Unwanted Calls

FedEx is delivering my $500 check today! That's ~125 gals of 100LL
 
I'm usually pretty skeptic of phone calls that are not from area because of telemarketers except for one thing:

I changed my number like 6 years ago. A few months after that, and even to this day, I get calls asking for "Ethel". I could block them, but most of the callers sound like they are about my grandma's age and with a distinctive southern accent. Some of the grannies are super sweet and respond with "Oh! I'm so sorry! Do you happen to know Ethel's new phone number?" but some insist that it is the right number and Ethel should pick up the phone. Some start guessing who am I related to.

I also get the sweetest group messages on X-mas and New years eve....
 
biplanebob said:
Sometimes, when I am in a sporting mood, I will answer a telemarketing call just to eff with them and waste their time.
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If it's a live person I inform them I'm recording the conversation for the FBI. Fastest hangups ever.
 
Gio Paolinelli said:
I'm usually pretty skeptic of phone calls that are not from area because of telemarketers except for one thing:

I changed my number like 6 years ago. A few months after that, and even to this day, I get calls asking for "Ethel". I could block them, but most of the callers sound like they are about my grandma's age and with a distinctive southern accent. Some of the grannies are super sweet and respond with "Oh! I'm so sorry! Do you happen to know Ethel's new phone number?" but some insist that it is the right number and Ethel should pick up the phone. Some start guessing who am I related to.

I also get the sweetest group messages on X-mas and New years eve....
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Definitely a southern thing...
 
deonb said:
Woo-hoo! Maybe a little relief in sight:

FCC hits robocaller with agency's largest-ever fine of $120 million


https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech...ncys-largest-ever-fine-120-million/103102546/
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Good news. Unfortunately, I bet it won't change a thing, although I don't seem to be getting quite as many of these calls lately.

I've notice another sneaky tactic that they've been using. The calls used to be from out of state numbers and most still are, but I have been getting some that use the local area code along with the first three digits of my phone number. This makes it look even more authentic to insure a pickup. The first time it happened, I answered it, SCAM! Now everytime I see a number of that variation I just ignore.

These are sneaky little suckers.
 
Gio Paolinelli said:
I get calls asking for "Ethel". Some of the grannies are super sweet and respond with "Oh! I'm so sorry! Do you happen to know Ethel's new phone number?" but some insist that it is the right number and Ethel should pick up the phone.
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Maybe they think you're Gertrude..? ;):D

Btw, welcome to the forum Gio! I see that you're a newer member. Hope you find as much value as you will entertainment.
 
Usually you can find out the identity of the company paying the telemarketer -

That generates an email to their Privacy Policy info account:

Dear Sirs or Madams:

I have been receiving unsolicited marketing contacts from your company at my email/phone, or from a marketing company which I must presume you control.

I wish to inform you that I have a personal unsolicited contact policy. This policy requires the sender/caller to pay me $1000 per unsolicited contact including collection costs and attorneys fees. Sending me an unsolicited commercial email or phone contact is your agreement to my policy.

------------

FWIW, I just collected $1459.83 from a local car dealer for spamming me multiple times after receiving the above mail. $1000 for a settled amount plus $375 for attorneys fees plus $84.83 in court costs. . . .

I've gone into small claims a couple of times - and the defenses are remarkably inept. "I never received your communication . . .": well, we sent a request for id of Calif privacy rights to the same email address and received that response, or, "I never agreed to that" or the ever popular. . "We did not send it." Well who did? "we don't know." Ok - then I ask for a recess so I can do discovery - and I send them a request for production of every marketing contract they have - I have ALWAYS found the company who sent the email or made the call showing up in their response. Usually before the response I get a call from their legal beagles asking me to settle.

I have had a couple of people who I've sued tell me I'm being a leech on the system for suing them - and I ask them why they're violating the do not call list. The responses I get under oath are hilarious - most of them 'I didn't call you." Which the Judge then gets to explain to them the idea of agency. One guy simply refused to acknowledge that he 'controlled' the conduct of telemarketer by hiring them. He simply refused to understand that by hiring the company he controlled their conduct on his behalf. He even decided the appeal the $4300 small claims decision which generated a $8000 judgment against him principally for my attorneys fees. Then he refused to pay. Which caused me to send a Sheriff to his bank and seize almost $9000 on payday - which caused the pay checks to bounce.

