Osceola, Indiana – Jeff Bavar, a superintendent for a Wisconsin construction firm who lives in Osceola, says his work cell phone has become nearly unusable after he began receiving a flood of unwanted Medicare‑related sales calls. Bavar estimates he gets between 80 and 120 spam calls each day, averaging about 90.
The surge in calls started around his 65th birthday, when he became eligible for Medicare. “So that’s what started it was the Medicare, you know, going into being 65,” Bavar told the WNDU I‑Team. He added that the callers claim their services are superior to local options, a tactic he describes as abusive.
Attempts to Stop the Calls
Bavar, already enrolled in Medicare through a local agency, repeatedly told callers he did not need their services, but the calls persisted. Frustrated, he began confronting some of the salespeople. “And being on my business phone, I was getting tired of it,” he said.
During one confrontation, a caller threatened to increase the call frequency, saying he would be placed on a list that would result in calls every one to two minutes. Bavar says the threat soon became reality, with calls arriving minutes apart.
Attorney General Intervention
The volume of calls attracted the attention of Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita. While discussing storm‑damage scams on WNDU, the station asked Rokita about Bavar’s experience. Rokita said the situation appeared to go beyond ordinary telemarketing and that he wanted to speak directly with Bavar.
“I want to reach out to him directly and get his information to see. Because this is a different little variation. This is almost like it’s predatory,” Rokita said.
Later that day, Bavar received an email from the Attorney General’s Office indicating that the office would help enroll his business and personal numbers in the National Do Not Call Registry.
What the Do Not Call Registry Does
The registry informs legitimate telemarketers that a consumer does not wish to receive sales calls, but it does not automatically block all unwanted calls. The Federal Trade Commission notes that scammers and certain other callers can still get through.
Rokita also advised Bavar to use spam‑blocking technology offered by wireless carriers. Verizon technology expert Kat Cruz recommended the carrier’s Call Filter service, which can identify and block suspected spam calls or redirect them to voicemail.
“There’s some things in place that for sure you can have some control,” Cruz said. “For example for that customer, we need to get Call Filter on their phone immediately.” She cautioned callers to avoid answering numbers they do not recognize and to use available screening tools.
Other Carrier Options
AT&T and T‑Mobile also provide similar tools to identify or block suspected scam and spam calls. While these services can reduce the volume of unwanted calls, they do not guarantee complete protection.
For Bavar, the daily barrage of calls has made it increasingly difficult to use his phone for work. He believes the calls grew more aggressive after he challenged the callers.
“You know, I think I’m on the extreme case of spam calls, just because I got smart with them,” Bavar said. “Yet, where’s our stop means stop.”
The Indiana Attorney General’s Office is now registering both of Bavar’s numbers with the National Do Not Call Registry and continues to advise consumers to employ carrier‑provided blocking tools, avoid answering unfamiliar numbers, and report suspected scams.
Original reporting: WOWO News/Talk (Fort Wayne) — read the source article.
