"Rachel from Credit Card Services" has a new robocall strategy.

[MineralMan]

In the past few days, I've been seeing my own phone number on the Caller ID for my phone. I picked up today, and there she was, spoofing my own phone number to try to scam me. Too cool, eh? I guess the idea is "WTF! Who's calling me from my own number. I'd better pick up."

Anyhow, there is no legitimate way your own phone number will appear on Caller ID, so if you see it, someone's spoofing your number for that call. I hadn't seen that until just recently.

THE CALL IS COMING FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE! Five points if you recognize the allusion.

[arcane1]

1. "Have you checked the children?"

[msanthrope]

2. So a stranger is calling??????

http://m.

[tblue37]

3. Of course we recognize the allusion. It was an urban legend passed around among

teens for years, and then it was turned into a scary movie.

[Baclava]

4. Wait a minute - that happened to me last week - I never answered

How does that work?

[City Lights]

5. That happens here, as well as caller ID showing the same area code and prefix

as my number, so it makes it look like it could be one of my neighbors calling.

[MineralMan]

6. Rachel - "She never gives up and she never gives in."

But he's always a phonebot to me.

Apologies to Billy Joel.

[Salviati]

8. Listen, and understand!

Rachel from Card Services is out there! She can't be bargained with. She can't be reasoned with She doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And She absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are scammed.

[ellie]

7. I always go with the Stuart Smalley reference

Your father is calling from inside the house. And he's drunk!

[tech3149]

9. Having worked on phone sysems I can tell you

It's not at all hard at all to spoof any number you want if you're using digital trunk lines. Those are also the most practical and cost effective for call centers with multiple lines. One system in particular was extremely flexible in reporting CID based on what number you were calling. I thought it was sort of funny that particular system was prevalent in military and government facilities.

[bhcodem]

10. I did not find the call amusing...

The caller ID had the name of my ten year deceased husband on the phone! I waited and pressed the number to "get more information" just so I could waste their time and tell them off!