A day after 5 On Your Side Investigators raised questions about statements by Cleveland's mayor and police chief that out-of-state agitators led to some of Saturday's violence downtown, both men doubled-down on those claims Tuesday.

Records showed that everyone booked into the Cuyahoga County jail Saturday and Sunday listed addresses in Ohio, despite claims from both Mayor Frank Jackson and Police Chief Calvin Williams that some of those arrested were from outside the state.

"In terms of the booking sheet and where people gave as their addresses, we think some of those addresses may not have been reflective of where they really live," said Jackson during a telephone interview Tuesday. "But I'm pretty sure many of those who were released on a personal bond probably will not show up for court, you won't be able to find them because you don't have their information. They gave another address."

When asked if he believed it was a bad decision on the part of Municipal Court judges to release some of those arrested on personal bonds, Jackson said no. He said the judges did their jobs and the city did its job.

The mayor and police chief also said they believe there are people out there intent in causing problems in the city. As a result, the mayor extended the curfew for downtown and the area around the West Side Market.

"What we want to make sure is that people aren't just sitting, waiting for the place to open up again and they'll rush back in," said Jackson.

The police chief said by closing downtown, officers have been able to focus on addressing issues in other parts of the city as they arise. He wouldn't give specifics as to the number of officers and National Guardsmen patrolling the city, but said "it's big."

"The goal is to have overwhelming numbers of officers there to ensure nothing happens and make sure everybody's safe," said Williams.

The chief, once again, said the city had a plan in place ahead of Saturday's scheduled demonstration, including additional officers ready to move-in if things got out of hand. But when they did, Williams said getting officers to trouble spots became an issue.

"When things like this happen, these vehicles become one of the targets," said Williams, "so to put officers in marked police cars and try to drive them to a location was more dangerous than getting vehicles that could transport them properly, get there safely so we could actually deploy them."

When asked what lessons the city learned from what happened Saturday, Jackson said they'll figure that out once they debrief.

"We're still in the fight," said Jackson.

RELATED: Records indicate no out-of-state arrests made during destruction on Saturday, despite claims by city

The City of Cleveland announced changes to its health outreach program after 5 On Your Side Investigators caught some workers ignoring the same health guidelines they were supposed to promote.

RELATED: City pledges to retrain health workers after some seen violating guidelines they're tasked with promoting

In a statement Wednesday, the city announced the outreach workers will no longer hand out information to residents in neighborhoods with a high number of COVID-19 cases. Instead, the city said those workers will now only leave information on the doors of homes.

It comes days after 5 On Your Side Investigators notified the city that some health outreach workers were caught on camera ignoring social distancing rules, and not wearing masks while in city vans, and while handing out fliers to residents.

The city said it met with workers and "reemphasized the importance of safety, wearing PPE like face coverings, frequently washing or sanitizing hands and social distancing."

The statement said that the re-training was "in addition to an initial session at the first training that each Outreach Worker participated in."

The city also said managers were told to stress the importance of wearing face coverings while transporting workers in vans.

In all, the city said more than 100 workers are taking part in the outreach program, which expanded to Cleveland's Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood this week after targeting Slavic Village, Collinwood, and the Lee-Harvard neighborhoods last week.

The City of Cleveland is pledging to "re-educate" community health outreach workers after 5 On Your Side Investigators found some in the community violating the health guidelines they were supposed to promote.

The city said it trained 175 workers to go into neighborhoods with a high number of coronavirus cases and help educate residents of the risk as part of the mayor's Community Education and Awareness Campaign.

"These employees will be trained in safe engagement practices and key health messaging," said Mayor Frank Jackson when he introduced the plan earlier this month.

But 5 On Your Side Investigators found some of those employees ignoring health guidelines. Workers were caught on video not social distancing as they waited to load into vans, and sometimes not wearing masks even as went from door-to-door interacting with the public.

"If it was my loved ones they provided this information to, then I would be concerned," said Dr. Shanina Knighton, a clinical nurse scientist with Case Western Reserve University who specializes in infection prevention and control. "I love what it is that they're doing. There is a lack of education in communities, and we have to do a better job of getting residents that may not be able to access electronic information."

Knighton reviewed video and pictures obtained by 5 On Your Side Investigators of the workers as they went from house to house in groups distributing information about coronavirus to residents. In some cases, workers weren't wearing masks while in a van or approaching houses.

"If theyre passing out literature about using masks, and proper social distancing, it kind of goes against the model of practice what you preach," said Knighton.

