Could be a couple reasons...some dialers wait for a voice response at the other end (hello? hello?) before connecting to an operator. If you are picking up the phone and not saying anything (or not loud enough), you may not be getting connected.

Other scenario would be they are just farming numbers. They're "testing" to see whether your number is good (and, if so, they'll sell it to someone who'll call you to sell a mortgage). "Good" numbers are big business.

Kind of like the spam email that has the…
“Click here to unsubscribe” which all your really doing is confirming a valid email account.

Not in this case. As has been said, it is only a recording. No matter what button you press or what you say, the call is terminated. The number changes and if called back, you get the "phone number is not valid" recording.

FYI, this problem is not isolated to the US.

Wow, it’s over there also!
Can’t figure out the angle here, there is no sells pitch, can't speak to anyone and nothing works to get it to stop.

They are certainly spending $$$ to make the calls so where is their payoff?

And, by pressing that "1" or "0", you're telling the dialer that there is a living/breathing person on the other end. Bingo! Good number. Next.

Just sayin'...

They spoof the call-back number to avoid fines/prosecution. A timeshare company spoofed the (legitimate) phone number of one of my clients. Every day, hundreds of pizzed-off grannies called to complain. The telemarketing company was using my client's number on their outbound CID.

Yet I have never pressed "1" or "0". This particular call also does not hang up on voicemail either.

I am very aware of this. Also makes it very hard to ignore the calls.

Yea I get those at the office. WTF ?

Had a friend fresh back from HK tell me today this is the cell carrier’s way of using up minutes?

I get it all the time. Especially to my cell phone......

I get them on my cell phone, a few times a month. I usually let them go to VM.

Repeating a prior post of mine...

If you ever listened to the end of the message, there is no sales pitch, no mention of a sales
saving, no mention of a company, nuthin!

Pressing 0 to speak to an operator/ Pressing 1 to stop receiving this message does nothing but
hang up the phone!

Crap, I have received 10 of these calls since posing this thread :(

Then stop pressing 0 or 1.

I witnessed this practice first hand, albeit not from a cellphone company. A LEC paid clients with dialers to call a list of 800 #'s all day/night. As everyone knows, inbound 800 #'s cost the recipient. Dirty criminals is all they are.

My 14yo son got one on his cell phone!?!?!

Obviously it has nothing to do with actually owning a car, just random dialing.

You have to make it extremely unprofitable for them to call you.

First, your goal should be to get a live person on the line. Many of these companies start out with a pre-recorded pitch.

Once you have a live person on the line, your goal then becomes to keep them on the phone for as long as possible without committing to buying anything. Keep talking and acting like you agree, but keep changing which car you want to warrant. Hopefully you will make them have to start over from the begining each time.

Them: "I'm calling in regards to your 2007 Prius, your warranty is about to expire."

You: "I don't have that car anymore, I set it on fire to collect the insurance. Can I get an extended warranty for my Honda Civic instead?"

Them: "Sure, I just need to get some information about your Honda Civic. What year is it?"

You: "I'm not sure, it's at the shop as I rear-ended a school bus. Will your warranty cover those repairs?"

Them: "No, I'm sorry. The warranty only covers mechanical failures, not accidents."

You: "All right then, can I warrant my 67 Rambler?"

Horray, I can join the club. Even if it WAS legit, I wouldn't waste my money. ANY warranty, at least in my experience, is more trouble than it's worth.

I agree with the opinion that it is a phishing scam.

Any time I receive the call on my cell, I file a complaint at FCC.GOV.
Any time I receive the call on my home phone, which is on the "do not call" list, I file a complaint at FCC.GOV.
Any time I receive the call at work, since I have previously pressed 1 to opt out, I file a complaint at FCC.GOV.

Get the idea?

i get them on a work cell that ive never used in any sort of business other than work. they always seem to come at the most inconvenient times too.