Reverse Searching for Telephone numbers useless now...

[LJ Dem]

related to @Bir48die's thread on the worsening of google searches, we used to be able to plunk a phone number in google and get some solid info on the source. But now it is overpopulated with useless pages of random numbers giving no info at all or asking for payment. Have you found a better way?

[COcheesehead]

I found that the popular spam numbers do show up in searches and have pages to report what the scam is. So there is still some value.

[Lakewood90712]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LJ Dem related to @Bir48die's thread on the worsening of google searches, we used to be able to plunk a phone number in google and get some solid info on the source. But now it is overpopulated with useless pages of random numbers giving no info at all or asking for payment. Have you found a better way?

Well, for $ 25 you can get the official "do not call list " of millions of numbers on disk, straight from the US gov. That is exactly what some telemarketers actually use. all valid phone numbers.

I have had about a 50% sucess using some of those paid search providers that come up on google searches. most want you to sign up for a recurring mo. charge, cancel anytime, but it's a pain in the a$$ tro cancel.

[ExFlyBoy5]

The effectiveness of this is reduced day by day. Increasingly, the numbers are simply spoofed from your area code/prefix and has zero correlation to the actual person/computer that is calling you....they are randomly generated and may only be used once. I have found the only *near* 100% successful way to stop them is to allow only your contacts to be allowed to ring your number.

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExFlyBoy5 The effectiveness of this is reduced day by day. Increasingly, the numbers are simply spoofed from your area code/prefix and has zero correlation to the actual person/computer that is calling you....they are randomly generated and may only be used once. I have found the only *near* 100% successful way to stop them is to allow only your contacts to be allowed to ring your number.

+1
We have free call display on our landline (I know ), I'm thinking we should turn it off, so we never even look, as the phone number is often a local neighborhood one, and of course they hang up when they get the answer machine.. Because it's a spam call.

[marko]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExFlyBoy5 Increasingly, the numbers are simply spoofed from your area code/prefix and has zero correlation to the actual person/computer that is calling you...

I get calls from myself quite often. I'm not sure how I do that. Maybe it's me from a parallel universe? That would be cool.

[LJ Dem]

Haha I like this idea

Quote:

Originally Posted by marko I get calls from myself quite often. I'm not sure how I do that. Maybe it's me from a parallel universe? That would be cool.

[Midpack]

I used to use it, but free reverse lookup has been useless for years. We don’t have a landline and we never answer our mobile phones if you’re not in our contacts unless we’re expecting a call and know the area code. Otherwise if you don’t leave a message, you essentially never called. Most people I know do the same these days...why deal with cold calls or scams?

[Badger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack I used to use it, but free reverse lookup has been useless for years. We don’t have a landline and we never answer our mobile phones if you’re not in our contacts unless we’re expecting a call and know the area code. Otherwise if you don’t leave a message, you essentially never called. Most people I know do the same these days...why deal with cold calls or scams?

+1
If there isn't a recognizable name attached to the call it doesn't get answered. I have a very clear message on my voicemail and there is no return call if they don't leave one.


Cheers!

[gromit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by marko I get calls from myself quite often. I'm not sure how I do that. Maybe it's me from a parallel universe? That would be cool.

. Don't answer because he probably wants to borrow money, lol.

[ShokWaveRider]

I called back a couple of SPAM numbers and they went to private phones. The recipients were completely stunned that their numbers were being used. That should be illegal, using a valid private phone number that is.

[LJ Dem]

Yes, pretty much where we’re headed.
But then we do miss legit important calls like the new PSW calling because she can’t get into my mother’s place, or a new medical specialist setting up an appointment etc,
And the reverse search at least should show those legit numbers but we can’t even rely on that anymore.
Sigh.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Badger +1 If there isn't a recognizable name attached to the call it doesn't get answered. I have a very clear message on my voicemail and there is no return call if they don't leave one. Cheers!

[austin944]

You would think that technology would have provided a better solution to this problem by now, like some kind of means of confirming that the caller's number is not spoofed. Perhaps there is profit to be made by the telecom companies with the current situation.

