Not sure if this should be in GQ or here…
The phone number 1-999-000-0000 showed up on the caller ID tonight…when my hubby picked up the phone, it was dead air. He called it back and got a fast busy signal.
Any ideas as to what this could be?
I’m starting to think that telemarketers, etc. can spoof caller ID numbers. I don’t know how they would do it, but I have been getting a lot of clearly fake numbers - 999-999-9999, or 123-456-7890
I wonder if it’s related to setting up and using VOIP phones?
Ah well, time to plug the Telezapper back in. Annoying, but damn effective.
I got a call from area code 500 today. I went to anywho.com to check it out but no luck. Maybe it’s a real area code, or someone using a phone card. I have no idea how these things work. If I were the type to live dangerously, I would call back the same number. Eh, maybe tomorrow.
Weird, I’ve never gotten fake-looking numbers like that. I hope it’s not a new telemarketing trick. Aren’t they evil enough already?
What I have been getting is random numbers calling me, and when I pick up or check my voicemail it’s just strange noise, like if someone’s phone called me by itself from the inside of a pocket or purse. I tried calling one back and the guy on the other end was as confused as me.
Mynn, what is VOIP?
It could be. My brother’s pocket kept calling me for a while (his phone, bumping in pocket, unlocked, redialling me). Is it a new to you number? I just moved so I get calls for Sol Levine from time to time. The other option might be someone else got a new number and it’s similar to yours.
Voice Over Internet Protocol - a lot of places are selling it now, maybe some folks did it on purpose to not have the ‘right’ number display, or never changed the default. I know a company who just bought a bunch and set it up themselves, though they did program the correct phone numbers to display.
When a local International Arms Dealer swapped over partially to VOIP, phone numbers stopped showing from the individual number to outside callers - now it shows the main company number.
According to The Directory, the area codes 500, 700, and 900 are special use area codes and can be anywhere in the US or Canada. Look under the FAQ for the information. Area code 999 was not listed and so was probably a spoofed number like TellMeI’mNotCrazy said.
I’ve used The Directory several times to at least find out where the location of the phone number when I couldn’t find anything on a reverse search.
I had a telemarketer call, and when we called the 1-800 number left on the caller ID, it was a disconnected number.
I’ve had the number for 6 months, so I guess it’s fairly new. But when I asked that guy about calling me, I repeated my number to him and he said he had no idea, because he never called me and the number didn’t sound familiar. Oh well. If it keeps happening, I’ll get in touch with my service provider and see what’s going on.
I really hope this isn’t a trend. I received a 111 111 1111 call yesterday. Didn’t answer it. Probably a telemarketer.