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Strange Numbers on Caller ID?

Posted by Cliff on from the forewarned-is-forearmed dept.

boohiss asks: "I've been getting a lot of calls on my cell phone from '+001819'. I haven't answered them, of course. But what is this number? I've found some various explanations here and there, but nothing conclusive. There's also the story on Snopes about the famed 809 long distance scam, which may or may not be what this is. Could it be some form of cell phone spam that isn't compatible with my phone? Does anyone else get these calls, and has anyone figured out what they are?" If anyone is unfortunate enough to fall for one of these, what options do they have in terms of damage control?

9 of 113 comments (clear)

  1. All your caller ID are belong to us. by Supernoma · · Score: 2, Funny

    I get calls from 0-000-000-0000, how is that possible?

    --
    I'll Find You Peer, If It's The Last Thing I Do!!!!
    1. Re:All your caller ID are belong to us. by I_Love_Pocky! · · Score: 3, Funny

      It's God. You should answer.

  2. For the Intel Developer's Forum... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...I get calls from 415-000-0000. Strangely, every time I try to call them back, I can't get through.

  3. Why don't you just answer? by semaj · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... and ask them?

    Or you could of course ask 100,000 other people who have no real idea what you're talking about, of course.

    --
    Meep meep
  4. just answer it by frn123 · · Score: 1, Funny

    Why don't you just pick up the phone and ask wtf they are and what they want. Answering won't hurt you any way so whats the deal?

  5. Answer your damn phone already... by eraserewind · · Score: 2, Funny

    I've been watching you, Ne^H^H Boohiss, and I want to meet you. I don't know if you're ready to see what I want to show you, but unfortunately, we have run out of time. They're coming for you, Boohiss. And I'm not sure what they're going to do.

  6. Re:What an odd coincidence... by Karma+Farmer · · Score: 4, Funny

    I was walking down the street today and I happened across a shop downtown. The sign above the door read "XjfdiIXo-8"

    Amulet, Xorn, jelly, feline, dog, incubus, uhh... Xorn, orc, wall, uhh... and amulet.

    Actually, what are I and 8? Damn, I should know.

  7. Re:Not a scam... Just a shoddy carrier. by MalachiConstant · · Score: 4, Funny
    If you just have a blah-blah land line, its a bit different. BLAH and BLAH are transmitted blah-blah, so you can't really effect that. The blah-blah will have the same BLAH and BLAH that your blah-blah trasmitted in the blah-blah.

    Thank you for helping me understand what I sound like when I try to explain a RAID setup to my uncle.

    :)

  8. radio earphone slavery by Captain+Scurvy · · Score: 2, Funny
    I haven't answered them, of course.

    Of course. This is very smart of you. If you had gotten the notion to pick up the phone and, well, ask who they are, control of your brain would have automatically been siezed by the worldwide deadly Communist Gangster Frankenstein Computer God, who controls all of the brain-bank-brains on the far side of the moon that we never see.

    Consider yourself lucky.