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Caller ID "spoofing"

Navy Chief

Navy Chief

Senior Member
I am seeing an increase in the number of telemarketer calls lately. To make it worse, when I answer, there's no response most of the time. The ones who DO say something - immediately get a blast from me, saying, "I am on a NO Call List. Do NOT call here again." I am on the Federal and State No Call List. But still I get calls, and often with no one on the other end. I have Googled the numbers that appear on Caller ID, and in every case they have been reported by others as being telemarketers. Now I am starting to report them to the FCC, although am sure that won't stop these bozos.

I have heard about methods of "masking" my IP address. What I gather, is that some of these telemarketers somehow take my IP address, and am able to find my phone number.

Any advice on fighting back against these idiots?

NC
 
the "silent" calls are basicly are where their computer calls a number, but theres no "operator" to take the call, if that makes sense. As to the others, take the operators name, business name, number, then report it to whover you guys report cold callers to. Prolly wont help massivly but it stopt em calling me over ere.
 
Just pull out the phone plug :icon_lol:

Seriously, we had that problem too in this country, until a law was put in place forbidding it. Took a while to fade out and still getting the odd Indian on the phone once in awhile.
Just not answering helps a lot...... I only have a few people who really call me, and I recognize their numbers.

Many of our friends do not even HAVE a land line anymore and just use their cell phone and Internet.
 
If you don't recognize the number don't pick it up! Once you do they know it's a good number .:173go1:
 
Deb and I were getting tons of telemarketer calls...we never answered them, but having the phone ring 20 times a day was just rediculus. Those few people who actually called to talk to us called us on our cell phones.....so we simply did away with the land line. Now the house is quiet and we are saving $40 a month. Talk about a Win Win situation.

OBIO
 
I've started getting texts on my cell phone from telemarketers. Last thing I need is for these idiots to start eating up my minutes.
 
Willy said:
I've started getting texts on my cell phone from telemarketers. Last thing I need is for these idiots to start eating up my minutes.
Click to expand...

If you get a text, but don't open it....does it still count against your minutes? If so, that's just wrong!!
 
I'm just plain mean to those UFO Calls. I just take my fog horn and blow it in the receiver. Word must have got around and now peace and quiet.
 
I'd sriously consider "losing" my landline and going straight mobile, but my 85 y/o Mom lives with me and, for whatever reason, she just can't hear stuff on the cordless phones. So we keep a corded landline in her bedroom. Too, I have (what is most probably) an unreasoned hatred of both caller ID and call waiting. I just answer the phonead if it's either a telemarketer or a political "robocall" (lot's of these now-a-days), I just hang the damned thing up. No muss, no fuss. And it's a good anger management exercise.

LA
 
Text messages will not count against your minutes but will count against your text count.

Under no circumstances do you ever reply to a text message to tell them to stop. That only confirms your number can get text messages and they will send you messages more often. It is the same as spam.

Rule number 1 when it comes to phone calls you do not have to answer it every time it rings. It took the wife and I years to get her mom to understand just walk away when you see a number you do not know.

Myself I have no answering machine if you have one turn it off or throw it away. It serves no purpose today with everyone having a cell phone.

Tell everyone you know if they want you call you on your cell.
 
When the national "do not call" thing came out I signed up. Guess what? I got more telemarketer calls. I think the do-not-call list is actually a reservoir of numbers for telemarketers to use. For the few times a marketer gets reported and the relatively light penalties, it's worth the increased income for marketers to call every number they can find. Cell phone telemarketing had been pretty much non-existent, but with so many people, like me, ditching the land line in favor of a cell phone, cell phone numbers are now fair game for the marketers.
 
Well, the land line here is my sister's phone. I'll probably just turn off the ringer, and let the answer machine take messages upstairs. So far, (crossing fingers) my cell phone hasn't been "discovered"......

I do, however, like the idea of blasting them with a loud horn!

