Software Service Aims to Outfox Caller ID

[Gunit_Sangh]

This is pretty cheney'n unreal ...

By KEN BELSON

Published: September 2, 2004


Like most bill collectors, Marvin Smith is always seeking ways to get chronic debtors to pay up. When he calls the first time, he typically hears excuses and requests for more time. When Mr. Smith calls again, the debtors often block his calls using ordinary caller ID technology from the phone company.

That means he then visits in person, a time-consuming and sometimes dangerous task. But Mr. Smith, who runs a collection agency in Austin, Tex., says he may have found a solution: a new computerized service enabling him to create false outbound phone numbers with a click of a mouse, so he can skirt the call blockers.

The service, the first commercial version of a technology known mainly among software programmers and the computer-hacker underground until now, was introduced nationwide on Wednesday by a California company called Star38.

For $19.99 a month and as little as 7 cents a minute, customers can go to the company's Web site (www.star38.com), log in and then type the number that they want to call and the number that they want to appear on the caller ID screen of the recipient's phone.

Rest of article
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/02/technology/02caller.html

[Gman]

1. This is illegal

in many states including CA.

[RobertSeattle]

2. Guess I'll start keeping a WHISTLE by the phone

I love CallerID and it pisses me off the technology is so lam it can be spoofed so easily.

[hyphenate]

3. I just don't bother

to answer the phone for anyone I don't know. I let the audix get it, and if it's a creditor, they just get erased.

[Wwagsthedog]

4. You're absolutely right!

We have caller ID and if we don't pick up before the fourth ring the answering machine asks for a message. Most all "junk" callers hang up.

[colonel odis]

5. so, hypothetically, a person could call the white house and make death

threats, but make it look like the call came from this guy's collection agency.

[Cronus Protagonist]

6. Hypothetically speaking, you're right

I hope it doesn't happen.... that could cause a lot of disruption.

Lick Laura's Bush - Drop Bush Not Bombs! - FUCK BUSH
http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13

[colonel odis]

8. yes, you're right. so then, let's say hypothetically

someone could call and order 25 pizza's from papa john's and have them delivered to mr. smarty pants bill collector. and when papa john's looks at their caller ID, it would have said collection agency's phone number.

same would go if one hypothetically ordered a truck load of concrete to be dumped on the bill collector's front lawn -- on credit, or course. or to call the local tv station and confess to a couple of murders.

so someone could turn mr. smarty pants bill collector's hot shot technique back on him.

hypothetically.

[TO Kid]

7. It could still be traced

It goes back to the service provider, which (one would hope) keeps track of the caller's IP address. Public terminal=payphone in this scenario.

[Robb]

10. IP spoofing is as old as the hills...

...plus I can imagine all the ruckus getting an ISP to release subscriber's logs would cause.

Oh, wait, they're doing that already. :eyes:

[liveoaktx]

9. Can't outfox an answering machine

I let 90 percent of the messages coming in go through to voice mail, who says you have to answer the phone just because it's ringing?