Phone spoofed

[Texas Proud]

OK, I could put this on pet peeves, but since this is the first time it has happened I do not think it qualifies...


SOOOO, sitting at home and get a call from someone I do not know... decided to answer for who knows what reason... the guy says 'someone from this number just called me'... I said "no"... he said is this TP... I said I did not call anybody, so... we hang up...

Less than a minute later someone else I do not know calls... then my sister calls and I am talking to her and another call comes...

Now they are coming anytime the phone is not in use!!! In the last hour I have had at least 25 people leave me a message to call them back EVEN THOUGH THEY DO NOT KNOW ME.... and I have had up to 7 people a minute call me


So, someone has spoofed my phone and seems to be calling a LOT of people and hanging up before they can answer... and there are enough people calling back that I cannot use my phone... who knows how many people are smart enough to NOT call back that got a call...

Called Comcast and the guy 'wrote a ticket', which probably means nothing.... but who knows for sure...

Now we have our phone unplugged... waiting to see what happens...

 

[rodi]

That stinks for you.

But... why do people call back if there's a hangup. If a person wants to reach you, they'll dial again. I don't need to call them back. Plus there are scams that use the hangup - hoping you'll call back... you call back and you get charged $x/minute.

But that's not your issue - it's the people who are calling you non-stop not being smart.

If your cell phone rings once, don't call back

 

[Lsbcal]

...

Now they are coming anytime the phone is not in use!!! In the last hour I have had at least 25 people leave me a message to call them back EVEN THOUGH THEY DO NOT KNOW ME.... and I have had up to 7 people a minute call me


So, someone has spoofed my phone and seems to be calling a LOT of people and hanging up before they can answer... and there are enough people calling back that I cannot use my phone... who knows how many people are smart enough to NOT call back that got a call...
...

Yikes, this sort of thing is scary and annoying. Seems like best practices calls for never answering the phone unless one knows who's calling. But I've violated this rule from time to time.

Some months ago we got a new Panasonic cordless set. You can easily put a phone number on blocking. If we get a few calls that do not leave a message and seem unknown, I just block that number. Did one just yesterday that had called from an outside area code at least twice with just a few rings before hanging up.

Let us know how this evolves. Thanks for sharing.

 

[GrayHare]

The telcos won't get serious about people hacking into their Matrix until enough customers cancel service. Due to such abuse of the system I've been trimming phone service.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Yikes, this sort of thing is scary and annoying. Seems like best practices calls for never answering the phone unless one knows who's calling. But I've violated this rule from time to time.

Some months ago we got a new Panasonic cordless set. You can easily put a phone number on blocking. If we get a few calls that do not leave a message and seem unknown, I just block that number. Did one just yesterday that had called from an outside area code at least twice with just a few rings before hanging up.

Let us know how this evolves. Thanks for sharing.

Good idea, I block all unknown callers after I search their phone numbers, but I think most of Texas Proud's callers are not going to be calling him back--the people who spoofed his phone number are calling hundred/thousands of people, some of whom will call him back maybe once? The people called by his spoofed number aren't going to continue to call him, right?

I see a new phone number in your future, Texas Proud--what a pain.

 

[Lsbcal]

I am wondering what the spoofer's motivation is? One possibility is it is someone trying to get back at you for some perceived injustice.

 

[Texas Proud]

Good idea, I block all unknown callers after I search their phone numbers, but I think most of Texas Proud's callers are not going to be calling him back--the people who spoofed his phone number are calling hundred/thousands of people, some of whom will call him back maybe once? The people called by his spoofed number aren't going to continue to call him, right?

I see a new phone number in your future, Texas Proud--what a pain.

Yes.... it is the people who are calling back that are the problem.... if nobody called me I would not know something was happening....

Hope it is not a new number... I have had this one for over 30 years...


And yes, I do not expect anybody to call me back after this, but I did see someone who has called twice.... I guess they need a life...

 

[Texas Proud]

Also, I got a call from the "IRS" this morning .... saying that they were going to file a lawsuit against me etc. etc.... I wonder if there is any connection between these two scams....