[Bamaman]

I have been amazed at all the incoming phone calls received with my area code and those on the phone calls speak with a distinct Indian accent.

I'm certainly glad that December 7th has finally come. Maybe we'll quit getting dozens of phone calls daily from Medicare advisors.

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShokWaveRider I called back a couple of SPAM numbers and they went to private phones. The recipients were completely stunned that their numbers were being used. That should be illegal, using a valid private phone number that is.

Maybe that explains a bunch of the calls we all get, it's people phoning back the number to see what the call was about. Effectively increasing the number of useless phone calls daily.

[Cessna152]

Quote:

Originally Posted by austin944 You would think that technology would have provided a better solution to this problem by now, like some kind of means of confirming that the caller's number is not spoofed. Perhaps there is profit to be made by the telecom companies with the current situation.

Earlier this year the FCC threatened phone companies to adopt a caller ID authentication technology known as STIR/SHAKEN. A few domestic holdouts are taking their time. Not sure how things will work with regard to international calls.

[scrabbler1]

Most of these junk calls I get on my cell phone, a low-end, primitive flip phone. Many of the junk calls I get on the cell phone have the same area code+prefix (neighbor spoofing). Many others have only the same area code, while other have an area code from nearby NYC of Suffolk County. Not wanting to hear my phone ring or burn minutes engaging with a caller, I simply flip my phone open an inch before letting it close, terminating the call.


The land line has a caller-ID if my TV is on to display it. Most of the time, there is a name associated with the unknown caller. Sometimes, I don't recognize the name, especially if it's one of those neighbor spoofing calls like I get on the cell phone. Out-of-town numbers rarely have a name with them.


In either case, I post the call to 800notes.com, a website good for passing along your experiences with these things. For most of my junk calls to either phone, the number is unique - neither I nor anyone else has ever posted there. Once in a while, someone else has posted a similar experience, either recently or a few years ago.


I don't call any of these numbers back, unless they have called multiple times and/or left voice mails and I have the caller's number. I had some foreclosure guy call me several times in the last few weeks, leaving voice mails (which I can retrieve without using my cell phone's minutes).


Junk texts have been giving me some problems, too. One lender has texted me several times over the years. I have called them back a few times, demanding they stop texting me. Doesn't usually work although it has been a while since they last texted me. I once got a text from someone who claimed I junk-texted him (someone spoofed my number). I told him it was spoofed and all was okay, leaving both of us mildly annoyed.

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrabbler1 In either case, I post the call to 800notes.com, a website good for passing along your experiences with these things. For most of my junk calls to either phone, the number is unique - neither I nor anyone else has ever posted there. Once in while, someone else has posted a similar experience, either recently or a few years ago.

They're my first stop, and occasionally WhoCalledMe has a number listed when 800 Notes does not. But I don't report nearly as often now that most spammers/scammers are spoofing, since it doesn't really matter what number shows up on our caller ID. I hope SHAKEN/STIR is finally made mandatory, it should have been done over a decade ago and it should NOT be left to "voluntary compliance".

[ExFlyBoy5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShokWaveRider I called back a couple of SPAM numbers and they went to private phones. The recipients were completely stunned that their numbers were being used. That should be illegal, using a valid private phone number that is.

Well, it is illegal but it doesn't stop them. Enforcement is not very easy since the technology is always 3 steps ahead of the government.

Quote:

Originally Posted by austin944 You would think that technology would have provided a better solution to this problem by now, like some kind of means of confirming that the caller's number is not spoofed. Perhaps there is profit to be made by the telecom companies with the current situation.

The technology is out there, specifically SSL-type certificates that verify that the number is true. The problem is getting all the phone companies wrangled into using it. And of course, when it's fully employed, it will be yet *another* fee tacked on to your bill...somewhat like the "universal service fee"

[mpeirce]

My phone doesn't ring unless the number is in my contacts. It goes to voicemail. If they don't leave a message, I don't give them a thought. If they do, the phone transcribes it to text, so a quick glance confirms (99% of the time) that it's spam and one swipe and it's gone.

I can live with this setup, if I have to, I suppose.