Got several calls from this number after I posted an estate sale at my dads house, who has recently passed away. He claimed to be an investor that would buy the property from me as is, with the furniture in it. He was very very persistent, so I agreed to let him take a look. He showed up with no business card, no portfolio, and with only 1 contract with no company name on it. That was a huge red flag for me. I looked up the property value, and he offered me less than half of what It's worth. I politely declined his offer, and now he won't stop calling and texting me. It goes on all day, everyday. It's very disturbing since I'm going through the grieving process. So, please be careful if you get any calls from this phone number!!

What options does one have to defend themselves against intrusive callers?

• The Do Not Call list (Federal or State)
Works, but is effective against ONLY "legitimate" telemarketers.  Political callers, surveys and some other callers are exempt.  Scammers ignore the DNC list.

• NoMoRobo
A system offered by some telephone providers, to help automatically block robocalls.  Google "nomorobo" to see if it works with your phone provider.

• Shouting, screaming, swearing at the caller
Nope.  Does not stop calls.  May make you hoarse, and will disturb nearby people.

• Call blocker app, device or service
Could be a good choice (even though the scammers can use fake phone numbers), and some apps are free!
Google "call blocker" for more information, or check your favorite online sales site for a list.
http://gg.gg/blockers
Your phone provider may also offer blocking services.  Check their web page for information.

If you cannot use any of the above defenses, then:
• Do not answer calls from unknown numbers ... let them go to voicemail or answering service
• Do NOT return calls from unknown numbers!  All that does is verify your phone number!  And, in some cases, those return calls may cost $20 or more to complete.
• If you have a "dumb" cell phone, assign the scammer's number to a group named "scammers" (or similar).  Then, assign a silent ringtone to that group.

Block the number - your phone may have a "number block" feature.  If you use a cell phone, either block the number there (you can get an app for blocking), or assign a "no ring" tone, so you don't have to hear the phone ringing.