Sunset, Kailua-Kona, The Big Island, Hawaii, March 11, 2024

Sunset, Kailua-Kona, The Big Island, Hawaii, March 11, 2024
Sunset, Kailua-Kona, The Big Island, Hawaii, March 11, 2024

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Unidentified Callers -- Thurs., July 19

San Antonio, Texas:

The insistent phone rings, you pick it up. Nothing, no voice, no "hello," nothing. The most infuriating thing is, "they" don't leave a message. The voiceless, nameless "they." Who are these people?

Sometimes, when a telemarketer calls, you get two seconds of silence before "they" start speaking. That gives you a chance to hang up as soon as you hear the voice or the recording. But when there's nothing, and they keep calling back for days on end, you begin to wonder..."Did I miss something important?"

Here's a way to find out who's calling. Go to 800notes.com Directory of UNKNOWN Callers on the web. I discovered this site a few years ago. You enter the phone number of the person who called you into the appropriate box on the left-hand side of the site (if you know it, otherwise it won't work) and hit "Search." If other people have reported the number, you can read about who the callers are. Spread the word.

I researched the calls I've received for the past three days and found out it's Shell Vacations. I identify them in my phone's directory and ignore the call. If you have a call blocker or ignore app, you can use those.

On the 800notes.com web site I have identified spam calls from: People trying to offer me a bogus job, YAK service in Canada (which reroutes calls so you won't know who they're from), "You have won a $1,000 gift card from Walmart," Shell Vacations, insurance companies and more. Handy website if you want to know who's calling you with bad intent.

In the right-hand column of the web site you can look at the most recent threads, read the latest news about fraud, and read articles about their web site, including FAQs (which is informative).

If no one has reported the number, you can fill out a report on their web site and check back to see if anyone else has been receiving calls from the same number. Very useful website. The only thing better would be if the web site could help stop the calls or report them to the Attorney General's Office.

On to life in general...
Picked up my car this morning from Grande Ford Light Truck Service. Total repair bill $142 and some change. Pretty good when it's under $200. They did an oil change (lube, oil, filter), replaced air & fuel filters, checked brakes, suspension, battery, and a "clunking" sound when turning the steering wheel. The Escape pod has a clean bill of health. Now all my car needs is a full detail, including engine cleaning, to remove as much caliche dust as possible. Then my baby will be "purring" again. Grande Ford just called me and they have someone there who will detail the whole car for me. I'm taking it in on Monday! Woo hoo.

Bob is very busy at work getting the 2011 year-end financial statement done. That is his goal before we leave for Yellowstone. Oh, and even though he's controller, he is now in charge of hiring a replacement receptionist for the company. Two people were interviewed yesterday and two more to interview today. (He received over 40 applicants.)

This morning I spent time planning our overnights on the way to Yellowstone. It's so much fun to ferret out RV parks/campgrounds along the way. We won't have the Escape pod this trip to run ahead and check RV parks or campgrounds so I'm trying to suss out how easy it is to get in and around the campgrounds. Free wifi is always a plus, especially since Bob will be working on the road. We can give our air card a rest. If needed, hopefully there will be a library, truck stop, Barnes & Noble, Starbucks or McDonalds nearby just in case we can't get internet any other way.

Last night, I didn't sleep much so I cat-napped with the cats for four hours in the middle of the day. I feel much better.

Life is very interesting, you never quite know what will happen next.

Welcome to John and Ellen at Connected to the Vine Photography.

9 comments:

  1. That's one thing to think about ! A detailed truck? Clean everything would be nice.

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  2. Great tip on the 800 callers. Thanks.

    Whenever I am in need of WiFi stat, I seek out a Starbucks on my iPad2 and get directed there. It hasn't failed me yet.

    Can't wait to see your pics from Yellowstone.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jeremy,
      You're welcome.

      Starbucks seem to be the best for a quick WiFi and hot beverage fix. I've heard other coffee shops, some of them relatively small, have gotten on the free WiFi bandwagon. Guess that's helpful if you're in the boonies.

      Yellowstone pics in about two weeks!! We can't wait either. Hitch Itch has set in.

      Susan

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  3. Thanks so much for the phone # information (site).. I have already bookmarked it and will be using it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad I thought to write about. Seriously, sometimes these ideas come to me as I'm falling asleep. The next day I write a blog. (Some people "write the songs." I write a blog. LOL.)

      Susan

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  4. Those annoying calls are a PITA. On my old DROID phone, I could save the number in a REJECT File. The unwanted call wold be automatically rejected. On my iPhone, I can only save the number as a contact and assign a silent ring tone to it. I've receive everything from "I've goat deal for you" to "There is a miracle waiting for you". I also get spam text messages.

    Happy trails to you and Bob.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jerry/Carol,
      I HATE spam calls. What is it in our nature that makes us want to answer every phone call? Conditioning from a young age?

      Susan

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  5. Thanks for the info on the spam callers. We get the same ones here at home and I even get a few on my iPhone.

    I take a perverse pleasure by waiting out the few second delay as an unknown call is transferred and wait until the joker starts talking, then simply hangup in the middle of his/her next word. Ah...the joys of being retired with lots of time on my hands!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah, yes, perverse pleasure. Mine is letting them go on and on and on, then politely telling them I don't live in a house so don't need home security, new roof, pest control, whatever. Ditto on having a lot of time on my hands.

      I do feel sorry for the person on the other end, however, when I get on one of my "rants" with them, especially when it's the same person/company I have told repeatedly NOT to call me back and to take my name off their list.

      Susan

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