The calls are coming from INSIDE the house!

[csziggy]

Today I've gotten six to eight calls from "Microsoft" telling me my Windows key has expired and that they will shut off my Windows unless I give them my IP address (more complicated than that but anyway). The kicker is that the caller ID shows my own fucking number and ID. AND they are robocalls so I can't fuck with the caller.

Most of the calls came while I was doing something else and did not have my reading glasses on or nearby. The only way I know they are all spoofing my own number is the caller ID list on the phone which I checked afterwards.

I can't just not pick up the phone - too many of the calls I get are legitimate from numbers that I do no know by heart or have in my phone list on the phone. And without my reading glasses at hand, I can't check the caller ID anyway.

Who do I complain to about this fucking number spoofing for robocalls?

[lunasun]

1. FCC

https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/stop-unwanted-robocalls-and-texts
https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=39744

[csziggy]

3. Thank you!

Normally I might have thought of it but I am just now getting back to normal after my back surgery - and things are getting hectic in our preparation for our trip to Britain...

On my way to the FCC site!

[Me.]

2. I Usually Tell Them

The FBI is listening to my calls and they are going to be arrested.

[csziggy]

4. That doesn't work for robocalls

When there is a live person on the other end, I like to mess with them. Robocalls don't give me that satisfaction even if I cuss them out.

[NCjack]

10. I also had fun like that. Until the asshole punished me by entering

my landline tel number into his auto dialer as the fake originating caller. Within a day, I as getting about 1 call/min from people asking me why I had called them. They were small business people who can't afford to miss a potential client.

I had to silence my landline and rely 100% on my cell phone. In about a month, the asshole decided to stop spoofing my number. Probably replaced me with another person who liked to play with him.

Seriously, you don't want your number on their auto dialers. Just don't engage and terminate their call. You may be interested to know that their auto dialer selects numbers to call by -- no surprise -- an automatic selection computer program. Usually the area code (the leading 3 numbers) and the prefix (the next 3 numbers) are specified by the asshole. The line number (last 4 numbers) are random within the group, which includes the number that is being spoofed. That makes the spoofed number look like one of your neighbors. Sometimes, the auto dialer calls the tel number being spoofed. That is how you get "called" by your self.

[csziggy]

13. Maybe that is what happened here BUT

Getting repeated calls from my own spoofed number in one day is not just a random selection.

But I can't go to using my cell completely - I get no usable cell signal in my house. That's one reason I still have a landline, the other is that it comes with my DSL service.

I'm not totally mean to most of the scam callers. I like playing the nice but dumb little old lady. For instance, the calls from "Medicare" offering back or knee braces. I've told them that I have no pain anywhere and don't need braces, or that I've had those parts replaced/repaired and they don't hurt anymore (which is actually true since I've had both knees replaced and my back fused), or whatever other story I can come up with, while being cheerful and ditzy.

[Me.]

16. True

[NCjack]

5. Search FCC spoofing for info on complaining. nt

[csziggy]

6. I just put in a complaint on the link supplied by lunasun

I don't know what they can do about it, other than add it to the millions of other complaints. THIS FCC will not protect consumers, I am sure.

[earthshine]

7. Remember this -- the real Microsoft will never call you for any reason -- it's a fact.

I guess they just don't care enough.

[csziggy]

9. Oh, I know

And I had fun messing with the "Microsoft Technical Department" guys who called about viruses on my computer. But robocalls are just annoying - and I can't report them to the Do Not Call list if they are calling my own number!

I think I am more frustrated by not being able to fuck with the scam callers than anything else. And to have so many calls in one day is just stupid ridiculous.

[Indykatie]

8. I Keep Getting Daily Calls About My Expiring Extended Car Warranty That I Don't Have

Strangely the calls always come from different local cell numbers that when I call back are disconnected or no longer in service. So how do they manage to attach their call to an out of service number on my caller ID? I'm ready to hurt someone over these damn calls. lol

[csziggy]

11. The part that pisses me off is that we have the technology to stop the calls

But the phone companies will not do it unless they are required to - or unless they can make more money for doing it. There are also services such as NoMoRobo that will do it, but I haven't checked into them.

Our new phone does have the capability to block calls - but I am not sure what it would do if I tried to block my own number. I may have my husband try it - he's been the one who has set up this new phone.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

23. NoMoRobo seems to be working for spoofed robocalls.

It must be able to detect somehow that the call isn't "real" and after one ring it deflects the call to a message that says this number isn't receiving calls. I haven't gotten any spoofed robocalls since I set it up.

[PJMcK]

12. I got a call from "Microsoft" once

The "techie" on the other end went into great detail about the problems I was facing with my PC and Windows. He was really concerned that my computer was vulnerable to all kinds of chaos and criminality.

I was bored that day so I kind of egged him on. Then, just when he was starting his sales pitch, I pointed out to him that I've used Macs exclusively since 1987 and had never even used a PC.

After a pregnant pause, I hung up on him.

[csziggy]

14. The Microsoft Technical Support scammers were the most fun to play with

I've told them I had a Mac (when I will never own another Apple product), or Linux (that flummoxed the guy), or no computers at all. Once they told me my computer had a virus and I asked sweetly, "Which computer?" He said, "YOUR computer!" I asked again, "Which one? I have several computers here." And I began listing them. At the time we had a collection of old computers from a Tandy 1000, a 286, 486, Windows 98 through Vista, as well as the one I use and the one my husband uses every day. The scammer hung up before I could finish my list. I think the Tandy blew his mind.

I left out the Texas Instrument TI99 that has never been taken out of the box and the Commodore 64 that my Dad wore out but that I saved for posterity.

