Anyone who engages in a boiler room fund soliciting operation is usually an organization/business that gives a few pennies on the dollar to the organization they claim to represent. No legitimate school hires a robo call organization for fund solicitation, or demands immediate donations by credit card!!! This is clearly a suspect scammer operation!!!!
This post is intended for those who have just encountered their first series of criminal scammers and want to know how to do something about those unwanted harassing calls. Don’t just complain – TAKE ACTION!!!
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Criminal scammers target the poor, elderly, and uninformed. Anyone who gives computer access, personal info, and/or credit card numbers can lose hundreds to thousands of dollars!!!!! Some scammer are posting msgs that you should not use blockers or blockers don’t work. They just want you to use the drop option to take you off their caller list. This scam adds your name to multiple scammer phone lists!!!
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This post is rather verbose , but I hope the following may be a help to anyone trying to defeat this criminal scum!!!!
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HARASSMENT AND SCAMMER HISTORY
Only 2 of 151 unwanted calls got thru my blockers from 1 Jan to 18 Jun 2015.
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We had been receiving harassing calls for months, but the number of calls per day finally exceeded our toleration levels. The telephone company was unable to block the calls because many of the harassment calls were being generated using a device called an ID spoofer which generates phony caller ID’s. Police informed me that the callers are largely U.S. and overseas criminals, drug users, inmates, convicts, scammers, and other refuse who do not obey federal no-call laws.
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One of the options to defeat the harassment calls is to change to a new unlisted telephone number, but this would be giving-in to the criminals. It would also make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for legitimate callers, friends, and family from around the country from contacting you. The telephone company’s call blocking service is limited, costly, and time consuming. Legal action and call tracing by the phone company using back tracking through the local telephone switching matrix is possible for local origination calls. Other calls are more difficult to trace especially when caller ID spoofs are used to impede normal call tracing. There had to be a better option than a new unlisted phone number, and there is.
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The harassment calls, scammer calls, telephone solicitors, political calls, Etc, are engaging in an “Act of War” by essentially taking over your telephone. I am a retired military officer. One of the many training courses I attended in my 27 year career included training in “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu. One of the maxims is to know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never need to fear a battle. After experiencing this assault, I proceeded to research the situation and develop a plan of action.
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I had been program manager and program engineer for installation of many USAF class 5 digital telephone exchanges, but had been out of the business for many years. In talking to the police and the telephone company engineers/technicians, I found out about the new technology to generate digital spoofing calls with phony Caller IDs using computer APPs. This matches with the pattern of the Caller ID data I had recorded from the harassment calls. Analysis of the data confirmed that I had both robo scammers/solicitors and an individual in my town responsible for the harassing calls.
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Research also showed call spoofing can be generated from smart phones, I-pads, computers, robo call devices, or any device with phone access and a spoofing application. Some devices will allow spoofing and also generate robo voice traffic. Additional indication of spoofing is the fact that the Caller IDs sometimes had full 10 digit numbers and other times had only the 7 digit local origination numbers with known out of state robo call messages.
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Caller IDs with only 7 digits usually originate from within the local area code. One of the local calls used my own phone number as the caller ID, and two of the caller ID’s used phone numbers with only one digit different from my phone number. I confirmed that the owners of these local phone numbers did not originate the calls. Spelling errors and robo messages using these numbers clearly proved use of a spoofing application.
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I have found an effective way to combat these harassment/robo callers that has been over 95% successful. I spread the word by posting the following to 800notes.com/phone and other selected web sites each time I receive a harassment/robo call.
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CALL BLOCKERS WORK!
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We research a harassment/scam caller then post this msg every time a NEW robo number calls. NEVER press X to opt out, and NEVER respond in any way because it just adds your name to multiple robo scammer calling lists.
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The federal no-call list is a joke - the government does nothing. The phone company wants the money from robo companies and will do nothing to stop the harassment/robo calls. Local police do not have the manpower or technology to track/block these calls. Here is a one-time relatively low cost way to beat those harassment/robo calls.
