We subscribe to Verizon/Fios for our TV, Internet and phone line. We have the "Triple Play". For quite a while now we've been getting quite a number of robo calls every day. A whlie ago someone (Trapper I think) posted a number that detects robo calls and disconnects the phone after one ring.

Yesterday, I started to get something new. About 6 times today and 6 times yesterday the phone rang and my name and phone number appeared in the caller ID. My wife originally thought it was me calling from my cell phone, but when we looked at the caller ID we saw that the call was coming from the land line number. It would be impossible to call myself using the phone line that I was calling from so I assume that someone had hijacked my phone number. Because it's a robo call it rings once and disconnects.

I called customer service at Verizon, and they explained that they are experiencing this and it's know as spooffing. Unfortunately, there is nothing that they can do about this.

I suspect that somebody hacked Verizon's database and got names and phone numbers, but they say no.

Have you experienced this? What did you do about it?

 

I guess there are all kinds of spoofing software, which can spoof the call from the IRS, your bank, your work, your Mom, nearly anything. One thing a computer geek friend at work said, NEVER talk on a call, unless you are darn sure it isn't a spoof. There are voice recognition software now, that maybe able to trace your online information, by using your voice.

It's a brave new world we live in.

 

Yep...... We've had that problem. We also have the "Triple Play" but with COMCAST.
I use the NOMOROBO program to block most robo calls.
I can also block up to 25 numbers using a COMCAST option instead.
What I did was block my own phone number using the COMCAST method.
That was a couple of years ago..... Either it's working or the spoofers have given up. In any event we get no more calls from our own number.

 

I get spoof calls from my same area code and prefix. This is very common. I just don't answer and then block them.

-- Chuck

 

^Me, too, on both.

 

Happens with all carriers. Not hard at all to spoof a phone number and caller id info unfortunately. They also do not need to do anything related to your carrier to get your info. Anywhere you have given your phone number and name has that in a database (stores, anywhere you order stuff, etc). In addition, companies whose primary purpose is collecting and selling data (this is one of Googles main source of business by the way) cannot always be trusted to not sell info they are not supposed to. Just look at all the facebook crap that has come out.

Hoping carriers choose to use the more open laws just passed to stop some of this. But we will see.

https://www.mobileworldlive.com/feat...nwanted-calls/

 

We have Comcast, no spoofing.

 

To illustrate how easy it is, there used to be this thing called "Hannah Montana Calls" where you could send someones name and phone number and it would call someones cell and play a pre-recorded greeting from Hannah Montana. We all thought it was hilarious, because you also could tell it which phone number and name you wanted to show up on the caller ID, so we were having everyone in our office getting calls from "Hannah Montana", but showing up as our manager :P

Pretty sure the updated FCC regs later squashed that as it was technically illegal. BUT, there are web services that allow you to place a VOIP call with any caller ID you wish to spoof. It really is that simple to do. Illegal or not.

The thing is getting your number to start with, but like I said before, that is not all that hard these days. Being in leadership positions in companies, I have gotten tons of "lead generation" companies contacting me trying to sell contact lists with key corporate contacts at companies, including their title, names, phone numbers, etc. Your info is for sale everywhere unfortunately.

 

Its funny, my son always answers the phone like an "old person" to pull the chain of whoever is calling. I wonder about the voice recognition in the those cases. I have also heard that if you are speaking to a bot or real person, never, never, NEVER say "good, yes, affirmative" or any word like that. If you do, that word will be spiced in as your agreement to switch services (slamming) and the next thing you know is the receipt of strange bills. If the person or bot asks questions such as "is this .... or how are you today" respond with a question or some other statement. I prefer "terrible" awful" or" not doing well" etc. If you want to know if you are speaking to a bot (at this point in technology) ask the person which state they were born in or what is 2+2. Bots will never answer the question but give you some bs "can't answer that".

 

Same, None here, so far.