Over the past eight days I've had five local individuals call me and say they had missed calls that showed my name and number on their caller ID. I haven't made any of these calls, and they don't show up on the Cox app as outgoing calls. I tried both online chat and the "Customer Advocate Group" number and both times the tech basically said they didn't have a clue what was going on and that there is no way to fix it. Anyone else have this problem, or have any ideas?

Hello, Sorry to hear that you are experiencing something called "spoofing". It's an illegal practice done by most telemarketing groups. How this happens is they will place a local number into their polling machine. They will then start this machine to randomly call blocks of numbers they have entered. They use a local number as most will not pickup a call from an 800 or out of area number. When people answer. the machine clocks the number and stores it for future use. It never speaks to the person called, but your number will show up on their caller ID. Which will cause some curious people to you call back. As this machine may call these numbers upwards to 5 times a day. There is nothing you can do to stop it, only apologize to the ones that call you. As stated it is an illegal practice, so they normally will move after a couple weeks and use another phone number so they cannot be caught.

DannyS said: Hello, Sorry to hear that you are experiencing something called "spoofing". It's an illegal practice done by most telemarketing groups. How this happens is they will place a local number into their polling machine. They will then start this machine to randomly call blocks of numbers they have entered. They use a local number as most will not pickup a call from an 800 or out of area number. When people answer. the machine clocks the number and stores it for future use. It never speaks to the person called, but your number will show up on their caller ID. Which will cause some curious people to you call back. As this machine may call these numbers upwards to 5 times a day. There is nothing you can do to stop it, only apologize to the ones that call you. As stated it is an illegal practice, so they normally will move after a couple weeks and use another phone number so they cannot be caught. With all due respect, this is not an answer... and in light of how very little is being done by "our friend in the digital age", it's actually an insult. These types of incidents along with the calls received are knowing criminal harassment that neither providers like Cox, or the federal government FCC are doing anything useful about. We incur additional costs buying blocking devices and subscribing to filtering/blocking services on our own dime while zero gets done to stop these crooks.

Really frustrating to hear from Cox that "There is nothing you can do to stop it." One reason I've stuck with Cox is that the tech support has been really good over the years. This week I've had two issues, one with phone, one with email. In both cases I discovered it's harder to contact support than in the past, and neither issue has been resolved. Cox could use some of the money we pay you to lobby politicians to do something about the scourge of telemarketers.

Steven, these calls are originating in Ukraine or Russia. the scammers are getting so sophisticated that they now call me from a number with the same area code and prefix as my home number. they think that will fool me into thinking that a "friend" is calling; but I answer and hang up immediately. I bought a home-phone that blocks 250 callers. if they call a 2nd time from that number, I block it. they use computers to dial out. they call 100 people at the same time; but only have 2 live human beings at the Scammer HQ. if 3 people answer their phones, the line disconnects #3 and that person wonders why someone would call them and hang up after they say "Hello". The scammers used your phone number on their computer as the Caller ID. The reason you personally can't do anything about it is because the calls are not coming from your phone. Once a year, the US Govt puts someone in jail for phone scams. The main problem is that no one really cares (except those people who like to answer their home phone).

Yeah, I get it. In fact, I don't answer my home or mobile phone unless I recognize family or friend on the caller ID. I also have the 250-# blocker phone, but if I'm blocking a number that's just being used by a crook for a short time, it's not going to do me any good. I'm just blocking an innocent number. It's just a shame that the answer to a problem is "No one cares and nothing can be done."

People are receiving calls allegedly from my number but no calls are being made

11 Replies

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DannyS
Moderator
Hello,

Sorry to hear that you are experiencing something called "spoofing". It's an illegal practice done by most telemarketing groups. How this happens is they will place a local number into their polling machine. They will then start this machine to randomly call blocks of numbers they have entered. They use a local number as most will not pickup a call from an 800 or out of area number. When people answer. the machine clocks the number and stores it for future use. It never speaks to the person called, but your number will show up on their caller ID. Which will cause some curious people to you call back. As this machine may call these numbers upwards to 5 times a day. There is nothing you can do to stop it, only apologize to the ones that call you. As stated it is an illegal practice, so they normally will move after a couple weeks and use another phone number so they cannot be caught.
stinkfoot63
Contributor II
DannyS said:

Hello,

Sorry to hear that you are experiencing something called "spoofing". It's an illegal practice done by most telemarketing groups. How this happens is they will place a local number into their polling machine. They will then start this machine to randomly call blocks of numbers they have entered. They use a local number as most will not pickup a call from an 800 or out of area number. When people answer. the machine clocks the number and stores it for future use. It never speaks to the person called, but your number will show up on their caller ID. Which will cause some curious people to you call back. As this machine may call these numbers upwards to 5 times a day. There is nothing you can do to stop it, only apologize to the ones that call you. As stated it is an illegal practice, so they normally will move after a couple weeks and use another phone number so they cannot be caught.

