# Repeated calls from numbers not in service. What the hell? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 25, 2019, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repeated-calls-from-numbers-not-in-service-what-the-hell/833057 "2019-04-25T21:58:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2019, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repeated-calls-from-numbers-not-in-service-what-the-hell/833057/41 "2019-04-27T02:35:05Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Some criminals don’t have the scruples you wish they had. Not all spoofed numbers are inactive. Why should anyone in India care? Again, huh? My OP is about spoofed numbers that are not in service. I have no idea what you are going on about here. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2019, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repeated-calls-from-numbers-not-in-service-what-the-hell/833057/42 "2019-04-27T02:38:51Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > Not too long ago I got a call and I could see on my caller ID that I was getting a call from someone with my area code and first three digits of my telephone number. I answered “hello”, and there was a guy on the other end of the line that said “hi, you just called me and hung up.” I told him that I didn’t and then explained what probably happened regarding my number being spoofed. He thanked me for the explanation and apologized for bothering me. Interesting. However, this thread is asking about a different scenario. Specifically that of numbers calling my phone which, upon calling back, appear to not be in service. I haven’t experienced what you describe. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2019, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repeated-calls-from-numbers-not-in-service-what-the-hell/833057/43 "2019-04-27T02:51:14Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Interesting. However, this thread is asking about a different scenario. Specifically that of numbers calling my phone which, upon calling back, appear to not be in service. I haven’t experienced what you describe. > [@Ambivalid](#): > > Again, huh? My OP is about spoofed numbers that are not in service. I have no idea what you are going on about here. Spoofed numbers can be:[ol][_]Randomly chosen. They might be numbers that exist and are active, or not.[_]Deliberately chosen to be numbers that _are not_ active (not in service).[\*]Deliberately chosen to be numbers that \*are \*active (in service).[/ol]It’s possible that you have experienced, recently, a rash of one or the other of these. It’s also possible that you may experience, in the near future, a rash of the other kind. Over the past 5 years, I have experienced both, and given enough time and if the gods of randomness shine down, you may, too. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2019, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repeated-calls-from-numbers-not-in-service-what-the-hell/833057/44 "2019-04-27T02:52:55Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Interesting. However, this thread is asking about a different scenario. Specifically that of numbers calling my phone which, upon calling back, appear to not be in service. I haven’t experienced what you describe. That’s not exactly a different scenario. The numbers that are being spoofed seem to be random. You can change Voyager’s “you’d just be annoying the poor person” to “you could be annoying a poor person.” ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2019, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repeated-calls-from-numbers-not-in-service-what-the-hell/833057/45 "2019-04-27T06:10:12Z")
[quote=“Musicat, post:43, topic:833057”] Spoofed numbers can be:[ol][li]Randomly chosen. They might be numbers that exist and are active, or not.[_]Deliberately chosen to be numbers that are not active (not in service).[_]Deliberately chosen to be numbers that \*are \*active (in service).[/ol]It’s possible that you have experienced, recently, a rash of one or the other of these. It’s also possible that you may experience, in the near future, a rash of the other kind. Over the past 5 years, I have experienced both, and given enough time and if the gods of randomness shine down, you may, too.[/li][/QUOTE] I’m honestly not trying to be snarky, I do appreciate the input. Also, I’m not disputing anything anyone is saying here. All im saying is I wrote this OP with a very specific scenario in mind hoping to have illuminated. If I had ever called one of these numbers back and discovered that it belonged to someone who didn’t actually call me (or for that matter even rang), I probably would behave differently with any future calls of a similar nature. > [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > That’s not exactly a different scenario. The numbers that are being spoofed seem to be random. You can change Voyager’s “you’d just be annoying the poor person” to “you could be annoying a poor person.” As I said, it actually is a different scenario. See above. If I ever encountered an active line at the other end, it very likely might end my curiosity that motivates me to call these numbers in the first place. I probably would be here writing a similar but distinct OP asking why I keep getting calls from people who claim not to have called me. