medicare card number!)

I also received a lot of other scam calls targeting older folks: namely callers impersonating Social security administration officials who scare you into sending thousands of $$$ to them so you avoid getting arrested - you’re told that your SS benefits are suspended and you’ll be charged with a crime because your SS# was associated with some vague crime in the “southern border of Texas”…

It’s honestly sickening to see in real time how these low lives fleece innocent people and it makes me furious. I do what I can to try and shut them down but I’m sure it’s just a drop in the bucket and they just pop back up with a different voip provider in a few days anyway.

They can be very persistent and they will track your “identity” for years. I had invented a persona back in 2015 and forgotten about it. Someone called several dozen times - very aggressively - asking for that persona. I had fun messing with him but it was scary having him pull up personal details from over 7 years ago even if it was totally fabricated.

[abdabab]

One time I received 30ish calls everyday for a few days and each one of them was from a different number but with same prefix. It bothered me that I couldn’t block that prefix.

[UncleMeat]

That’s about where I’m at. A slow day is two spam calls. A bad day is 10.