While the video does show some workers following health guidelines, in other cases, crews working neighborhoods in Collinwood, Lee-Harvard, and Slavic Village seemed to ignore the same guidelines spelled out in the literature they handed to residents.

"With that mask not being on, it increases the risk of droplets falling down on to the literature," said Knighton after watching video of a city worker not wearing a mask hold a piece of literature in front of his face, and then hand it to a resident.

After sharing the video and pictures with the city, a spokesperson issued this statement Monday:

Knighton hopes the lessons stick in the minds of workers this time.

"If the City of Cleveland is saying we are responsible for making sure that residents have adequate information, we have to also make sure that were setting the example," she said.

Knighton believes the program has a chance to make a real difference in the community, if it's done correctly.

"Some of them may or may not read that literature, but to be able to see an example of what that looks like, it can go a long way," said Knighton.

The pledge to re-train workers comes as the city says it is planning to expand the health outreach to more parts of the city this week.

Records obtained by 5 On Your Side Investigators show tens of thousands of dollars from the City of Clevelands recreation budget have gone to send youth sports teams with connections to city hall to out-of-state tournaments.

In all, at least $51,162 has been spent on the three trips in 2017 and 2018. Documents obtained through public records requests show fewer than 75 teens total traveled on the trips.

That included more than $29,000 spent to send the CMHA Renegades football team to the 2017 American Youth Football Championship in Kissimmee, Florida.

Records show the city paid for the team to rent a 54-passenger bus, including a $50 clean up fee due to days of excessive trash on the bus. Taxpayers also paid more $2,209 to send 47 people to Universal Studios. The hotel bill for trip came to nearly $15,000.

The numbers seem unfathomable to longtime activist Donna Brown.

Our recreation money is for the whole, not just a specific group, said Brown, who works with Black on Black Crime Inc. For years she says shes asked city leaders for more money to expand recreation programming for kids in Cleveland.

Anytime youre left out in the streets, you get swallowed up, and trouble comes, said Brown.

But she says council members have repeatedly said there wasnt any more money in the budget to expand rec offerings.

Yet records show the city spent more than $20,000 in 2018 to send two teams to AAU basketball tournaments. One took place in Orlando, the other in San Diego.

Im pissed off over this, said Brown, a total of $51,000 on three trips? And were one of the poorest cities in the United States and youre mismanaging our money?

But City Councilman Kenneth Johnson disagreed.

Its a great program, said Johnson, who chairs councils committee that oversees recreation.

I think the world of it. Once they go and come back, theyre neighborhood heroes. In a black community theres no such thing as enough heroes. You know, besides the guy on the corner telling the kids going to elementary school come sell some drugs for me. Thats what this prevents.

Johnson said hes seen the benefits personally. His son, a city recreation employee, went on the trip to San Diego.

He was a last resort, said Johnson. They couldnt get anybody else to go so they asked him and he told them he would go.

Is that a perception problem, do you think? 5 On Your Side Investigators asked the councilman.

Sure it is, said Johnson. I mean thats the price we pay to be elected.

But the family ties dont stop with Johnson.

According to social media posts from Mayor Frank Jacksons family, the mayors great-grandsons played football for the Renegades in 2017. At least one went on the trip to Kissimmee, and another went on the basketball trip to Florida.

Families of city leaders benefited from thousand of dollars of recreation funding.

For weeks, 5 On Your Side Investigators tried to get answers from city hall, requesting an interview, and providing specifics about the trips in question.

City spokeswoman Latoya Hunter Hayes declined that request for an interview. But when News 5 went to city hall to try and talk to rec leaders, Hayes showed up and insisted the city was being transparent.

Youre not being transparent if youre not answering questions, said 5 On Your Side Investigator Scott Noll.

Okay, I am not the recreation center manager, I am not the director, said Hayes, who again declined the request to interview the recreation commissioner.

So youre going to look into that camera and say you believe it is an appropriate spending of city funds to send the mayors great-grandsons' football team and basketball team out of state and Councilman Johnsons sons basketball team to San Diego? Noll asked.

Im not commenting on that, said Hayes.

She may not want to talk about it, but Brown did. She said she couldnt understand how so much money could go to help a few dozen kids in a city with so many needs.

We have to look at all these children as ours, said Brown. And we should start looking out for our children. Were doing our city an injustice and thats what this is here.

