Latest news with #JamesCausey
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Here's what readers had to say about incessant robocalls, robotexts and scams
Columnist James E. Causey May 31 wrote about his frustration with robocalls, robotexts and frequent scam calls. We asked readers to share their experiences and advice for coping. The most colorful comment came from Alan Mark of Watertown who advised: "I use a pocket-size air horn to send them away. It works…" Thanks to everyone who sent a comment. Here they are: No financial loss on this end, but yes frustration. I no longer answer any calls on my cell or landline; if it's important, caller must leave a message. That gives me pause because as a nonprofit founder, I receive calls from practitioners, researchers, industry connects, or patients in high anxiety. Why haven't the powers that be outlawed robocalls? My husband likes to play with them, leading them on through extended untruthful conversation. I keep telling him that just adds his name to more lists as reachable. In my opinion, the national Do Not Call Registry list is far less than a functional system. This issue should be addressed by government restrictions. I don't care if it's state or federal, someone please fix this! Sherrie Palm, Mukwonago I have fun with telemarketers. Whatever they tell me they're selling, I tell them that is exactly what I do for a living. I tell them I'll buy their product if they buy mine. They hang up on me! Jim Labradori, Oconomowoc I never answer phone calls of numbers that I don't recognize. If it's someone, or something important they will leave a voicemail. Speaking of voicemail. If I get a call identified as "potential spam," I answer and hit mute. The automated dialer on the other end will hang-up after 5 to 30 seconds. This stops the automated caller from leaving an unwanted voicemail that I have to listen to and delete. I reply "stop" to unwanted texts and this seems to have lessened the amount that I receive. David Mancl, West Allis I recommend every person listen to the podcast :The Perfect Scam" by AARP. It has been available since about 2019. The episodes are about 30 minutes each and feature real people who have fallen prey to scams. They detail just about every kind of typical scam people encounter, from old school romance scams, to calls from loved ones who say they're in trouble, to phony computer issues, or bank/government notices, to the ones you mentioned with the phony house sales, etc. Most were phone or email during COVID-19 times, but as the years go by, they become more and more geared toward texts. also, AARP websites provide lots of info about the same. They are very concerned with elder abuse and scams, which cause heartache and loss of entire savings. When my late husband was still alive, he got a call from a guy who said he had my (step) daughter in custody after an 'accident.' They demanded money to release her. I told him it was a scam, but he couldn't reach her on my phone, I talked him into going to the police department, and they reassured us it was a common scam. We finally got ahold of our stepdaughter. She had her phone off at work. The police told us to hang up whenever we get such a call, not to even be polite. Then call the person allegedly involved. People get rattled and do foolish things because the scammers are relentless. 'If only' is a phrase of regret from people who don't pause to take a breather. Anyone can get sucked into scams. AI is going to make it even harder to discern what is real. Nancy Huber, New Berlin I just no longer answer the telephone (both landline and cell) unless I recognize the number or the name. I let everything else go to message. If it's a legitimate call they will leave me a legitimate message. Text I just never respond too. Perry Holzman, Two Rivers Several years ago I subscribed to a service called RoboKiller. For less than $100 per year, it intercepts every call placed to my cell phone number. As a result, zero robocalls get through to me. Non-robo callers can leave a message. Once I call a number back, the caller gets through to me thereafter. And the people I call frequently get through when they call me. Being free from receiving robocalls has been liberating. As a 'Senior citizen' at 75, I'm in the group of people most targeted by scammers. It seems odd in 2025 that the cell phone companies and our federal government can't figure out a solution to this plague. Peter Christianson, Pewaukee My new phone system allows me to block the phone number being used by the caller. After using it for a "possible spam call" I realized I had blocked the number of some friends. So I deleted all blocked numbers and started over, listening to each call before blocking. In the past three weeks, I have received over 50 spam calls that I have blocked. This is ridiculous. Whatever happened to the no call list? Leon E Burzynski, Waukesha I also get many calls and and texts asking if I want to sell my home. They know my address, which is creepy. I started replying no, but I might want to buy your home and ask them for their address. This usually results in