Forum Discussion

stinkfoot63's avatar
stinkfoot63
Contributor II
6 years ago

Phone gets blown up by SPAM calls

Spam, spoof, robocalls still completely out of control- even with nomorobo up and running.  Spoofing numbers has proven to be an effective workaround for the criminal harassment industry.  Is there any way to challenge calls... have the caller key in a number to complete the call?  Would my "Friend in the Digital Age®" consider helping law enforcement find these criminals and bring them to justice... or at very least block calls with inauthentic caller ID info?

The latest robocall shtick is the ID info starts with "V" then a random string of numbers... with the call back number spoofed, of course.  

My phone is useless for incoming calls because of this.

  • Bruce's avatar
    Bruce
    Honored Contributor III
    6 years ago

    V-numbers are from a type of auto-dialer called VDial.  This software has been around for years.  Collection agencies normally use it but I'm sure scammers are also using it to spoof a collection agency.

    The string of numbers isn't random but translates into internal info for the agency, such as date, Zulu time, terminal ID of the employee, job control number, etc.  A legitimate agency would need this info as evidence in a lawsuit.  However, like I said, I'm sure scammers are also using VDial.

  • yak's avatar
    yak
    Contributor III
    6 years ago

    I've been getting the "V12214000332" caller ID.  I think that identifies the caller as using a satellite phone (but the spoofing makes it impossible to know for sure).   I bought a home phone that blocks 150 numbers but that is failing because the spammers are rotating their spoofed numbers more often. No point blocking one number when it will never be used again. Yesterday I got 5 spam calls for every one legitimate call.  

    • stinkfoot63's avatar
      stinkfoot63
      Contributor II
      6 years ago

      It's knowing, deliberate harassment AFAIC... spoofing numbers is nothing more than covering their tracks and an acknowledgement that the call being placed is unwanted... likewise the strategies employed by those whose numbers are registered with nomorobo... place two nearly simultaneous calls to ensure the second gets through is specifically meant to defeat simultaneous ring.

  • stinkfoot63's avatar
    stinkfoot63
    Contributor II
    6 years ago

    "async" with a spoofed random local number figures fairly prominently, too... actually leaves a robo-recording on my answering machine after illegally ringing my phone... credit card scam suggesting rate changes to my card that I should have received in the mail and to get a new zero interest card.  Female voice speaking American English but I bet if I were to "press 1" I'd be talking to someone in a Pakistani boiler room call center.

    Please please please enable me to block inauthentic CID (spoofed) calls.

    • JP_Sports's avatar
      JP_Sports
      Contributor
      6 years ago

      I've received about 5 of those V calls in the past 10 days, and none have been blocked.  Nomorobo seems to work only half of the time.,  Two were from RI numbers registered to unknown people, one was registered to a local fire department across the state, and another was a known survey/cruise scam from Orlando,  It's just ridiculous that we're promised a fix and the fix might as well be worthless.  Between these, spoofed local numbers, and calls split second apart, Nomorobo has become a band-aid patching the Hoover Dam.  I have picked up a new iPhone app called YouMail, and it has squelched so many more of these calls, including the God-awful ringless voicemail spam callers; I wish Cox would make this available or add some level of authentication. There is a special corner in h-e-double hockey sticks reserved for these sub-bottomfeeders.

      • Bruce's avatar
        Bruce
        Honored Contributor III
        6 years ago
        that we're promised a fix

        Who promised a fix?  Any call-blocking service or device is only effective against known numbers.  You can't stop unknown numbers from ringing your phone.  Well, I can, but that's only my allow-list strategy.

        You on the right track to build your own strategy.