GoingAway

I was charged 6 or 8 dollars for rejecting a call in China (i forget the exact amount other than I was amazed and upset) using that method so I don't think it works. I'm with gfunkdave and before I leave forward all voice calls to voice mail. That way I can turn my phone on in another country and receive text messages no problem, I also am notified (sometimes, it seems to be network dependent) if there are messages waiting.

GUWonder

While GrandCentral has issues, wouldn't it work to forward the US cell calls to the GrandCentral phone number and fool around with the GrandCentral settings while pointing those calls to another number that is set to forward to a separate international roaming cell phone number?

US mobile number > GrandCentral > Skype/Vonage > International mobile number is an example of what I'm talking about.

I do what I can to avoid roaming on a SIM card from a call-receiver-pays(-too) country while in another country.

GoingAway

If you have the number you want to reject, you can call your provider and file a complaint against them. I believe there are ways for them to block specific numbers to your account - its worth the phone call

gfunkdave

Sure, I think that'd work fine. You just need to set the US Mobile > GrandCentral forwarding before you leave the US.

bseller

Your mobile service is different than mine, if you're right.
I have tried, without success to have AT&T (blue) block phone calls to my cell that are made by scam pharmacy operators and may well have been made to the number prior to my ownership of it.

Good luck if you can get your provider to put a block on the incoming calls, and IF SO: Please Post Here!!

Dave

KVS

Well, that's the problem -- if your home carrier does not allow you to completely cancel call forwarding then you would, indeed, be charged.

Again, are you 100% certain about the status of the call forwarding on your account at the time you rejected the call?

To check, you need to use the following commands:

• *#61#
• *#62#
• *#67#

cordelli

Press one to speak with an agent

Inform the agent that you want to be removed from the call list. They will tell you it takes 30 days to do so.

Hang up.

Call them back from a regular phone, unless you have unlimited minutes.

Hit the option to speak with an agent.

Inform the agent that you want to be removed from the call list and give them the number to remove.

Repeat from the hang up step as many times as you can.

The agents are all a-holes (if it's auto warantee out of atlanta) but after a week they will get the idea (at least that's how long it took for me to get off their list)


You need to tie the agent up for a while, even if it's pretending to want their service. Time is money to them, so get an agent, ask what's covered, ask how much, spend 20 minutes with them, then tell them you don't want to be called again and if they do you will repeat the call and they could have sold a half dozen shoddy warantees.

GoingAway

No - can't say I recall doing this. If this cancels forward, how does that help though? The system still finds you to ring but now you've lost (i assume) the chance to capture an email on the other end

KVS

For this to be a chargeable call, the call needs to be either answered, or forwarded to another number (and answered at that number) ...

flyinbob

This works with regular annoying calls. But these guys are in a class of their own. First, as soon as you start to say "please remove me..." they say "hold please" and disconnect you. If you try to call back the number that shows on the caller ID, it returns as a disconnected number. Basically, they will never remove you and pretty much dare you to try to stop them.

lin821

Even though I am not a victim of this expiring auto warranty phone scam (yet), I try my best to report those companies or file complaints with FTC.

If you google it, you will find quite a few results regarding the auto warranty expiring scam. One guy even has a class action law suit against these bad guys (more details here). If you like, check out the sample links I just found and see how others handled this problem:

http://www.theinternetpatrol.com/sca...d-623-238-6228

http://800notes.com/articles/News.as...iwA5RQjKe4T3Ww

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23147777/

Like you said, the company would "disguised" their number and made it challenging to finger point them. But if you google the 800 number you obtained from your caller id, chances are that number is on the radar of complaint map. Sometimes you will find more info from the victims's "detective" work.

The funny thing is I happened to get a postcard about expiring auto warranty this afternoon. Not sure if this is the same one who's been calling you. The one I got is from "Dealers Warranty" (address: 745 Friedens RD STE 201, St. Charles, MO 63303) with the contact number: (888)963-6723. It seems the auto warranty scam companies tend to base in MO or FL.

I believe you will need as much info as possible when you file the complaint. Next time try to dig more info (company name, call back number, or address) from the CSR over the phone BEFORE you ask them to remove you.

Good luck!

N965VJ

It sounds like they’re deliberately munging the CID from behind a PBX, so this won’t work unless they’re using the same fake number.

mrcamp

Technically this should work. However, Grand Central's (GC) VM kicks in after 4 rings or so, and it cannot be changed. So, most of the calls may roll to GC's VM (Calls forwarded via GC will always fallback to their VM). At least this was my experience on a recent trip to the Caribbean when I forwarded my mobile to GC, then GC to my international sim card with a US number (Yackie mobile)

US Mobile->GC->yackie mobile

This will create more lags and just about all calls will be routed to the GC VM.
US mobile number > GrandCentral > Skype/Vonage > International mobile

Louie_LI

Boy, Orange in France is pretty rapacious, and even they don't charge if you don't answer. Maybe the inter-company agreements/laws are different in Europe, but I've never been charged for unanswered calls while abroad. Small compensation for lots of other high charges, I guess.

Tennisbum

I've never been charged for incoming calls on my French cell phone (also an Orange customer).

OTOH, I don't think I've received any overseas calls on my Orange phone.