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You can defeat >95% of harassment and robo calls. Go on-line to Amazon and purchase an in-line "CPR CALLBLOCKER"! It has an inventory of up to 1200 numbers in the call blocker list. Be careful in setting up the list or you get unexpected blockages of valid incoming calls. Start by blocking all calls using caller ID’s of UNAVAILABLE, PRIVATE, or WITHHELD. Then block hot spot robo area codes which have NO friends or family – 201, 208, 212, 224, 231, 239, 303, 304, 305, 307, 312, 321, 323, 331, 347, 359, 360, 401, 404, 434, 478, 502, 505 ,513, 516, 518, 520, 540, 541, 565, 571, 605, 608, 620, 630, 646, 650, 701, 708, 734, 740, 757, 772, 773, 779, 810, 815, 847, 918, 952, and 970. Finally, only block individual phone #s in area codes with friends and family. ONLY use 3 digit area codes, OR full 10 digit phone numbers. Never use 7 digit inputs to the blocking list or you WILL have problems! Keep a complete written list of area codes and individual blocking numbers. A small glitch when entering a number into the list can mess up your entire blocking list requiring a hardware reset and complete reprogramming of the list.
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Harassment/robo callers frequently use a spoofing APP to create phony incoming caller ID’s on your phone. Hidden characters in a spoofed Caller ID’s number can sneak the robo call past some blockers. An optional secondary SENTRY BLOCKER with a 1000 entry blocker list ignores hidden characters and blocks/kills the call when it’s turned ON. SENTRY BLOCKER also effectively dumps any unmonitored scam callers. There are many other brands of call blockers than the ones described. Choose yours and BLOCK THOSE HARASSMENT CALLS!!!!!
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It is really great fun watching a call blocker/Caller ID recorder light-up then dump a call when the unwanted Caller ID matches the blocking list!!! One can especially enjoy it when the call blocker hangs up on a persistent harassment caller!!!
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CALL ZAPPER sends out a telephone office signal that the phone line is disconnected. Many
auto scanning robo systems will then automatically remove the number from
their calling list
CPR BLOCKER has list of up to 1200 entries for area codes and/or phone numbers. Upon
detection of a blocked number, the blocker hangs up all lines. All other
calls are passed thru unless Sentry Blocker rejects/hangs up line.
SENTRY BLOCKER hangs up on all black listed phone numbers. White list numbers are
passed thru for phone/answering machine. Non-listed numbers have blocking
British/Spanish/German msg for solicitors to hang up, and tells other valid
unlisted callers to dial zero to leave msg on answering machine - this auto
blocks all unmonitored robo calls. Up to1000 entries in call list.
When Sentry Blocker is OFF, all calls pass thru to phone/answering machine
unless blocked by CPR BLOCKER.
HOME PHONE rings ONCE if CPR BLOCKER or SENTRY BLOCKER blocks call. Call rings
thru if blockers are OFF or call is passed by blockers.
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CALL HISTORY
(2014)
(Documented history starts with May 2014)
May – 37 harassment calls
Jun– 31 harassment calls
Purchased and Installed CPR BLOCKER!
Jul– 26 harassment calls with 7 auto blocked.
Aug– 35 harassment calls with 23 auto blocked and 12 #s added to blocker list
Sep– 38 harassment calls with 26 auto blocked and 10 #s numbers added to blocker list.
Installed secondary SENTRY blocker – Start to build Black & White blocking lists
Oct – 53 harassment calls with 46 auto blocked, 4 #s numbers added to blocking list.
Nov – 31 harassment calls with 28 auto blocked, 3 #s added to blocker list.
Dec – 16 harassment calls with 14 auto blocked, 2 #’s for blocker list. (Spoof of my own Phone #)
(2015)
CPR BLOCKER kills selected robo area code hot spots. SENTRY BLOCKER black list kills individual phone #s. SENTRY white list passes friends and family. SENTRY also kills unmonitored robo calls.
