this post was submitted on 20 Jun 2024
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[–] [email protected] 29 points 5 months ago

Living in Germany, I get rarely get any. Usually about 1-2 per year. Last year was an exception, where the same entity (computer or very confused person) called me like 5 times before I blocked the number.

I gave out my number a lot in groups, but avoid giving it to online or delivery services.

[–] FooBarrington 14 points 5 months ago

Living in Germany, I never got any - until I had to register with my phone number at an American company (for work). Now I get 3-4 spam calls/messages per week.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Finland. Rare, unless you've been posting your number everywhere or run a business.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 5 months ago

Netherlands, haven't had one in years, would say perhaps one in about 8 years?

I do make sure to share my contact details only with people I want to share them with

My 20-year-old Microsoft e-mail address though? That gets spam on a daily basis since the Twitter breach

[–] tty5 12 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Poland: very rare, 2-4 per year

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

Also Poland: 2-3 calls in a day from bots trying to convince to buy photovoltaics, then nothing for a few weeks. It used to be much, much worse.

My phone number is pretty old though, so it has been leaked lots of times probably.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

Damn I get that many in a day at least here in California

[–] EarMaster 11 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

I went to the USA for three weeks 8 years ago. I had a US prepaid phone with a number never published anywhere except my close family. I got three SPAM calls within these three weeks. Being back in Germany with my 20+ years old number I have received one call since.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago

And usually those aren't from within Germany, but some scammers calling with Lithuanian or Moldovan numbers. At least those were the ones I got.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 5 months ago

One every ~5 years (Austria)

[–] [email protected] 10 points 5 months ago (1 children)

From Spain, I get a lot all the time

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

It seems to be spread across the whole country

[–] [email protected] 10 points 5 months ago

Living in Spain, there are quite a few.

The https://www.listarobinson.es/ is supposed to help, and it does to an extend, but sometimes you still get a lot of calls.

Pepephone has an app to protect about it, I'll give it a try https://www.pepephone.com/pepeescudo

[–] doingthestuff 8 points 5 months ago (3 children)

I know OP didn't ask, but as someone in the US I get at least four calls per day on weekdays. Sometimes ten. Weekends are a little better. But I do have two numbers, the second number is also forwarded to my cell phone. So it's probably marginally higher because of that.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 5 months ago (2 children)

WTF how do you live like that, I'd get a new number

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

It doesn’t matter they will quickly find it

[–] IsThisAnAI 1 points 5 months ago

They are an exception. Most people get 1 or 2 a week and it comes in waves. I mostly get texts.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

I get at least 2 a day, US as well

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[–] Sylvartas 8 points 5 months ago (2 children)

(France) I'd say I get an average of 5 a week since the end of last year. Before that they were very uncommon.

I'd love to know what shitty company is selling my number to these guys because I pay a fee to my operator to have it unlisted, so it is not publicly available...

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago (1 children)

France is weirdly bad for spam calls. Also has the second highest percentage of anti-vaxers after the US

There's a connection there but I'm not seeing it

[–] Sylvartas 4 points 5 months ago

Tbh we are the OG anti vaxxers because of that one paper about the link between aluminum adjuvants in vaccines and autism IIRC. But that trend died down in the late 90's and we imported the new and improved brand of anti vax movements from the US with the COVID...

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago

France too, I came back a few months ago and after a month.

I had my number for years but suddenly after a month I started receiving a lot of spam. I would love to know who gave away my number too.

At least now at the spam calls have to come from specific numbers so it's easy to block.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 months ago

I couldn't find any statistics about the frequency of spam calls in Germany, so I can only share my personal experience. I have never received a single one since having my own number. My parents got more when their number could still be found in the public phone book (yes, that is/was a thing). Friends complain maybe twice a year.

I am not a relevant example though, I am very cautious about giving out my number, usually I only do so when absolutely necessary and I often don't use services (like dating apps) if they don't let me without verifying my phone number.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago

Very rare.
I always reject any marketing spam when signing.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago

Finland here. Havent had one in 10 years or so?