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2019, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repeated-calls-from-numbers-not-in-service-what-the-hell/833057/46 "2019-04-27T12:56:02Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > As I said, it actually is a different scenario. See above. I saw above. I don’t consider it a different scenario. You answer the phone, no one is there, and you call back the number on your caller ID. That’s the scenario people are talking about, since you don’t know in advance whether or not the number will be active. You said: _"I’m not annoying anyone because the spoofed numbers ARE NOT IN SERVICE._ It turned out that you didn’t annoy anyone. Great. All you were being told was that it COULD have turned out another way or might in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2019, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repeated-calls-from-numbers-not-in-service-what-the-hell/833057/47 "2019-04-28T01:28:00Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > What are you talking about? My curiosity has no negative consequences for anyone. I’m not annoying anyone because the spoofed numbers ARE NOT IN SERVICE. People have frequently reported seeing their own number, and when this started and it wasn’t as obvious there was spoofing going on we had threads about getting confused people when you called back. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2019, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repeated-calls-from-numbers-not-in-service-what-the-hell/833057/48 "2019-04-28T01:30:26Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Again, huh? My OP is about spoofed numbers that are not in service. I have no idea what you are going on about here. When you get a call from a spoofed number, how do you know it is not in service until you call? Sure lots are not in service. One of the most popular caller ids I get is “Invalid Number.” And some are obviously junk numbers. But not all are. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2019, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repeated-calls-from-numbers-not-in-service-what-the-hell/833057/49 "2019-04-28T01:31:50Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > That’s not exactly a different scenario. The numbers that are being spoofed seem to be random. You can change Voyager’s “you’d just be annoying the poor person” to “you could be annoying a poor person.” That’s a fair correction. If you get someone, 9 times out of 10 (or higher) they didn’t call. If it is an invalid number you won’t get anyone but an annoying signal. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2019, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repeated-calls-from-numbers-not-in-service-what-the-hell/833057/50 "2019-04-28T04:55:38Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > I saw above. I don’t consider it a different scenario. You answer the phone, no one is there, and you call back the number on your caller ID. That’s the scenario people are talking about, since you don’t know in advance whether or not the number will be active. > > You said: > > _"I’m not annoying anyone because the spoofed numbers ARE NOT IN SERVICE._ > > It turned out that you didn’t annoy anyone. Great. All you were being told was that it COULD have turned out another way or might in the future. And if that had ever happened, I very well might be asking about that type of scenario. But I doubt it. Because I have been aware of spoofed numbers in general and why they are used for some time. However, I wasn’t aware of disconnected numbers being spoofed. I wouldnt continue to call unknown numbers back on my phone if the calls I have tried to make were actually answered by a person telling me they didnt call me. I’m not a dull lad, already being aware of the existence of the spoofed number tactic, I’d be able to make the mental connection between that knowledge and the phone call i just made. But that has never happened. Only disconnected numbers. Being told that i may disturb an unsuspecting person by calling back a spoofed number is an answer to a question I never asked. I really, honestly, without snark, just wanted to know how i could be getting calls from disconnected numbers. I genuinely hope i have understood what I have been misunderstanding-as well as what has been misunderstood-repeatedly in this thread. > [@Voyager](#): > > People have frequently reported seeing their own number, and when this started and it wasn’t as obvious there was spoofing going on we had threads about getting confused people when you called back. I’m really sorry. I must be too sleep deprived. I can’t figure out what this comment is in response to. Please talk to me as you would a small child. I fear my mental capabilities are deteriorating rapidly. > [@Voyager](#): > > When you get a call from a spoofed number, how do you know it is not in service until you call? Sure lots are not in service. One of the most popular caller ids I get is “Invalid Number.” And some are obviously junk numbers. But not all are. I feel im in The Twilight Zone. To answer this post, of course I cannot know in advance of calling back one of these numbers that it is fact disconnected (or even a spoofed number at all). Since my experience with spoofed numbers has been 100% with disconnected phones lines, I’ve yet to discover a confused, annoyed