5 On Your Side Investigators asked Hayes if there were other trips paid for out of the recreation budget besides the three connected to city leaders.

So far, the city has not answered that records request.

In the meantime, it seems unlikely the mayors great-grandson will be traveling to any basketball tournaments anytime soon. Hes currently locked up in the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Center where hes charged in connection with a drive-by shooting at a Cleveland police officer.

The family of a Michael Louis Palumbo Jr. will receive benefits created by the Michael Louis Palumbo Jr. Act.

In an order shared with News 5 Tuesday morning, a Staff Hearing Officer with the Ohio Industrial Commission ordered the City of Willowick to pay death benefits created by the Palumbo Act to Michael Palumbos wife, Chrissy, and their five children.

The officer, Rhonda Patsouras, found Palumbos death from glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer, in 2017 was an occupational disease and was contracted in the course of and arising out of his employment with the City of Willowick.

This means Palumbo's family meets the requirements to qualify for presumptive cancer benefits created by the law named for him.

Battle for benefits

Palumbo worked part-time as a firefighter in Willowick, his hometown, since January 1, 1990.

Before he lost his battle with brain cancer on May 24, 2017, Chrissy filed claims for death benefits with Willowick and the City of Beachwood, where Mike served as a fire captain.

Both objected to her claims.

"It's hurtful," she said during an on-camera intervew in May. "It's hard not to take personal."

"I have a loyalty to them... Where's their loyalty to my family?," said Palumbo.

Sharing his story

Before Palumbo shared his battle with brain cancer with 5 On Your Side Investigators, Ohio was among the handful of states that failed to acknowledge the link between cancer and fighting fires, leaving firefighters without workers' compensation benefits as they battled the potentially deadly disease.

Despite years of request for help, legislation to award firefighters what are known as presumptive cancer benefits through workers compensation claims was mired in bureaucracy.

The Ohio Municipal League, a lobbying group representing towns and cities, opposed the bill, telling state lawmakers it would cost as much as $75 million.

If they need a face to put to it, I'm willing to be that face, he said. Firefighters need to be covered.

INITIAL REPORT: OH fails firefighters facing cancer

Knowing his cancer was aggressive, Palumbo said he wanted to retire to spend more time with his wife and children.

It's a great job, he said. But my family is more important.

Instead, he kept working to help cover the costs of his cancer.

Less than a year after our interview, a struggling Palumbo at his side, former Ohio Governor John Kasich signed a bill awarding workers compensation benefits to firefighters with cancer.

Beachwood settles

After initially refusing to provide benefits to the family, Beachwood recently reached a settlement with Palumbo.

Palumbo's attorney and the City of Beachwood sent this joint statement to News 5 Thursday morning:

"

Willowick's Response

During a hearing July 16, Willowick argued there was not enough evidence Palumbo was exposed to carcinogens that caused his cancer.

However, Patsouras found records showed Palumbo fought numerous fires where he would have been exposed to toxic substances. She also noted nine years of records from Willowick were missing.

The City of Willowick has 14 days to file another appeal regarding the staff hearing officers order.

Palumbo hopes this chapter in her life is over so she can continue healing and caring for her and Mike's children.

I would hope they [the cities] realize that the Michael Palumbo Act should apply to Michael Palumbo and his family, she said.

5 On your Side Investigators told you last week about a Lorain woman who could have been killed in a car accident and then was scammed out of $2,000 while looking for a new car. Now, get ready for tears of joy from 22-year-old Angel Blakely as generous News 5 viewers lend their support.

"They took all of my money, said a tearful Blakely last week as she was talking about the scam she found herself in after she responded to an online ad for a car.

"I was upstairs. My wife was down stairs. We had TVs going in both, said Fred Geis. He and his wife Kris Geis saw that story on News 5. "We literally met in the hallway. I looked at her and she looked at me, and I go, 'Can't we help this girl out?' She said, 'Let's do it!'" Fred said.

They are successful real estate developers in Cleveland, including The 9 property downtown. Fred called Pete Kepich from Kepich Ford in Garrettsville. "I said (to Fred), How can I help?" Kepich told us.

5 On Your Side Investigators helped connect them to Blakey. Phone calls and texts led them to buy a Ford Focus.

We invited Blakely to our News 5 parking lot for the big reveal and for a special introduction.

"Hi, Angel...Fred, said Fred with a big smile as he shook Blakelys hand. "So, here's the set of keys. I want you to know it's a great car, said Fred. Can I have a hug? asked Fred with his arms wide open.