NC
 
I too have received telemarketer calls both on both land line and cellular . Time-Warner digital and AT & T wireless . I have noticed an increase in the past couple of months . I have tried in vain to get the wife to drop the land line but she won't . I am also signed up for "no call list " for both . I also get an occasional text message on the cell . A couple of days ago I got a call from a guy wanting to sell me a home security system and I told him I already had one . He asked what I had and I told him it's a Smith and Wesson 9mm semi auto , 8mm Mauser , 20 ga Ithaca "Featherweight" 5 shot pump , Winchester 20ga Model 37 , Remington Apache 77 22 cal rifle and a H & R 9 shot 22cal revolver . He snickered a little then said that's all well and good sir but what happens when your not at home ? I answered my German Sheppard handles the backup duties .:icon_lol: He hung up without saying anything more . It's possible he may not call again . :icon_lol:

Rich
 
Another reason I'm grateful I live in the UK!! "Silent calls" are a problem here, but the problem is diminishing rapidly; we have similiar 'do not call' services to yourselves (The Telephone Preference Service), and laws that state people need to 'opt in' to receive any kind of marketing call - i.e. tick the box that says "Yes, we agree to receive marketing information" which, unbelievably, people actually do. This is combined with restrictions on the percentage of silent calls any company can make, go over that percentage and you will be fined; until recently those fines were rleatively modest, up to a maximum of £50000 - but the regulator, OFCOM, has increased the potential fines to £2m which will focus the mind of even the most unscrupulous operator. And that fine will be applied to the UK client company if they simply outsource to somewhere like India.

Ironically now the remaining area of concern is the US, from where the software (and thus the problem) originated; our legislators can't touch US companies, so they are the one group still causing issues. Oh, and the reason I am so well informed is because, until recently, I worked within the industry, thankfully for one of the more reputable firms (even if they do treat their staff as disposable commodities).

Just an observation guys; the problem here is the people who run these companies and their greed, lack of ethics and the flawed software they use. If you actually get to speak to a real person please bear in mind that they doing a totally soul-destroying job that many of them hate (although some of 'em get a real pleasure out of being hard-nosed b******s); being rude and/or obnoxious (however frustrated you may be) achieves little, whereas being polite but firm gives you the moral high ground.
 
Didn't they decrease the regulations on the cell phone marketing here in the US last year or whenever and it now makes it legal ? I don't know the specifics or the law . I think I remember some sort of legislation concerning cell phones . :isadizzy:

Rich
 
I do not yet know, but what I do know is the wife started getting marketing calls on her cell phone, and is pissed. :)

We got rid of the land line because we were irritated about that marketing conduit long enough, and rarely used it for our own purposes.
 
i no longer have the landline,just a cell...but its the same number..odd thing is..i no longer get telemarketer calls,,i get them from directv,,but they claim its because im a long time customer..but back when i had a regular landline service...i would flirt with the person....tell them they had a sexy voice and start asking personal questions...sometimes very personal...they would hang up quickly
 
stansdds said:
When the national "do not call" thing came out I signed up. Guess what? I got more telemarketer calls. I think the do-not-call list is actually a reservoir of numbers for telemarketers to use. For the few times a marketer gets reported and the relatively light penalties, it's worth the increased income for marketers to call every number they can find. Cell phone telemarketing had been pretty much non-existent, but with so many people, like me, ditching the land line in favor of a cell phone, cell phone numbers are now fair game for the marketers.
Click to expand...

stansdds you hit the nail on the right on the head, what has happened here in Canada is the Do Not Call List has become a gold mine for the industry - well the members of the industry lower ethecial standards. What happens here and I assume the same process is used in other countires, is each registered Telemarkerter is required to get a copy of the do not call list database and update it monthly from our CRTC, they must program their phone systems including all autodialers to block all outgoing calls to numbers on that list or any monthly update. That all seems well and good in theory, however what is happening is these Canadian companies (many are owned offshore) follow the letter of the law, however they also send this "verified" list of valid numbers to an offshore parent or sister company who is outside the reach of Canadian law who dial away.

I never did register and didn't notice much change in volume of calls when the Do not call list became effective, I have seen a drop over the last two years though. The wife was wanting to register and I said no way, so she said ok you answer all incoming calls - no problem for me, most of the time I could barely understand who was speaking and I just kept saying "what, huh, I can't hear you I'm hard of hearing" they seem to have gotten tired and must have moved me down the list I now get 1 or 2 a week at most.
 
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