With all due respect, this is not an answer... and in light of how very little is being done by "our friend in the digital age", it's actually an insult. These types of incidents along with the calls received are knowing criminal harassment that neither providers like Cox, or the federal government FCC are doing anything useful about. We incur additional costs buying blocking devices and subscribing to filtering/blocking services on our own dime while zero gets done to stop these crooks.
Steven_R
New Contributor
Really frustrating to hear from Cox that "There is nothing you can do to stop it." One reason I've stuck with Cox is that the tech support has been really good over the years. This week I've had two issues, one with phone, one with email. In both cases I discovered it's harder to contact support than in the past, and neither issue has been resolved. Cox could use some of the money we pay you to lobby politicians to do something about the scourge of telemarketers.
yak
Contributor III
Steven, these calls are originating in Ukraine or Russia. the scammers are getting so sophisticated that they now call me from a number with the same area code and prefix as my home number. they think that will fool me into thinking that a "friend" is calling; but I answer and hang up immediately. I bought a home-phone that blocks 250 callers. if they call a 2nd time from that number, I block it. they use computers to dial out. they call 100 people at the same time; but only have 2 live human beings at the Scammer HQ. if 3 people answer their phones, the line disconnects #3 and that person wonders why someone would call them and hang up after they say "Hello". The scammers used your phone number on their computer as the Caller ID. The reason you personally can't do anything about it is because the calls are not coming from your phone. Once a year, the US Govt puts someone in jail for phone scams. The main problem is that no one really cares (except those people who like to answer their home phone).
Steven_R
New Contributor
Yeah, I get it. In fact, I don't answer my home or mobile phone unless I recognize family or friend on the caller ID. I also have the 250-# blocker phone, but if I'm blocking a number that's just being used by a crook for a short time, it's not going to do me any good. I'm just blocking an innocent number. It's just a shame that the answer to a problem is "No one cares and nothing can be done."
dward5665
Contributor
As many information elements that get passed back and forth with SS7, I think some verification/accountability elements need to be added. Especially since Cox refuses to step up and add Nomorobo service...they are "looking into it", and have been for years...
Bruce
Honored Contributor III
DHW is correct. Cox should authenticate the origin of the calls. The telemarketer may enter the number into their war dialer, but Cox adds the name if you subscribe to caller ID. If the origin is different from the subscriber...by means of the element of the protocol...enter "Spoof" or Unavailable." Don't enter our names.
RobH
Contributor
We are experiencing the exact same aggressive change in spoofing tactics. Been with Cox for over 35 years. Now, can't wait for Verizon FIOS to lay the final mile.

As an aside, this was my response last week to the FCC on social media regarding their recent proposal of levying a $82 Million fine for spoofed telemarketing calls.

"Whether the fine is $82 or $82 MILLION, if you don't have the resources to identify and prosecute, it would all be for naught. Remember how much of a deterrent the Do Not Call registry has turned out to be. Ultimately the answer lies in a 21st-century method of authentication. But, like the rest of our infrastructure, we're too broke to fix it."
stinkfoot63
Contributor II
The FCC proposal is the product of a bureaucracy that has long demonstrated its unwillingness to go beyond optics and theatrics to create an illusion of action. I guess we're supposed to be so dazzled at a big number like $82 million that we'll forget that they're doing zilch to actually find the criminals who would presumably be assessed the fine.

The DNC list is nothing more than a placebo button to placate monkeys and this proposal isn't any different.

RobH said:

We are experiencing the exact same aggressive change in spoofing tactics. Been with Cox for over 35 years. Now, can't wait for Verizon FIOS to lay the final mile.

As an aside, this was my response last week to the FCC on social media regarding their recent proposal of levying a $82 Million fine for spoofed telemarketing calls.

"Whether the fine is $82 or $82 MILLION, if you don't have the resources to identify and prosecute, it would all be for naught. Remember how much of a deterrent the Do Not Call registry has turned out to be. Ultimately the answer lies in a 21st-century method of authentication. But, like the rest of our infrastructure, we're too broke to fix it."
Bruce
Honored Contributor III
ooh, ooh, ooh...ahh, ahh, AHH!