There was a big hug from Blakely with tears in her eyes. Then, another hugthis time for Kepich. Congratulations! said Kepich.

Thank you!" said Blakely with her head on Kepichs shoulder.

Blakely got into the car. "Angel, how do you feel? we asked.

I'm so happy! I'm so excited! Oh my gosh! I can't believe it!" exclaimed Blakely.

"We got a chance to give a young person an opportunity to advance herself and I get an opportunity to show her that not all people are bad," said Fred standing just outside of the car.

"They didn't hesitate to help me (and that) is mind blowing, said Blakely with a shocked look on her face.

"It's unbelievable! It's awesome!" said Kepich still smiling.

It was awesome to see the bond made between strangers.

"Hi! Thank you so much! said Blakely as she hugged Kris Geis.

Oh, I'm so excited for you!" Kris told her.

The ultimate message of this day?

"There's a debt to be paid and I'm hoping that debt is for (Angel) to help out somebody in the future, said Fred. Maybe put a little money into a nonprofit, maybe give a little extra money to her church. But somehow or another, do what we did and pay it back to the community."

Fred told us he's currently working on a focus group that will encourage young people to get training and get into the trades like construction.

And Blakely said she's so excited just to be able to get to work and school without having to bother her grandmother. Those are the real, everyday impacts with this generous donation.

A 5 On Your Side investigation into a delivery company in Euclid is now leading to a new federal lawsuit filed by its workers. Our first story focused on Inpax Shipping Solutions that delivers packages for Amazon where nine workers came to us saying they were not getting paid correctly.

I had seen the video and I was like it's about time someone spoke out, said former worker at Inpax William Wunsch. He saw our investigation where other former Inpax workers spoke out.

"That was one of the first issues we had was pay, said Antonio Wright.

"Some people might go in for 6 days and they might only get paid for two, said Randy Huggins.

"I felt like I was betrayed. I was lied to, said Mary Eberhardt.

Wunsch said the same thing happened to him. He said one payday, things weren't right.

"So, then I went back to the next check. I was owed more, said Wunsch. Went back to the next check and was still owed more."

It just so happens that attorney Chris Wido from the Spitz Law Firm also saw our investigation and turned to his wife and said, Boy, I really wish one of the people who work there would contact us because we can help them."

Wunsch did just that. "I felt that everybody out there needs to know that this is what's really going on," Wunsch told us.

The lawsuit alleges that Inpax is not paying its workers overtime. The attorneys called it "fuzzy math." It states Inpax promises people $140/day when workers start. A typical day is about 10 hours. So, that's $14/hour. The suit claims that Inpax only pays about $9.33/hour and the rest is made up for with a bonus which skirts overtime laws.

"Essentially not paying (workers) their proper overtime, (Inpax is) stealing time, money and that time and money equate to real life things, said attorney Brian Spitz.

"I'm a single dad. I have a 9-year-old daughter who is my life, said Wunsch.

This lawsuit brings up a past suit in Illinois where in 2017, Inpax settled the bad overtime complaint there. All totaled Inpax paid out around $8,100.

Wido said Inpax just continued its questionable practices anyway. "Instead of fixing the problem like they should have, they instead concocted a scheme to make their employees think they're getting paid overtime when they're not, Wido said.

He also told us at, one point, Inpax workers were allowed to log their own hours, but then managers took over that responsibility. It's my understanding that it's at that point that the missing days, missing hours and things like that began to happen, said Wido.

Its just like what Huggins told us in our first story. "This next check comes around. They short me a day on my check," he said at the time.

With this new lawsuit, the attorneys are hoping for collective action adding more people from our area and around the country who may have had similar problems with Inpax pay.

"At the end of the day, I want to see (workers) with a reimbursement in their hand for the money that they rightfully earned through hard work, said Spitz.

"I want Inpax to change its practices to comply with the law. If they're unwilling or unable to do that, then I think they should reevaluate their business model, Wido said.

"We all have family, said Wunsch. We all have kids. We all have expenses."

In our first report, we heard from both Inpax and Amazon that said they were looking into the claims. Several employees have told us that has happen with managers visiting the Euclid site.

Amazon released a statement in our earlier report that stands true now:

5 On Your Side Investigators have now reached out to Inpax asking vital questions about the new federal lawsuit. We have not heard back from it.

Here's a previous statement it made during our first story on problems like the ones revealed in the new lawsuit:

Read the full lawsuit filed in Cleveland against Inpax.