[PJMcK]

15. I loved the Commodore 64

My first computer was the Commodore VIC-20 and I learned how to program it in Basic. I bought a couple of games, (they came on cassettes!), then printed out the code in order to understand the games' architectures. Then I re-wrote the code (copyright infringement?) creating a couple of new games that I sold to a software company. They paid me enough to buy the C-64.

And that was the end of my interest in coding. The software and operating system for the C-64 was far more complex than for the VIC-20. I realized that I didn't have to know how to build a car in order to drive one. What I really wanted to do on the computer was word processing, data analysis and various music tasks. A couple of years later I bought my first Mac and never looked back. Today, of course, our computers and devices are integral parts of nearly everyone's life.

If I may ask, what are your objections to Apple? Thanks, in advance.

[csziggy]

17. My first computer was an Apple ][

Not + or e, just ][. I used it for word processing, accounting, & graphics for my business. When I neede to upgrade Macs had just come out but they were twice as much as the PC knockoff I got. Worse graphics, but by then I wasn't doing much of that.

My objection to Apple solidified years later when we were rebuilding old computers and giving them to people who had none. I was given a stash of Apple ][e computers. Although the PC and Tandy's had fans that would share old software, the Apple people scoffed at the idea of keeping old Apples going until they were worn out. They would rather throw away the devices and the software, even if they were no longer using them, than share with people who could not afford new computers.

Pretty much that attitude has forever poisoned my original love for my first Apple.

Oh - and then there was the shareware debacle. When I first got my Apple you could find through other users self written programs. Apple shut that down at the same time they shut down Apple clone computers. Unless it came from or through Apple, they would sue the shirts off everyone from the creators to the users even if no one was making any money.

On the other hand when I went to my PC shareware was a great resource for someone who needed specialized programs for cheap. My original databases, a checkbook program, and other programs were shareware that were created by enthusiasts who only charged a little for their trouble. That was part of the cost in staying with Apple - not only were the Macs twice as much, the software was less diverse and cost many times more.

[PJMcK]

18. Good story

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Have a good evening, csziggy.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

24. I amused myself once with those guys - the caller told me there was a problem with my "windows."

I replied that I had just gotten new replacement windows and there was no problem with them; it wasn't drafty any more. So the guy (heavy Indian accent) says, No, no, the problem is with your computer. I said my windows were hooked up to my security system but not my computer so wouldn't my security system provider handle that? No, the guy says, the windows on your computer has a virus. Which computer, I asked; I have three of them. He says, all of them. How do you know? I said. Because they have windows, he said. I said, I just told you my windows are fine. The guy is really exasperated by now, and he says "No! Your windows computer!" "Oh," I said. "All my computers are Macs."

*click*

[csziggy]

25. I've done the Mac thing and Linux

But then they started claiming they covered all computers. So I asked them why they were calling me for free and they told me my computer manufacturer sent them. Very surprise, I told them the *I* never told anyone to call me about a virus on my computer. They were confused and ask what I meant. I informed that I had built my computer.

*click*

[coolcat_riley]

19. Almost can do nothing

Well, it's number spoofing. I guess people should have been quite familiar with that term. Sadly, I think the only thing that we can do is reporting about this scam to the FTC. I have read some reports about similar scams at https://www.whycall.me/315-791-4443.html filed by people even since 5 years ago! We should be aware of these scams by now. Again, unfortunately, I think we can do nothing to stop them.

[csziggy]

20. I remembered that our new phone can block numbers

And added my own to the list. It works pretty good - rings once and that is it. The way the system works is that callers get a message to press a button to get through. If it's a real person they will/can do that but robocallers will not.

I'm still getting calls from my number but if the phone only rings once, I don't worry about it.

[Fla Dem]

21. Yep, a new enterprise must have just kicked in.

Last several days have gotten a least 6 calls from "me". Answered the phone once ready to give them a good run for my money, but it was a recording.

[Evergreen Emerald]

22. The State Attorney General's Office

They are extremely interested in this kind of scam.

[csziggy]

26. Ooooh - I might call on Monday!

But given how long Florida has been under Republican control, they probably won't do a damn thing.

[Siwsan]

27. I used to get that call. I now use a 'robo call blocker'. The silence is GOLDEN

Some days I'd get multiple calls from "Microsoft" and "Window's Tech Department". Back before I got caller ID, I'd pick up on each and every one of these calls. There was so much medical stuff going on, in my family, I couldn't risk letting everything go to the answering machine.

Now I don't answer any number I don't recognize, and since signing up for this free service, I'm seeing fewer and fewer of those numbers.

[csziggy]

28. Same here for medical stuff - I can't not answer the phone

Even for numbers I don't recognize. I'm getting to the age where I don't know people's numbers, plus I have a whole new group of people doing clearing, mowing, planting, cleaning, etc and there is no way I'd ever remember their numbers - and I'm too lazy to program them into my new phone.

This new phone system has a call block thing so I added my own home phone to the list - wonderful! It still rings once, but that is it. I need to check to see how many numbers can be programed into the "approved" phone list. It's kinda cool since it will announce callers on the list. That way I just ignore calls from my husband's idiot friends who annoy the hell out of me. If I can program fifty or so numbers, I may take the time and put in most of the professionals I do business with. Then I can ignore most of the rest of the calls.

[vsrazdem]

29. I got 2 robocalls today about liens on my Social Security, which I know is a scam because I don't

owe anyong and even if I did, it is illegal to garnish social security. These scammers are getting pretty desperate.

[csziggy]

30. Great - a type of scam call I haven't gotten yet

Something to look forward to.

Just in the last two days I have been getting a LOT more scam robocalls. Most are from other numbers, just the one kind coming in as my own. Robocalls I just hang up on, maybe listen to the message so I know what the scam is.

[vsrazdem]

31. I used to get the IRS ones, now they're moving on to Social Security. I guess they figure its older

people and that we are too stupid to know its a scam.