My home phone answering machine spends most of its time answering advertisements, political announcements, and phone scams. (The, "Do Not Call" lists obviously do not work.) Today I received a new one.

Interesting. They faked an originating phone number in San Francisco and read my name off the caller ID to pretend that they knew who I am. Apparently this is old news, but I didn't know about it. (I guess I don't watch TV enough.)

Wait...the phone is ringing. Same scam calling again! Persistent little buggers.

So..be notified.
This has been a public service announcement.

http://money.cnn.com/2015/01/22/pf/taxes/irs-tax-scams/index.html

 

I haven't answered my home phone in years.

In fact, I haven't even listened to the messages -- I thought the answering machine was supposed to do that so I didn't have to.

 

I haven't answered my home phone in years.

In fact, I haven't even listened to the messages -- I thought the answering machine was supposed to do that so I didn't have to.

Then, why do you have a landline?

 

Then, why do you have a landline?

Because it wasn't called a land line when he started the service, so how are you supposed to discontinue something you never started?

 

Because it wasn't called a land line when he started the service, so how are you supposed to discontinue something you never started?

In fact, it was called "telegraph".

 

I would love to get one of these calls and then screw with them.

 

The abysmal failure of our government (USA) to enforce the Do Not Call law has several unintended consequences. For example, I don't care who calls me, I insist that any information I give will be in writing. That had an interesting effect during the last census with a follow-up call I got. The lady I spoke with just couldn't quite understand that. I never heard fro the Census Bureau again.

John

 

The one thing the government could do to help put a stop to all this is make spoofing caller ID a felony for individuals and hefty fines for corporations that exploit the process. If that was in play it would be easy to screen calls with a device such as the telezapper.

 

Why does everyone think it's the government's job to protect them from there own stupidity? It's for this very reason that human beings are getting more stupid, not less.

 

I agree with Evil Lurker. It doesn't even have to be a felony. Just make the registered "carrier" for the spoofed number liable for the statutory damages ($500 or $1000 per call). They would quickly put an end to the spoofers. As it stands, there is no incentive to stop the telemarketers, and there is a lot of money to be made by allowing it to continue. Like Joeyd999 , I have just stopped answering my telephone at home unless it is one of my children, and I know when to expect their calls.

John

 

Why does everyone think it's the government's job to protect them from there own stupidity? It's for this very reason that human beings are getting more stupid, not less.

Because the government protects the spoofers. If you could shoot them on sight, there would be no problem. It is not stupid to have a telephone, and I refuse to be driven back to the 19th century because of government inactions that effectively protect the spoofers. The primary role of all governments is protection of law abiding citizens.

John

 

Why does everyone think it's the government's job to protect them from there own stupidity?

I seem to have missed the post that claims the government should protect the average citizens from their own stupidity.

 

It's not about protecting people from stupidity, it's about being able to have a telephone in your home and not have it ring off the hook every 10 minutes from some unknown company trying to sell you something.

And for what it is worth, my mother had to change her land line number after having it for 15+ years. It got so bad that the day before she changed it she had 63 telemarketing calls . Even with an answering machine at some point most folks get tired of hearing the phone constantly ring and on the other end of the line callers hate dealing with machines.

 

Let me re-phrase that: It's about how I pay for that phone and I want to use it for my convenience, not the convenience of a bunch of law breakers.

Does that make me stupid?

 

I seem to have missed the post that claims the government should protect the average citizens from their own stupidity.

Sorry, I've been distracted by wifey and daughter tonight and was just cursorily following the thread. Somehow I made the connection between the original scam and "there oughta be a law because I am just too stupid to not believe that is an IRS agent on the other end of the line".

Telemarketers are the reason I quit answering my land line, though I keep it for other reasons. I really don't listen to the messages, either.

While I make no special effort to conceal my mobile number, and I've had the same number for many years, they don't seem to call me on that. I don't know why.

 

I've started getting spam calls on my cell lately.

 

Almost the only annoying calls I get on my VOIP line are from the cable internet provider. Having dropped my land line long ago, I have no listing in the phone directory. I don't miss it and happily pocket the ~$25/mo we used to pay. I guess I'll never know who might have looked for me without success.

 

First ... The IRS does not call ... they send letters.

Any call from the IRS is a scam.

Microsoft does not call ... and if they did, your phone would report their 800 number (according to Microsoft). My wife had the "hello I'm from Microsoft and your computer has reported a problem" call from California. I called Microsoft and gave them the two numbers that called so they can let their legal team go after the spammers.

Scammers scam. Of course you could keep them on the line and mess with their head ....

 

Of course you could keep them on the line and mess with their head ....

If you are willing to read this long story, get lot of time and coffee, tea or beer and enjoy.

 

Another call this morning from the same number with the same recording.
415-829-9531

Feel invited to phone them if you're bored.

"I need you...before we take action against you..."
Sounds like they didn't quite get their sex recording erased before they recorded the tax scam.