 

[RunningBum]

That sucks. I would set up a ringtone for your contacts, and then set your default (for people not in your contacts) to silent or no ring and also set your voice mail to say that your number has been spoofed and that you didn't try calling them and that they should not call back nor leave a message. You might even be able to set it up so you just hang up on numbers not in your contacts for today. Unless you don't care about having your phone off, but you might have a bunch of voice mails when you turn it back on.

 

[RunningBum]

Oh, sounds like maybe a landline, which has fewer answering options.

I used to get waves of 2am hangup calls. I kind of suspect BellSouth or whoever I was with may have been behind it to get me to pay for extra services to block such calls.

 

[KiraC]

Do you have the option to block the unwanted phone numbers? I do that when I get strange calls.

 

[easysurfer]

Texas Proud, maybe someone doesn't have it in for you just randomly used your number and started spoofing with it. Almost makes me wonder why phone number hijacks don't happen more often.

 

[H2ODude]

In a related note...yesterday I got a call on iPhone showing DW's number. However, it did NOT show her name as is usual. I answered it not thinking anything of it and it was a robocall I immediately hung up on. So I guess they can worm into your recent called list for a number? I'm guessing if the crashed your contacts list it would have had her name?

Am halfway through book, Future Crimes by Mark Goodman. One scary book. I've never done social media and definitely will not after reading. The tricks used by big data make me want to just give up all connectivity. Yeah, I know. But, if you read the book it makes getting upset about NSA laughable IMO. Tech is great in so many ways, but man there are some downsides. Free indeed.

 

[Lsbcal]

...
Am halfway through book, Future Crimes by Mark Goodman. One scary book. I've never done social media and definitely will not after reading. The tricks used by big data make me want to just give up all connectivity. Yeah, I know. But, if you read the book it makes getting upset about NSA laughable IMO. Tech is great in so many ways, but man there are some downsides. Free indeed.

Just a quibble but isn't this forum sort of social media? You probably meant something like Facebook which I have an account on but only use for a specific interest group.

If someone really wanted to, with the data some of us put out on the ER site plus their other electronic wanderings, things could get ... interesting.

 

[splitwdw]

Also, I got a call from the "IRS" this morning .... saying that they were going to file a lawsuit against me etc. etc.... I wonder if there is any connection between these two scams....

Got the same IRS call last Friday. Can't figure out how people fall for this scam. Even if you live under a rock you must have heard about this scam by now.
Sorry you got spoofed. I called my mom not long after getting my first cell phone. Got her answering machine and didn't leave a message. She called while I was in my truck and I couldn't see who was calling. As soon as I answered she said "who is this". I didn't recognize her voice and said "you called me, who is this?" She started saying "you called me, who is this?". I thought I had some psycho calling me and so I hung up. Just as I hung up I recognized my dad's voice in the background. I called back and she started yelling "stop calling me". Sometimes when I call her now I don't say hi mom, I yell "who is this". I also told her to stop calling numbers that show on her answering machine. If it's important they'll leave a message. Hope your calls stop soon.

 

[Texas Proud]

Yes, it is a 'landline' with Comcast...

No phone list they can get to...

I cannot block the calls.... more info on this.... I could set it up to not allow people who does not have their ID to be blocked, but when I told the Concast guy that the vast majority of people calling DO show their name and it would not do much...

As another side note... I have seen my own number on a robo call...


I guess the good news is that the number of calls are going down quickly... I have had one voice mail and maybe 20 calls the last few hours... so I think we will be plugging in the phone line soon...

The other good news is that I can SEE on the Comcast site who calls, who left messages etc. etc.... nice to be able to look at calling history....

 

[ERD50]

Yes, it is a 'landline' with Comcast...

No phone list they can get to...

I cannot block the calls.... more info on this.... I could set it up to not allow people who does not have their ID to be blocked, but when I told the Concast guy that the vast majority of people calling DO show their name and it would not do much...

As another side note... I have seen my own number on a robo call...


I guess the good news is that the number of calls are going down quickly... I have had one voice mail and maybe 20 calls the last few hours... so I think we will be plugging in the phone line soon...