But I do agressively forbid sharing my contact info through governmental blocks on sharing them/forbiding the sharing when I start using new services. Also I'm not in business as employer or as a freelancer.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago

Haha i moved from Canada to Germany. In Canada i would get at least 3 a week, in Germany I don't think i've gotten one yet in the two years i've been here

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

Living in the Netherlands: none as far as I can remember.

EDIT: spelling

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

There are some scam calls to be fair, but it's really rare. Also you hear about these spoofing WhatsApps and stuff where they pretend to be your relative.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago

1 or 2 in 40+ years

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago (1 children)

In Croatia, let's say one attempt a month. I'm calling it an attempt since I let Android block them automatically.

A spam call getting through the filter happens maybe once a year.

But they never call again after I have my fun with them :D Delisting your number in the public phonebook helps.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago (2 children)

How do you block them automatically?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Look for something like "caller ID and spam" in the settings of your phone dialer app. I'm not sure if it's only available in newer Android versions, or only for Pixel phones.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

I'm on a relatively new Xiaomi phone.

[–] Dashi 1 points 5 months ago

Go to your android phone app, hit settings, and their should be something in there for blocking spam calls

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago

UK here - 1 or 2 a week on my home phone which we never use and not many people have the number anyway. I have BT's 'Call Protect' which is supposed to let you block nuisance calls but it's such a pain to use - takes too many clicks and menu changes. On Android I just select last number and block.
Hardly any spam calls on mobile as built in software (forget the name) on my S23 automatically warns me of possible spam or blocks them completely.

Much better than it was 10 years ago - that was a nightmare.

[–] Boscrossos 5 points 5 months ago

In Belgium, on mobile, I get about 1 every 2 months.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

In Greece and I only got 2 in 6 months in mobile. On our home phone, we used to get 2-3 calls per week, now we don't anymore.

When I was in Canada, I used to get daily spam and scam phone calls on my mobile, it was so annoying.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago

Had some a few years ago. Reported them to the network agencies, and was informed a few days later that they have been shut down and fined.

[–] qevlarr 5 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Netherlands, I'm getting them off and on. I get scam SMS, WhatsAppor phone calls. Maybe 20-30 a year, but they aren't spread evenly. There are times I seem to be getting them all the time

It sucks because I know where they get my number. My elderly dad gets hacked and scammed constantly on Facebook. So if he has my number in his contact, I have to suffer as well. There should be some technical protection against that

[–] tgm 4 points 5 months ago

Denmark and I have never experienced it, but I have meet people who have

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago

I never got any for many years, but getting 5 to 10 every day since January when I switched gas company and as always denied every use of my number for marketing purposes. I live in Italy.

[–] Sir_Fridge 4 points 5 months ago

Netherlands. They're rare but I do get the ones where they immediately hang up as it starts ringing and then hope you call back so they can charhe you money for it. But number recognition helps because generally I don't expect to be called from Nigeria or something.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago

In Romania, quite rare. Maybe one every 3-4 months. They're clearly identifiable as spam calls, at least on my phone, so they're easy to avoid.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

Swiss: Basically none except for one specific type. Since the mandatory basic insurance is provided by „competing“ private insurers there are companies who call you at the end of the year and try to convince you to swap to a cheaper insurer. Otherwise, maybe 2 in the last 30 years.

[–] Gonzako 3 points 5 months ago

they are sadly becoming a bit more common here in Spain

[–] NemoMouse 3 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

The US has a national Do Not Call registry... you sign up online. It takes ~2 minutes to register and 30 days to take effect IIRC. Registering took my spam calls from several times a day down to several per year. The only ones I get now are political and people looking for the previous owner.

Edit: if you want to be proactive or vindictive you can report unwanted callers (or anyone using a robodialer) to the FTC.

[–] SomeGuy69 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

I get like 5 spam calls in a week and then non for 6 to 12 months. (Germany)

[–] TheLugal 2 points 5 months ago

I get 1 or 2 sales calls a year, if you think that's spam

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

Idk what the UK average is, but personally maybe 4 or 5 year.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

Never got any