[quote=FlyerInHi]I keep getting phone calls from a San Diego County number. But then hangup. Looks like the county is calling citizens, but the system is not working properly.[/quote]
Is it always from the same number? Sometimes robo-callers test dial numbers to see if someone is on the other side. I always let mine ‘go to cover’ if the number is not one I recognize. I have different rings for specific people in my contacts and then a general ring for other numbers in my contacts list. A final ring-type is used for numbers that are not in my contacts list (I usually just silence the ringing in that case).
Another possibility is that they want you to call back, putting the cost of the call on you – not them. (which is also a trick that telemarketers use) An old one was to have the number you call back go to a high fee telephone line and bill the crap out of you for the call back.
I am tempted to add the multi-tone signal that represents a disconnected number to the very start of my message on the answering system to catch these test dials. I would immediately follow it with my real message also explaining that the tones are to weed out robo-callers and please leave a message. Robo-callers also use a ‘pre-dialer’ that then switches the line on pickup to one of the people in the ‘pit’ or ‘boiler room’. If the ‘pre-dialer’ gets the tones, it hangs up and removes the number(at least temporarily) from their list so that they are not wasting time on non-existent numbers.
