TPIR Play-at-Home game

[whowouldeverhurtawhammy]

So, I've been playing the TPIR Play-at-Home game as of lately. I'm not certain that I've ever won, but I've been receiving some phone calls as of lately that won't stop. I can't confirm/or deny if it's the game calling me to tell me I won, or if it's some sort of spam call. Has anyone else found themselves in this confusion before?

[blozier2006]

Have you actually answered your phone? That might be a good start.

[whowouldeverhurtawhammy]

Have you actually answered your phone? That might be a good start.

I have, and it was a robocall.

[SteveGavazzi]

Then how do you still not know whether or not it was the show?

[whowouldeverhurtawhammy]

Then how do you still not know whether or not it was the show?

It wasn't. It was some commercial offer.

[whowouldeverhurtawhammy]

If it was the show calling me, wouldn't they be using the (855) 50-PRICE number?
Or would they be using a different number? I had been getting a lot of scam calls (even long before playing the game) that I was forced to put on my block list, and as a result, I cannot tell if I had won or not...

[Alfonzo]

If it was legit I'm sure they would either leave a message or some sort of legitimate name would show up on your caller ID.

It's sad in this world of spammers calling your phone several times a day and spoofed phone numbers you can't trust when to pick up your phone. I know I get all sorts of calls from car extended warranty scammers, Microsoft customer support scammers, I.R.S. scammers, Amazon recruiter scammers...and it pisses me off that now I pretty much automatically let me phone go to voice mail when a strange number shows up.

[ThomHuge]

One thing you might consider is getting a call filtering app for your phone. I use a couple of free apps, but they mostly do the trick.

I'd look for an app that:
* Uses a blacklist based on reports from other users
* Can block specific area codes and prefixes (in case a bunch of calls all come from a specific place)
* Can blocks calls from international and hidden/private numbers
* Can attempt to ID incoming calls and flag those that may be spam (one of the apps I have actually color-codes them; blue for low-risk, yellow for reported spam and telemarketing, and red for known scammers)

I'm still looking for a free app that'll block political calls and fundraising calls; those features are available with the apps I have, but they're paid functions.

Something I also recommend looking out for is what they've taken to calling "neighborhood spammers." Alfonzo mentioned spoofed numbers, and a part of that is scammers will spoof a number that appears to be from your area code and prefix (first six numbers of your telephone number), so it'll look like someone you might know and increase the odds of you picking up.

(Last note--the whole "credit card interest" robocall thing has gotten so frequent lately I've taken to just blocking all calls not from people in my contacts list until I can figure out another solution. I'm considering changing my number for the same reason.)

[PriceFan07]

If you read the fine print for almost all of these "play at home" games, they say you'll receive "third-party offers", so by playing the game you authorize these kinds of calls.

[tpir04]

I always answer my phone. Who knows? I could become a millionaire! And if I get the same number several times a day, I will enter it into my contacts with the caller ID, "SHUT UP, YOU STUPID PHONE." That way, when the call comes in, the phone will announce the caller ID, providing me with a laugh or two.

[garffreak]

The calls are absolutely from participating--and you're very likely not a winner.  They rather openly  alert the "player" that you will hear "exclusive offers" (meaning advertisements) when you call.  What they don't clearly mention is that you are often consenting to placing your number on an "OK to call list" with marketing firms, as YOU have reached out to them.  This green-lights them to call you, even if you are on a do-not-call registry.

I think it's shameful that Price has stooped to this kind of gimmick to make a buck.