Caller ID --ILLEGAL SCAM

[Lulav]

My phone just rang.

I have caller ID.

I listened for my phone to tell me who it was.

I blinked and thought, did I hear that right?

It repeated it.

Still not sure.

Looked at the screen.

This is what it said.

ILLEGAL SCAM followed by the number

My 'secretary' didn't pronounce it right, therefore my confusion.

Has anyone else noticed this happening recently?

I am so sick of tele-scammers, I'm on the DNC list and that doesn't seem to help but maybe they are cracking down?

 

[Darkhorse]

Maybe

Or maybe it's just a clever telemarketer's trick to arouse your curiosity and answer it...

I've heard of telemarketers spoofing your own phone number, so that your Caller ID looks like you are calling yourself...and some silly fools answer it!.

I don't answer ANY number or blocked Caller ID call - only calls that I have saved in my phone. Anyone calling can leave a voicemail, and if they're legitimate, I can call them.

 

[Sabertooth]

Or maybe it's just a clever telemarketer's trick to arouse your curiosity and answer it...

...or a modern form of the prank phone call...?

 

[tampasteve]

It's simply the phone referencing the internet to check against caller ID. When it finds references to scam reviews or scam websites it reports back to you as a possible scam number. The FCC cant do much about it as they ignore the DNC list anyways as it is a scam. The caller spoofs the caller ID through technology so they can't be tracked easily. Best to just ignore it or answer and hang up.

 

[thecolorsblend]

Telemarketers. There's only one way to deal with them.

But since there are laws against that, there are other options.

 

[Lulav]

I have a very powerful whistle standing by but am reluctant to use it, these people are just trying to make a living, its the ones who hired them that are the problems.

 

[Lulav]

It's simply the phone referencing the internet to check against caller ID. When it finds references to scam reviews or scam websites it reports back to you as a possible scam number. The FCC cant do much about it as they ignore the DNC list anyways as it is a scam. The caller spoofs the caller ID through technology so they can't be tracked easily. Best to just ignore it or answer and hang up.

Really? Well that's news to me. Are you saying that the phone company has integrated my landline with my wifi?

I was asking because this is the first time I've seen this. I don't answer unless I recognize the number. If it's interrupting something I simply push the speaker button on and off.

 

[nChrist]

My wife and I are on the do not call lists, but that doesn't appear to work very well. We don't answer the phone unless we recognize the caller on our caller ID, so the call goes to our answering machine. Telemarketers rarely use our answering machine to leave a message. These calls are illegal and a nuisance in our case.

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

I've been getting the message, "Scam Likely," for a few months, now. It's a relatively new thing. I rarely answer, but so far it has always been right. I believe this is a service provided by the phone company.

 

[Lulav]

Thanks, glad to know someone else is getting it. My desk phone with a large screen sits next to where I work all day. It is easy to see the read out and I always check it or have it on so that it's read out by the computer in it. It's just this past week I've heard or seen this scam thing.
I just checked through my recent calls and found these.

Spam? RNC
Spam? Fourtown
Illegal Spam

It dates back only to April 13.

 

[pgp_protector]

I know T-Mobile and a few others have been rolling out Scam Protection for known Scam numbers
Get automatic scam protection on your phone | T-Mobile
And also allow for Scam Block (where known numbers won't even ring through)

 

[Lulav]

This is on my home landline. I'm glad to know others are seeing it too.

 

[Albion]

The Federal Trade Commission (consumer.ftc.gov) has some good info about all of this, but I think the Do Not Call list is pretty much useless because of the new techniques being used by scammers.

Incidentally, in my experience, no Unknown, Unknown Caller, or Unidentified Caller has ever turned out to be real, but Wireless Caller is probably someone you know.

 

[GeorgeJ]

The DNC applies to calls originating within the U.S.

Most of the scammers now are calling from overseas and spoofing U.S. numbers.

 

[Lulav]

I am so sick of these calls. It's total harassment and I'm paying for it!

My husband and I are Seniors so I think that part of that is elderly scamming. I bought a whistle awhile ago, I haven't had the heart to use it yet as I know that this is the way some have to make their living and I don't want to destroy their hearing but I'm tired of this.

 

[pgp_protector]

For me, with my cell phone I keep it simple.
Incoming call
1) In my contact list, answer if I can
2) Not in contact list (blocked number, no name provided) -> Voice mail.
a) you leave a voice mail, return call if required.
b) no voice mail -> Blocked list.
3) Not in contact list (name provided), same as 2 unless I'm expecting you.
4) Phone starts with first 6 digits the same as mine? blocked.

 

[nhaas11]

get a good scam blocker, hiya works for me.

also FCC wants to start charging consumers $150. for each complaint that they make. talk about a scam.

 

[pgp_protector]

get a good scam blocker, hiya works for me.

also FCC wants to start charging consumers $150. for each complaint that they make. talk about a scam.

Don't think that is correct.
No, the FCC won't charge you $225 to complain about robocalls, Pai says

 

[nhaas11]

Don't think that is correct.
No, the FCC won't charge you $225 to complain about robocalls, Pai says

Even in the article it says, "others are not sure", I just wish they would streamline the process.