Caller ID Spoofing

Caller ID spoofing at this time is not illegal although I've heard efforts are underway to correct that.  As for verifying caller ID data the only effective way to handle that would be to hold the call by some means and try calling the number which simply isn't practical.  There may be an option to report these types of incidents to the FCC for follow up.

The whole world of caller ID is a giant hole of flaws and spoofing.  There is apparently nothing that can be done about it, unless the caller ID system is redesigned with security in mind.

I have had a solar panel company Epcon Solar using my caller ID to call people all over the place.  I had to unplug my phone for the last 2 months because I was getting 25-300 calls a day asking why I called these people I have never called.

COX could not stop them from using my caller ID, they did offer to change my phone number.  I want my number so I had to unplug it.

You can report companies to the FCC for caller ID spoofing.  That is what I have done.  I also got a hold of the company and asked them to remove my caller ID and they supposedly have completed this.

Now I just have to wait for all the people that call back the numbers on their caller ID to give up calling me.  Why do you bother doing that?  If they didn't bother to leave a message, then it must not be important in my mind.  Once they stop trying to call me back I can plug my phone in again.  Only 12 people called yesterday...

Cox has no way to determine if an incoming Caller ID is valid or not.  It is info that is supplied by the incoming call thru whatever system the call originated from.  What I have done is purchase a Panasonic phone that allows me to save unwanted numbers to a Block Call list.  I can save up to 30 numbers.  It rings once and then hangs up, showing me Call Blocked on my phone.  Only the calls that do not pass a number, Unavailable, cannot be blocked this way.  My phone has voice caller id, so my method is to ignore all numbers that I don't recognize until it goes to voicemail.  If they don't leave a message, then I know to block it.  For robo dialing, I report them on donotcall.org.  Believe it or not, most will eventually stop calling, so I can erase that number and free up a spot to save another number I want to block.

I have never experienced the use of my number by someone else.  But it they can hack the system, there is nothing that Cox can do about it since it only involves using your number info, not dialing from you phone.

For MikeyB:

Your suggestion about adding the unwanted call phone numbers to a blocking list is not wrong, but it would have no effect on my problem because the number that is being presented to my caller ID is always a valid format, but nit-in-service phone number. Further, the number almost never repeats. For instance, I get a hang-up call from what looks like a valid number in Seattle, then in two hours, I get another hang-up call from what looks like a valid number in Milwaukee, and then another from what looks like a local number. Adding these to a block list is like killing flies with a hammer.

OTOH, the consensus of opinion here is that the POTS calling system is not very secure, and that the company providing your local phone service can't do anything about spoofed caller ID numbers. I still can't see why they can't deny "anonymous" calls automatically, but supposing they did, then those callers would likely simply switch to a calling application that spoofs, instead of suppresses, their caller ID.

Perhaps the only way to control this is for host phone companies to rigorously monitor outgoing call volume from their customers, using an algorithm which flags the characteristics of an automated telephone boiler room. Since this is mostly an ethical issue, I don't see Telco's stepping up to this issue with much vigor.

Contrary to ChrisL's advice, do NOT call the number on your Caller ID.  In the telemarketing world, that is considered a nibble.  These spoofed "somewhere in the USA...not-in service" calls are not from telemarketers.  It's someone creating a list of people who will answer the phone.  It's not only a list of people who will answer the phone, but will answer the phone from an unfamiliar Caller ID.  Once they've created the list, they'll sell it telemarketers.

More specifically, it's a computer with war-dialing software calling thousands of numbers a day.  The computer not only blindly makes the calls but also creates a list of potential clients.  If you answer the call...or press 1 to be removed from a calling list...or call the number back, you are not only adding your number to the list but also time-stamping your number with when you'll be at home.  Telemarketing agencies don't waste money by paying their operators to "troll" for numbers but instead they will pay a third party to troll for them.  That way, the operators can spend more time talking to people and eventually taking their money.

I feel the telephone companies could do more to investigate these harassing calls.  They own the exchanges, domains and tools to investigate.  If Cox actually cared about telemarketers harassing their customers, they could easily investigate the source.  They could not only monitor unusual call volumes but also install "sniffers" at the exchanges to look for strings of data and monitor patterns.  They could backtrack spoofers to their originating modem and "splash" their network address with electronic markers to further investigate or escalate to the FTC.  This is 15-year-old technology.

But why would telephone companies investigate?  These harassing calls are coming from paying customers.  These customers are paying for either landline or Internet service from the telephone companies...and they're probably paying on time.  Cox will gladly deflect your complaints to the FTC because they want to continue collecting monthly payments from both you and the harassers.

Don't look to Cox for help.  To combat the harassing calls, you'll need to buy a call blocker and create a list of allow-only telephone numbers.  It's dramatic but what else could you do?