It's hard to become a professional athlete. So, when a local guy got an offer to play football overseas, he was all in. However, the person recruiting him to play was playing the Willoughby man the whole time.

Desmond Stanley has been tackling his dream to play professionally for a long time. I started playing football when I was about 5, Stanley told us.

After graduating from Lake Erie College last year, he put his video highlights on the internet. He was determined to catch a break. I thought I had a great opportunity with this Japan thing, said Stanley.

In late March, Stanley thought he scored a job after getting text messages from a man who said he was in Japan. "I was looking for a new opportunity. It seemed like it was perfect," Stanley said.

The supposed recruiter used the real name of a Japanese football team, sent Stanley a contract, and told Stanley to pay for some processing. He sent money through Western Union.

"You'll get the job immediately. They might not even interview you, said Sue McConnell from the Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland. She told us job scams were in the top 10 most used schemes that hit our area in 2018. Suddenly, it turns sour because they are either going to want money from you for some kind of test or certification," she explained.

And that's what happened to Stanley. He was told to pay nearly $1,000 more to make the job complete. Stanley said no. "The agent stepped in and he was like, 'What can you pay? I'll help you.'"

Stanley said he did his homework on the job offer even asking experienced people in the sports industry to look over the contract. "Everyone who I spoke with said it seemed...it seemed legit, said Stanley.

After 5 On Your Side Investigators got involved, we found this article citing a similar scam claiming to be a football team out of China. If you look closely, the wording on that contract is nearly identical to the one Stanley received.

"They were pretty good, I guess, said Stanley.

So good, they got hundreds of dollars from Stanley. The text messages stopped. No more contact.

Stanley hopes his dashed dream gives you a warning.

"I definitely wanted to try to help people in the future not have this happen to them," he said.

Stanley told us he has a friend who played professionally in New Zealand and even he thought the fake offer looked real.

It fooled some experienced players so, don't let it fool you.

RELATED:

How you can protect yourself from the top scams that hit Northeast Ohio in 2018

Cleveland woman warns about computer repair scams after she lost hundreds of dollars

Two-day shipping has revolutionized the way we shop, but it appears that speed is coming with some "speed bumps" for delivery drivers in our area. 5 On Your Side Investigators talked with workers out of Euclid who said they weren't getting paid correctly.

"I'm like, 'What's going on here?' She's looking like, 'I don't know," said Randy Huggins, who is fed up with getting no answers. "[Another person] is just ignoring our questions. He's not answering us or anything like that," Huggins told us.

Huggins said he used to deliver packages for Inpax Shipping Solutions, but he told us the company had very few solutions for questions about pay problems. "Some people go in [to work] for three days but they might only get paid for two, said Huggins. Some people might go in for six days and they might only get paid for two."

Inpax is a third-party vendor hired by Amazon to pick up boxes from warehouses and deliver them to your home. Huggins said he was a driver for Inpax for months, including the 2018 holiday season.

He showed us paystubs he would get every Friday that he said didn't have the right pay. "This next check comes around, they short me a day on my check. It says 24 hours in the system. I got paid for 16," Huggins told us.

He also said he responded to an ad on the job site Indeed.com that Inpax promised delivery drivers $140-$160/day.

"Every Friday was a headache, said Brian Heavner. That was one of my worst days of coming in."

Heavner told us he was a manager at Inpax during that holiday time. He said he had to try to handle people's payday problems. "When you look at them, their taxes and the hours that they work, it just doesn't add up to that $140, claimed Heavner.

He told us it got so bad that another manager at the Euclid location handed out cash from his pocket or transferred money to workers through a cash app. "He would forward them money saying, 'Oh, you just have to pay me back' like in a certain amount of weeks, said Heavner.

So, all of that was sort of under the table then, huh? we asked.

Yesits not right, Heavner told us.

Heavner said he would contact Inpax corporate offices in Atlanta trying to get answers. "They wouldn't respond most of the time, Heavner told us.

They wouldn't even respond to their own employees that were getting shorted? we asked.

Yes, said Heavner.

How did you feel during that time? we asked him.

I just felt really bad for the employees, Heavner responded.

Meanwhile, don't just take Huggins and Heavner's word for it. We talked with three other people on camera who said they worked for Inpax in Euclid, they had pay problems, and they were ignored. We also talked with four more people off camera, so, a total of 9 people came forward.