person on the other end. I cant figure out why everyone séems to be locked in on a peripheral aspect of the issue raised in the OP, an issue that I’m trying to say without malice that I was not asking about and i was not interested in anything but an answer to the specific question asked in my OP. “Informing” me, repeatedly, that I may in the future (if i were to continue to call back these numbers) actually bother someone who never called me does not add useful information to the answer of my question. Keep in mind that figuring out the nature of these calls from disconnected numbers (the only goal of the OP) is itself a much more effective way of making sure I never bother a poor soul even once. Because now i have no reason to answer these calls. My curiosity has been sated. None of the other information was needed or relevant in achieving that. I want to make sure you all know I was not being contentious in this thread. When I get stymied in efforts to communicate something that I feel should be relatively simple, I feel ineffectual and like im missing something obvious that everyone else sees as plain as day. If i had just been at odds with a single poster in this thread, it would have been one thing. But having the same issues with every single poster in this thread, im forced to look inward, as the common denominator in all this miscommunication is me. If anyone feels like im still not getting it, please, be patient with me. I am sleep deprived. I would like nothing more than to wrap this thread up on a non-argumentative way. ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2019, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repeated-calls-from-numbers-not-in-service-what-the-hell/833057/51 "2019-04-28T05:31:26Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > I feel im in The Twilight Zone. To answer this post, of course I cannot know in advance of calling back one of these numbers that it is fact disconnected (or even a spoofed number at all). Since my experience with spoofed numbers has been 100% with disconnected phones lines, I’ve yet to discover a confused, annoyed person on the other end. I have had the lovely experience of being screamed at and cussed out by some charming gentleman who was upset that “I” had called him repeatedly, when of course I’d done no such thing. In fact, I’ve had both my cellphone and my landline numbers spoofed, and have had multiple calls from confused and annoyed people. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2019, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repeated-calls-from-numbers-not-in-service-what-the-hell/833057/52 "2019-04-28T19:54:47Z")
> [@slash2k](#): > > No, caller ID spoofing is (generally) illegal in the United States, under the [Truth in Caller ID Act](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_in_Caller_ID_Act_of_2009) and the FCC regulations promulgated thereunder. There are some limited exceptions but transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud or cause harm is punishable by fines and forfeitures. I first read this as “fines and **torture** ,” and I thought “I’m fine with that.” ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repeated-calls-from-numbers-not-in-service-what-the-hell/833057/53 "2019-04-29T00:45:53Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > And if that had ever happened, I very well might be asking about that type of scenario. But I doubt it. Because I have been aware of spoofed numbers in general and why they are used for some time. However, I wasn’t aware of disconnected numbers being spoofed. I wouldnt continue to call unknown numbers back on my phone if the calls I have tried to make were actually answered by a person telling me they didnt call me. I’m not a dull lad, already being aware of the existence of the spoofed number tactic, I’d be able to make the mental connection between that knowledge and the phone call i just made. You’ve been lucky so far. I’ve gotten good information from this thread - I wasn’t aware of the caller ID database scam, which is interesting. If your landline is VoIP, and not copper, get NoMoRobo, as I said. It’s free and it makes the problem much smaller. I think when this thing started a lot of people called back, but now most people get that it won’t do any good. I let calls where the spoofing is too new for NoMoRobo go to the answering machine. Never missed a call yet. Those I want to talk to leave a message. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repeated-calls-from-numbers-not-in-service-what-the-hell/833057/54 "2019-04-29T01:45:49Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > If i had just been at odds with a single poster in this thread, it would have been one thing. But having the same issues with every single poster in this thread, im forced to look inward, as the common denominator in all this miscommunication is me. feels like im still not getting it, please, be patient with me. I am sleep deprived. You may want to get some more sleep. The other posters are discussing things which you may not have specifically asked about in the OP, but doing so is completely normal, and it’s actually useful information. The easiest way to end something is to simply let it go. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repeated-calls-from-numbers-not-in-service-what-the-hell/833057.md?page=2)