Phishing phone calls

[ChrisEmond]

Hello everyone,

I don't know what the situation is like in the U.S. but in Canada, phishing phone calls are common events. These numbers are usually foreign but local area codes are also used. Typically, I get two or three a week but I've also seen times when the fraudsters are very active and I would receive 2 or 3 of these automated messages per day.

The way they operate is if you don't answer on the first call, they will call again until you block the number. If you try to call back, you get a message saying the call can't be completed. I normally ignore them and block the number after verification.
Having worked for the Montreal Police Fraud squad, I know there's not a lot we can do about it since the fraudsters are usually located in foreign jurisdictions where police agencies are ill equipped to deal with the problem.

My question to you is this:
When publishers, music supervisors, etc. contact us to follow up on a forward, do they leave voice messages or do they discount anyone not picking up on the first call?

[ttully]

Hi Chris,

I would say 90% of the time I have been contacted by email.
But on the few occasions I have been called...they always left a voicemail and sometimes they called back multiple times.
I have never picked up the phone on the first call from a library......not because I would't do it....just because I didn't have my phone!

Tim

[jdstamper]

I commonly get 2-4 robo-calls per day, per phone line. I hate those guys. Especially the ones telling my PC is throwing error messages. These days I don't answer any numbers I don't recognize. I once tried to counsel one to use his skills to go find a good job with an honest company. I hope he did it.

Anyway, same for me, it's mostly done by email. Occasionally a phone call but so rare that it's not worth answering all the robo-calls.

I think all music industry people would leave a voice mail and put the ball in your court to call them back.

[mojobone]

My ISP provides a service called Nomorobo; robocalls are blocked after one ring. It's probably also available as an Android or iPhone app. Requires a little setup, but it's working very well, here.