The other good news is that I can SEE on the Comcast site who calls, who left messages etc. etc.... nice to be able to look at calling history....

This stinks. These scammers end up making your phone, that you pay for, unusable for a period of time. I really wish they would go after these people and shut them down with big fines and prison time.

Maybe you should look into some other VOIP provider. The VOIP companies generally offer far better call screening options, like only letting through calls in your contact list, and then you could require the odd # caller to "press X" to get through before ringing your phone. That will stop robo calls, and probably most of the people ignorant enough to return a call from a scammer.

An earlier poster mentioned the scam IRS calls. I got one of those, it is just unfathomable to me that anyone would be naive enough to not know that is a scam. How do these people get through life?

-ERD50

 

[Texas Proud]

This stinks. These scammers end up making your phone, that you pay for, unusable for a period of time. I really wish they would go after these people and shut them down with big fines and prison time.

Maybe you should look into some other VOIP provider. The VOIP companies generally offer far better call screening options, like only letting through calls in your contact list, and then you could require the odd # caller to "press X" to get through before ringing your phone. That will stop robo calls, and probably most of the people ignorant enough to return a call from a scammer.

An earlier poster mentioned the scam IRS calls. I got one of those, it is just unfathomable to me that anyone would be naive enough to not know that is a scam. How do these people get through life?

-ERD50

They do offer the call list and call blocker.... I just do not use them as I can ignore the scam calls...


However, the people who are calling are real people calling me back thinking I want to talk to them... they would put in the code or whatever and still get through... I have had about 30 of the callers actually leave me a message to call them back!!! Comcast will take a message when I unplug the phone...

It is funny... the last person has called 3 times now trying to get us... I was not paying attention, but daughter pointed it out... we unplug the phone for the night...

OH... funny thing is that I have also received a few calls where the phone rings once, leaves the name and number of the person.... I used to just ignore it, but now I am thinking they are having the same thing done to them...

 

[Ronnieboy]

I find it weird that people call back a number that they don't recognize off their 'caller id/missed calls list.' If I don't recognize the number or there is no message left, I don't call it. If someone wants to talk to me they will either leave a message or call again and if they never leave a message, I will never call them back. Heck, I don't even answer the phone unless it is a number I recognize.

And I always leave messages where I can on people I am calling, which leads me into a pet peeve.....why don't people set up their mailboxes on their cell phones that they have had for 2 years or longer.....

 

[easysurfer]

Hopefully the scammer didn't give out the number as a business. When you get calls for pizza orders, that'll be a clue .

 

[jetpack]

Good time to get into the telemarketing business. Sell them something while you have them on the line ;-)

 

[cantlogin]

Maybe I'm naive or under educated, but I still don't understand the motivation for this type of thing. How does anyone benefit from this?

Tangentially related, I sometimes get spam emails that show my email address as the sender. I understand that as well as I do the phone thing.

 

[Texas Proud]

Maybe I'm naive or under educated, but I still don't understand the motivation for this type of thing. How does anyone benefit from this?

Tangentially related, I sometimes get spam emails that show my email address as the sender. I understand that as well as I do the phone thing.

That is what DW asked.... why would someone do this?

She said that there is no way they can know what is happening... only that they can think in their mind what has happened....

 

[Texas Proud]

Well, it had slowed down since yesterday...


BUT.... since sitting down here the phone has rang 5 times... so I think that there might be another day of this happening and today is just starting... we will see...

 

[Bestwifeever]

The spoofers know most people would ignore a call from an unknown ID but don't want their real number showing up (probably overseas) which most of us would block immediate ately. They don't want to be called back, they just want their robo calls showing the spoofed number to continue so they can reach the tiny percentage of vulnerable targets to fall into their trap (recently in my town the police reported someone sent $16,000 in a internet scam, and another person sent more than $1,000 to pay for (bogus) shipping of a free puppy another scammer promised).

I would hope there are good guys writing a program that would protect against spoofing but the bad guys would probably be one step ahead of them anyway.