Anyway - small claims provides anyone the avenue to pursue these claims against the business that hires the telemarketers . . .

Remember - its also against the law to spoof caller ID with the intent to mislead a consumer. . . .
 
My wife and I had fun with this the other day when she received one of these calls. The caller had a slight Indian accent and it just so happens that I do an excellently exaggerated Indian voice. He found it very annoying and eventually put someone else on so they could hear me too. I told them I was enjoying a nice Kingfisher and watching the cricket matches. They hung up very frustrated. My wife was laughing so hard I had to look away from her or I would have lost it too.
 
murphey said:
Start calling and faxing your congress critters and complain. Keep up calling and faxing. At some point, they will get the message.

Keep calling. Keep emailing. Keep faxing.
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Not likely that it will do any good, but worth a try. The telemarketers have the idea that this Administration is not going to enforce that law & will cutback regulations even more (there was a proposal to allow telemarketers to leave you voice mail without even ringing your phone). Likewise I see no effort to force the big phone companies to do anything to stop the abuse.
 
comanchepilot said:
Usually you can find out the identity of the company paying the telemarketer -

That generates an email to their Privacy Policy info account:

Dear Sirs or Madams:

I have been receiving unsolicited marketing contacts from your company at my email/phone, or from a marketing company which I must presume you control.

I wish to inform you that I have a personal unsolicited contact policy. This policy requires the sender/caller to pay me $1000 per unsolicited contact including collection costs and attorneys fees. Sending me an unsolicited commercial email or phone contact is your agreement to my policy.

------------

FWIW, I just collected $1459.83 from a local car dealer for spamming me multiple times after receiving the above mail. $1000 for a settled amount plus $375 for attorneys fees plus $84.83 in court costs. . . .

I've gone into small claims a couple of times - and the defenses are remarkably inept. "I never received your communication . . .": well, we sent a request for id of Calif privacy rights to the same email address and received that response, or, "I never agreed to that" or the ever popular. . "We did not send it." Well who did? "we don't know." Ok - then I ask for a recess so I can do discovery - and I send them a request for production of every marketing contract they have - I have ALWAYS found the company who sent the email or made the call showing up in their response. Usually before the response I get a call from their legal beagles asking me to settle.

I have had a couple of people who I've sued tell me I'm being a leech on the system for suing them - and I ask them why they're violating the do not call list. The responses I get under oath are hilarious - most of them 'I didn't call you." Which the Judge then gets to explain to them the idea of agency. One guy simply refused to acknowledge that he 'controlled' the conduct of telemarketer by hiring them. He simply refused to understand that by hiring the company he controlled their conduct on his behalf. He even decided the appeal the $4300 small claims decision which generated a $8000 judgment against him principally for my attorneys fees. Then he refused to pay. Which caused me to send a Sheriff to his bank and seize almost $9000 on payday - which caused the pay checks to bounce.

Anyway - small claims provides anyone the avenue to pursue these claims against the business that hires the telemarketers . . .

Remember - its also against the law to spoof caller ID with the intent to mislead a consumer. . . .
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Attorney fees ? I thought you were an attorney ?
 
comanchepilot said:
Remember - its also against the law to spoof caller ID with the intent to mislead a consumer. . . .
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That's new to me. Can you cite that law? California only or Federal?

Back when I was doing bigger telecom, there was no such law. Caller ID was the Wild West. It literally meant nothing.

The more fun one is if you have trunks that allow changing Caller ID, at least as of a few years ago, at least one major cellular carrier's default security settings for your voice mail only looked at Caller ID to see if you were calling the voice mail system from your cell. In other words, anyone who could spoof Caller ID could also access your voice mail anytime they liked, without a password, if you didn't set one.