stunned silence and ends the conversation rather quickly. Steve Stein, Oak Creek Replying STOP does not do any good because I feel most of the callers (robo or not) get their information from a third party and the third party does not get the STOP message. It's time laws are passed to more severely penalize those who call numbers on the do not call lists. It also seems to me that with all the great technology this country has, it could be used to block calls that emanate from the same general source, that's not a verifiable source. Lastly, it's time for do not call lists apply to political action calls. Joseph Streator, Oconomowoc Here are some tips to get your views shared with your friends, family, neighbors and across our state: Please include your name, street address and daytime phone. Generally, we limit letters to 200 words. Cite sources of where you found information or the article that prompted your letter. Be civil and constructive, especially when criticizing. Avoid ad hominem attacks, take issue with a position, not a person. We cannot acknowledge receipt of submissions. We don't publish poetry, anonymous or open letters. Each writer is limited to one published letter every two months. All letters are subject to editing. Write: Letters to the editor, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 330 E. Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 500, Milwaukee, WI, 53202. Fax: (414)-223-5444. E-mail: jsedit@ or submit using the form that can be found on the on the bottom of this page. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Readers share how they cope with flood of scam calls | Letters
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Real issue behind need for retail lockboxes ignored. Don't make excuses.
After reading James E. Causey's piece regarding retail and the need to lock things up, I thought that I would offer up my own personal insight ('Retail theft is on the rise,' May 18). I have worked in retail in some capacity for the last 18 plus years and have seen the changes that have led to more and more things being locked up, sad as it may be. (While he does not condone stealing, Causey mentioned situations where he has sympathy when it comes to essential items), whether it was food stamps not covering as much as a person would like or seniors and their pricey drugs, and that made me think. I tried to remember how many times in my 18 years did I see someone steal who actually needed it, and the answer is once. One time I saw, along with my boss, a young mother try to empty the contents of a can of formula into a bag because she couldn't afford it. My boss at the time stopped her, told her that there were options available and then paid for a new can for her and her child. One time, so in Causey's world that would be justified. Opinion: Retail theft is on the rise. How come we never talk about the real reasons why? But to the person who stole a floor display of Doritos, do we justify his nacho cheese cravings? Or to the person who stole 40 bottles of Tide, do we justify his need to either have his clothes extra clean or to have a side hustle? Or to the diaper girls who stole three carts full of diapers, do we justify wanting to change diapers more often than normal? Or to the man who stole 20 bottles of body wash, do we justify his need to want to be "Zest fully" clean? Also, the lock boxes, locking doors and security measures are not free. The company has to pay for them, as well as the cost of the items that have been stolen. I will agree that, yes, the bigger issue at hand is being ignored here, but not the one that Causey thinks. The issue at hand is not who the president is or whether or not needing security is racist, which it isn't, but rather the issue is why we have allowed people to bring us to this point where things need to be locked up and why we make excuses or justify the actions of some over others. Brian Brehmer, Milwaukee Opinion: Here's what readers had to say about wake-enhanced boating on Wisconsin lakes Letters: Cudahy Farms offers dense urban development that is environmentally friendly Here are some tips to get your views shared with your friends, family, neighbors and across our state: Please include your name, street address and daytime phone. Generally, we limit letters to 200 words. Cite sources of where you found information or the article that prompted your letter. Be civil and constructive, especially when criticizing. Avoid ad hominem attacks, take issue with a position, not a person. We cannot acknowledge receipt of submissions. We don't publish poetry, anonymous or open letters. Each writer is limited to one published letter every two months. All letters are subject to editing. Write: Letters to the editor, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 330 E. Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 500, Milwaukee, WI, 53202. Fax: (414)-223-5444. E-mail: jsedit@ or submit using the form that can be found on the on the bottom of this page. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Why make excuses for the actions of some in retail thefts? | Letters
