Slashdot Mirror
Handling Caller ID Spoofing?
An anonymous reader writes "A nice little old lady I know has had her number spoofed by some car warranty scammers. They're calling hundreds of potential victims per day pretending to use her phone number, and the angry ones call her back; some of them have even left death threats. She's terrified. Some well-intending anti-telemarketing folks have posted her address on the 'net as well. How can we figure out where these scammer bastards are, and what's the state of the current legislation to prevent caller ID spoofing? I called the FBI in Boston (near where she lives) and they said they can't help. She's called her phone company, but they said they can't help either. She's had the same number for over 50 years and doesn't want to change it." If the Feds can't or won't handle it, what's the best approach here?
.. or she could hire - the A-TEAM!
Come on its 2008, we can't just take such trifling things as an individuals vouching for someone and their previous good record. She SAYS that she didn't make the call, but what would she say if she was waterboarded? Would she stick to her story or switch it to admit that she did make all the calls?
Sure she claims that she doesn't want to change her number just because she has had it for 50 years, but couldn't that be because she co-ordinates a major terrorist cell of grandmas across america (known in intelligence circles as Al-Quilter)? These evil women are spreading hate through out of date sugary treats and a fondness for knowing everything that is going on in the world while comparing it unfavourably with their own personal ideology of "it was better when I was young". We must stop these pedallers of hate against modern American who condemn the US of A as going to hell in a hand cart and not the sort of country that they want to live in. Death to Al-Quilter
I say condemn her based on the irrefutable caller ID evidence.
Seriously though its good that this old dear has someone looking out for her because in modern America you could easily see her being prosecuted because of an unfortunate conjunction of evidence.
An Eye for an Eye will make the whole world blind - Gandhi
Asking to be removed doesn't work.
Citing the do not call list doesn't work. They laugh.
Telling the male calling, in my deepest voice, that he sounds cute and I want his home number, THAT seems to work. Especially on the ones with southern accents.
I wonder what would happen if everyone started propositioning these callers for 'favors'.
Just post their website here - the sheer curiosity of a million slashdotters will flatten their servers faster than a horde of Mongol warriors on horseback.
Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
I've had good luck with my local FBI office (Ann Arbor) when I received an interstate death threat.
Yet another reason I make all my death threats locally...
Yeah, I just called them and got some sad sounding old lady.
I skipped the middleman and now answer "PRIVATE NUMBER" and obviously-forged numbers a little differently. Example:
Me: Nebraska Attorney General John Bruning's office, how may I help you?
Scammer: Ummm, would you... like to cut your credit card interest rates?
Me: If you hang up, I will arrest you. What number are you calling from?
Scammed: [scared expletive deleted] [dial tone]
OK, so I lied. I don't think they're going to file a complaint about it.
Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?