I felt like I was betrayed. I was lied to. That's how I felt, said Mary Eberhardt, who told us she worked for Inpax but has since left.

In fact, Heavner said some workers who quit would come back on Fridays to pick up their past checks and he would answer those calls for Inpax. "No...I don't see no paycheck here, said Heavner about what he would say talking to those former workers. Even though I sent information out to [Inpax corporate] saying, 'Hey, this person is missing this day, and this day, and this day."

And we found several complaints on sites like Indeed from people who make similar claims at Inpax locations around the country. One person from Illinois recently wrote, "Both corporate and management lie to the employees. I had a day missing off a check and it's going on three weeks and I'm still fighting to get my money..." from Inpax. Another in North Carolina wrote, "I can work the same hours every week and my pay changes variously." And even one from a year-and-a half ago in Texas wrote, "I have not gotten paid this past Friday...the Friday before my check was short $120."

As for Huggins, he's still trying to get answers as to why his thousands of dollars weren't there in time for Christmas as promised. "I wasn't able to buy my mother a Christmas present, [or] my little sister, [or] my girlfriend."

After contacting Inpax numerous times, we received this statement from the companys CEO Leonard Wright.

Our 5 On Your Side Investigation has also led to Amazon launching its own investigation into Inpax. Weve been told the company does regular audits with its business partners to see if theyre abiding by laws and Amazons Supplier Code of Conduct. If the partners are not keeping up their end, Amazon will take action.

Heres Amazons official statement:

Have you ever been inundated with robocalls? Some are scams, telemarketers, or people wanting you to answer a survey. 5 On Your Side Investigators dug into six apps that claim they'll block robocalls and which ones our volunteers would or would not recommend to you.

Not even the 5 On Your Side Investigative Unit is immune to those robocalls. So, we kept track of dozens of calls that came to our work phones during several months time.

Then, we decided to do an experiment. It's a non-scientific test but, nevertheless, a search to stop those things. We chose six apps.

"I'm downloading RoboKiller, said Joe. He wanted in on our experiment. "I get at least a half-dozen spam calls a day." He got the RoboKiller app, but we also tested, Numbo, Hiya, Nomorobo, Call Control, and Call Blocker.

"I would love to just even have half the calls blocked, said Kelly who has two phones each on a different wireless provider. One is for work and one is for her personal use. "Almost all of my personal calls are robocalls, she told us.

We asked all of our volunteers to try the app with its free version for about 10 days. Would they get those pesky calls at work like they have in the past?

"You kind of have to answer it just in case it is a legitimate call, said Ian. He used the Call Control app. "It does give you a lot of notifications, basically, encouraging you to subscribe to the full service," he told us.

He said he did notice a bit of a decline in the calls, but would he approve of it?

"I would recommend it for people who do get so many robocalls that they're actually looking for a paid solution," Ian said.

Another person on our staff said the Numbo app still let three calls get through during our testing and that it was hard to tell if it was working.

As for the Hiya app, our reviewer said before the app he constantly got robocalls. During the app, he said some calls still got through so, he questioned if another app would stop the calls better.

"I, actually, for most of the week I logged when I got calls, said Kelly. She wrote down the calls she received even with Call Blocker. The app allows you to put in a number that may or may not be a call you want. The ones that turned out to be robocalls I put that number into their system, and almost every time it said that call was safe to answer."

So, would she keep the app? "I am going to delete it from my phone because it didn't do anything for me," Kelly told us.

Meanwhile, with the Nomorobo app, our volunteer said she still got 10 robocalls during the experiment and she would not recommend it.

And remember Joe with the RoboKiller app?

"Did it kill the robos? we asked.

I think it showed mercy because it did not kill all of the robos, he said with a bit of a laugh. He told us the app killed about half of the robocalls.

The app has a unique strategy that plays a recorded message back to the spam callers pretending to be talking to them live. "I actually enjoyed it because I liked listening to the messages later on because it would capture these amazing moments and call center frustration," said Joe. He gave RoboKiller a half-and-half recommendation. I don't think I'd necessarily pay for it to actually block my calls."

In the end, some apps helped, but not one was a silver bullet to fend off robocalls.

All the apps say they will block your robocalls and are effective.

Again, this was an unscientific experiment, but the upshot here is that theres a lot of growth in the robo-blocking world. In fact, cell carries like Verizon and AT&T launched their own products. So, stand by for more to try.

Heres a link to the National Do Not Call Registry that could help your efforts as well.