(I used to jokingly spoof my buddy's Caller ID and call his cell number which would dump me in his voice mail and I'd leave him a message from himself as well as mess with his recorded announcement. Since he worked in IT security he only let me do that twice before he fixed it by adding a passcode. Haha. Somewhat embarrassing for the "security guy" not to have control over his own voicemail box!)
 
PM me and I'll fix you up with a very fine law degree...
 
Just got one of those spoofed calls with my area code and prefix. I never answer them.
 
SCCutler said:
I do a very good job of imitating an automatic response system when answering a call from a number I do not recognize, and the calls rarely continue. I idly wonder whether, when that result obtains, there might be some possibility that the number is removed from that list?

When I answer, I allow a pause of about a second, then in a forceful but controlled voice (you who know me, know that "forceful voice" is not a stretch for me!), say, "Hello. Thank you for calling. (pause) Enter your access code now." Usually, that ends it, but if it continues (and it might be talking), I follow with "Enter your access code now." After that comes "Goodbye (click)."

May just be entertaining myself. But (again, known well to my friends here), I am easily amused.
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Some of them call back. And keep calling back. One called from a number that looked familiar, but it was a telemarketer that I hung up on.... they called back, cursed me out, and came damn near to threatening me.
 
Everskyward said:
Just got one of those spoofed calls with my area code and prefix. I never answer them.
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I have just received two within the past hour. Surprising how sneaky these con-artists can be.
 
Ryanb said:
I've notice another sneaky tactic that they've been using. The calls used to be from out of state numbers and most still are, but I have been getting some that use the local area code along with the first three digits of my phone number. This makes it look even more authentic to insure a pickup. The first time it happened, I answered it, SCAM! Now everytime I see a number of that variation I just ignore.

These are sneaky little suckers.
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The specific guy that was hit with the $120m fine in the link above was using neighborhood spoofing.

"The calls used "neighborhood spoofing" technology to include local area codes and the first three numbers of the recipient's own phone number to encourage people to answer the calls."
 
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denverpilot said:
That's new to me. Can you cite that law? California only or Federal?
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Federal.

Truth in Caller ID act, H.R. 1258 and SR.30, signed into law by Obama on December 22, 2010.

I believe this (the $120m fine), was the first enforcement action of it though.

From:
https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/spoofing-and-caller-id

Specifically:

Is spoofing illegal?
Under the Truth in Caller ID Act, FCC rules prohibit any person or entity from transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongly obtain anything of value. If no harm is intended or caused, spoofing is not illegal. Anyone who is illegally spoofing can face penalties of up to $10,000 for each violation. In some cases, spoofing can be permitted by courts for people who have legitimate reasons to hide their information, such as law enforcement agencies working on cases, victims of domestic abuse or doctors who wish to discuss private medical matters.


What are the FCC rules regarding caller ID for telemarketers?
FCC rules specifically require that a telemarketer:

1) Transmit or display its telephone number or the telephone number on whose behalf the call is being made, and, if possible, its name or the name of the company for which it is selling products or services.
2) Display a telephone number you can call during regular business hours to ask to no longer be called. This rule applies even to companies that already have an established business relationship with you.
 
deonb said:
The specific guy that was hit with the $120m fine in the link above was using neighborhood spoofing.

"The calls used "neighborhood spoofing" technology to include local area codes and the first three numbers of the recipient's own phone number to encourage people to answer the calls."
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I've gotten those numerous amounts of times. I was fooled the first time.
 
Ryanb said:
I've gotten those numerous amounts of times. I was fooled the first time.
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That one was an easy "no way" for me. My cell number is in a block that was assigned to only cells from one particular carrier in the 90s and my wife's is in the same NXX block. Nobody else I've ever talked to is in the same block.
 
denverpilot said:
That one was an easy "no way" for me. My cell number is in a block that was assigned to only cells from one particular carrier in the 90s and my wife's is in the same NXX block. Nobody else I've ever talked to is in the same block.
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It's easy for me to tell, because my Google Voice number is an exchange from Ft. Lupton. I don't know anyone in Ft. Lupton.
 
