# Phone People - What's it mean when the Caller I.D. says 999-999-9999 ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 11, 2006, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-people-whats-it-mean-when-the-caller-i-d-says-999-999-9999/343942 "2006-02-11T00:26:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-people-whats-it-mean-when-the-caller-i-d-says-999-999-9999/343942/1 "2006-02-11T00:26:41Z")
Just wondering if this has happened to anyone out there? And I know there are people who work for phone companies on the boards… So what happens when the caller ID says 999-999-9999? I looked some of it up online and there are some pretty hokey things our there about it… ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-people-whats-it-mean-when-the-caller-i-d-says-999-999-9999/343942/2 "2006-02-11T00:30:16Z")
It is caller id spoofing that some evil businesses and others to block their real number. It is the same idea that spammers use with e-mail. > **[Humor & Whimsy](https://www.liveabout.com/humor-4687973)** > > Indulge your curiosity and have a little fun with these stories about the weird and the wonderful. With articles on aliens, cats, cartoons, and hoaxes, this collection is guaranteed boredom-basher. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-people-whats-it-mean-when-the-caller-i-d-says-999-999-9999/343942/3 "2006-02-11T00:31:24Z")
Probably a spoofed ID. Telemarketers using VoIP (and some types of CBX systems, IIRC) can make any number they want show up on your caller ID, to hide their true number. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-people-whats-it-mean-when-the-caller-i-d-says-999-999-9999/343942/4 "2006-02-11T00:57:48Z")
Blockbuster does it. They have my cell number as the number for some fool who is late with their movies and they left me a message last week. ---
**Author:** ![furnishesq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/977dab/32.png) [@furnishesq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furnishesq)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2006, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-people-whats-it-mean-when-the-caller-i-d-says-999-999-9999/343942/5 "2006-02-12T22:02:23Z")
_The New York Times uses 111-111-1111_