Incoming call with my phone number in caller ID- but a telemarketer
RFSutton
Newbie

I have been getting several phone calls for-which the caller ID is my number.  When I answer the call it is a Credit Card company trying to sell me services.

How can someone call my number and the caller ID have my number?

 

Are other seeing this as well? How do we prevent this from happening?

Smart telemarketers but surprised they can do this

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Re: Incoming call with my phone number in caller ID- but a telemarketer
tns2
Community Leader
Community Leader

Nomorobo mentioned a rush of such callers.  If you use nomorobo, they should now be blocked. 

Smiley WinkDon't answer calls from yourself, unless you know you placed the call.

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Re: Incoming call with my phone number in caller ID- but a telemarketer
Telcoguru
Master - Level 1

They spoofed your number on the caller ID.

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Re: Incoming call with my phone number in caller ID- but a telemarketer
gs0b
Community Leader
Community Leader

It's called "spoofing."  Its due to the design decisions made by the telephone systems engineers back when "Bell Telephone" built and ran the whole system.  Today, savvy VoIP users can insert any caller-ID they want.  There isn't anything that can be done about it until the telephone system is completely redesigned.

As others have mentioned, nomorobo.com is a great solution for zapping telemarketers if you have FiOS Digital Voice.

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Re: Incoming call with my phone number in caller ID- but a telemarketer
Evie37521
Enthusiast - Level 1

So basically the answer to why Verizon can't stop VOIP spoofing is - sorry it is not our fault and we won't spend the money to redesign the system or we are not capable of redesigning the system.  Which is it?  Besides if the system was redesigned, you wouldn't be able to charge customers for FIOS blocking services and/or called id, call blocking, etc.  I get calls all day and night 7 days a week that are just scam calls.  I need to keep a landline where I live because wireless service is intermittent.  I spend over $50 a month only to be harrassed day in and day out.  I have had to purchase a phone that allows me to block 250 numbers and the calls still keep coming.  Some days I totally unplug the phone so I dont have to listen to the relentless ringing - especially at night.   I have elderly parents so it's important they have a way to reach me which locks me into having a landline.  It is extremely frustrating and annoying that I pay to be harrassed constantly and the only response Verizon gives is sorry it's not our fault and it's too large and too expensive to fix so deal with it and by the way your payment is due...  

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Re: Incoming call with my phone number in caller ID- but a telemarketer
gs0b
Community Leader
Community Leader

@Evie3752 wrote:

So basically the answer to why Verizon can't stop VOIP spoofing is - sorry it is not our fault and we won't spend the money to redesign the system or we are not capable of redesigning the system.  Which is it?   


Neither.

Spoofing goes way beyond Verizon's network.  It is a fundamental design issue with the entire telephone network.  It stems from the simple fact that when CallerID was designed, the engineers assumed every piece of telephone switching equipment was part of a trusted network.  Now, due to de-regulation and advances in technology, that is no longer true.

Eliminating spoofing requires a complete re-design of the entire telephone system.  Every telephone company needs to be involved, not just Verizon.  It is an extremely expensive problem to solve.  Verizon can't do it alone.

What we uses can do today is use equipment and services to screen calls.  If you can, use the free service nomorobo.com to stop telemarketers.  If you can't use it, there is equipment available for purchase that allows you to build your own block list.

Finally, assume that any CallerID with your own phone number on it is a scam.  Only answer if you're bored.

Enjoy.

P.S.  You seem to think you're talking to Verizon here.  You're not.  You're talking to other customers.

Re: Incoming call with my phone number in caller ID- but a telemarketer
rkujay1
Enthusiast - Level 2

I invested $50 in a Sentry Callblocker from Amazon. Just plug it in and it blocks EVERY call you get. You develop a white list of friends and family.  As an example, during this latest political season, 200 of our finest politicians and their minions did NOT get through.

Best fifty I ever spent.