Everskyward said:
Just got one of those spoofed calls with my area code and prefix. I never answer them.
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I get at least 3 of those every day. Sometimes more than that... MANY more. :(

(In fact I got 2 yesterday while on a hike, in an area where I didn't think it was possible to get a cell signal. Thinking next time I will put it in airplane mode.)

I've never intentionally answered one of those. But sometimes in getting my phone out to silence the thing I've accidentally swiped across it the control. There are times I HATE iOS. :(
 
I have an app called Mr. Number. It recognizes numbers that other users have reported and automatically blocks them. If I get a call from a number I don't recognize, it takes just a couple of steps to block it too.

It's easy to use, works well, and doesn't have any ads or BS in the app. I have almost eliminated spam calls.
 
3393RP said:
I have an app called Mr. Number. It recognizes numbers that other users have reported and automatically blocks them. If I get a call from a number I don't recognize, it takes just a couple of steps to block it too.

It's easy to use, works well, and doesn't have any ads or BS in the app. I have almost eliminated spam calls.
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Based on your description though, it seems it would not stop the spoofed calls from within one's own area code, since those are generally legitimate numbers chosen at random by the spammer. The majority of the spam calls I get are of that kind. I'm tempted to try it anyway assuming it's free (is it?), but don't have high hopes that it would help me much.
 
Yep, about a year ago we started getting calls spoofed from the same area code and exchange. Amusingly, I don't have anybody I know in my exchange (my wife's cell even on the same account has a completely different number). I just don't bother answering any call that I don't recognize the caller ID. If it is important, a few seconds later I'll get a Voice Mail note and if it was legitimate, I can call them right back.
 
Telemarketing slimo: hi I'm calling from Rygel 7 to sell you crap
Me: you have called a number on the do not call registry. Are you aware that you could be engaging in a felonious activity?
Telemarketing slimo: <click>
or
But our offer is...
Me: since you have now indicated your intent to engage in this activity I must request the identity of your supervisor and the address from which you've placed this call.
Telemarketing slimo: but, but but...
Me: failure to provide the requested information could result in a charge of obstruction of justice, punishable by a year in Federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

I've yet to get anyone to stick around past this. If they ever do I'll remind them that I already have their number and can quite easily trace it back to them.
 
I had the most persistent telemarketer call me on Saturday on my home phone. It was my home area code but an Indian guy. Spoofed. I'm usually not nasty but this guy was asking for it.

He was pushing Verizon Fios. They offer 79.99 service but when you add DVR's, 2 boxes, faster internet, HBO, it comes out to $150, $20 less than I'm paying for cable. Not worth it. I gave him a few minutes and told him that with all the charges, it's not worth it for me. And told him that I'm not interested and hung up, not looking to discuss further. 30 seconds later, he calls back and says "Sir you hung up. Can I tell you more about it?". Me: "Like I said earlier, I'm not interested, thanks". And hung up again. 30 seconds later, he calls back. I wasn't going to answer but was curious. He says "But sir can I just say something else?" I replied with "Are you f*****g retarded? How many times do I need to tell you that I'm not interested?" And I hung up. He didn't call back.

Then on Sunday, he prank called me twice. Same exact number. I answered, nothing but dead air. The number looked familiar so I checked my caller ID and sure enough it was the Verizon guy from Saturday. About 5 minutes later, he called me again. I answered and dead air again. I just started laughing.
 
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Yes. I just got a phony IRS call. Seems that I "tried to file fraud tax return". Who talks like that? I have to call them back and have a little fun.
361-209-8672
 
orange said:
Yes. I just got a phony IRS call. Seems that I "tried to file fraud tax return". Who talks like that? I have to call them back and have a little fun.
361-209-8672
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Like the number on Friday, it's busy. I guess they call so many people that it's always busy. Sucks to think about older or unknowing (usually poor) people getting victimized by these Indian scumbags.
 
I've gotten pretty good at whistling the increasing pitch tone then answering, "the number you have dialed has been disconnected or is no longer in service. Please check your number and dial again. If you need help, please dial your operator."
 
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