this post was submitted on 19 Dec 2025
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Might be a local difference since I'm in Finland. There was a period a few years ago where robot spam calls from foreign numbers were pretty common (as in, maybe one every couple of months), but the phone companies implemented some new system to block those and they haven't really been a problem since.
They don’t show up as foreign numbers in the US, just random US numbers. I don’t answer any numbers I don’t recognize anymore.
One of the biggest fails in phone service was the ability to spoof caller ID. Spammers will use prefixes from known cell phone blocks or the same prefix you’re on to make it look more legitimate. The carriers should have also included source number checking too as they shouldn’t be getting an external call from a number that they own.
This is one of the ways I identify spam calls. My cell phone number is from a long way away from where I live now. As far as I know I have no remaining associations with any businesses in the area - certainly none that wouldn't have cause to leave a voicemail - and I know the numbers of my friends and family in the area.
Therefore, if I get a call from an unknown number in that area code and they don't leave a voicemail, they were nearly certainly spam callers. Often even if they do leave a voicemail.
A little while ago I got a call from a number in that area code and they did leave a voicemail, but I haven't been able to figure out what the point was. For the purposes of this anecdote, let's pretend my name is John Smith. The voicemail consisted of the following:
"[Long silence] John? [Another long pause] John ... [One more long pause] Smmmmmiiiiiiiiiiiiiitthhhhh .... [Final long pause, then disconnect]"
They haven't called back, so I have no idea what they wanted. For the two times saying my first name, I figured they were just a recruiter who thought I had picked up, rather than my voicemail; but the way they stretched out my last name (and said nothing further) was honestly creepy as hell.