Jan – 26 harassment calls with 25 auto blocked, 4 #’s added to SENTRY black list ( non-existent area codes).
Feb – 14 harassment calls with 14 auto blocked, 4 #s added to SENTRY black list.
Mar –40 harassment calls with 40 auto blocked, 7 #s added to SENTRY black list.
Apr – 24 harassment calls with 24 auto blocked, 4 #s added to SENTRY black list. 2 area codes added to CPR blocker
May- 21 harassment calls with 21 auto blocked, 6 #s added to SENTRY black list, 2 area codes added to CPR blocker.
Jun- 26 harassment calls with 25 auto blocked. 1 #s added to SENTRY black list, 3 area codes added to CPR BLOCKER. (Current as of 23 Jun)
MOST RECENT UNWANTED CALLS
#126, 1 Jun, 12:50pm, -UNAVAILABLE-, auto blocked, suspect mentally disturbed neighbor
#127, 1Jun, 4:25pm, 245-217-5142, UNAVAILABLE, auto blocked, spoof fake area code & number
#128, 1 Jun, 7:12pm, 845-842-7112, JOHN, auto blocked, Microsoft malware computer scam, wants access to your computer, CPR area code blocked, SENTRY black list
#129, 2 Jun, 6:20pm, 845-842-7112, JOHN, auto blocked, only shows on caller ID, malware computer scam
#130, 3 Jun, 11:45am, 245-217-5142, UNAVAIL, auto blocked, fake area code & number
#131, 4 Jun, 11:55am, -UNAVAILABLE-, auto blocked, harassment fishing call
#132, 5 Jun, 11:05, 618-509-5762, BELLEVILLE IL, auto blocked, disconnected phone #, electric power scam
#133, 5 Jun, 2:45pm, 571-281-4336, CENTREVILLE VA, auto blocked, medical scam, added area code to CPR blocker
#134, 6 Jun, 12:45pm, 777-777-7779, rpt#, auto blocked, obvious spoof, fake area code & number, criminal MS access scam. Add to CPR area codes if repeats
#135, 6 Jun, 2:00pm, 307-319-9959, BLOOMINGTON IL, auto blocked, fishing for phone #s ?
#136, 6 Jun, 2:45pm, 571-281-4336, CENTREVILLE VA, auto blocked, medical scam, added area code to CPR blocker, second call
#137, 8 Jun, 1:15pm, 619-267-3753, NATIONAL CTYCA, auto blocked, medical drug scam,
#138, 10 Jun, 10:15am, 630-635-8099, ELECTRIC DEPT, auto blocked, Chicago electric scammers
#139, 10 Jun, 2:16pm, 312-809-5233, BC FIN ASSIST, auto blocked, Chicago credit card scam
#140, 15 Jun, 1:35pm, 618-509-5762, BELLEVILLE IL, auto blocked, disconnected phone #, electric service rate scam
#141, 15 Jun, 1:40pm, -UNAVAILABLE-, rpt of #140 1:35 call?
#142, 16 Jun, 10:10am, 518-353-5421, MALONE NY, auto blocked, medical scam
#143, 16 Jun, 8:05pm, 312-465-3520,rpt#, auto blocked, Chicago criminal scammers
#144, 17 Jun, 8:30pm, 618-509-5762, BELLEVILLE IL, auto blocked, disconnected phone #, electric service rate scam
#145, 18 Jun, 11:15am, 571-281-4336, CENTREVILLE VA, auto blocked, medical scam, third call
#146, 22 Jun, 3:40pm, 517-358-0747, garbage ID, auto blocked, Michigan area code, medical scammer
#147, 22 Jun, 6:00pm, 847-495-5295, ILLINOIS CALL, auto blocked, Chicago viper nest of multiple scams
#148, 23 Jun, 1:20pm, 520-365-8988, ESURANCEAPRIL15,auto blocked, medical/lawyer scam, phishing for personal information.
#149, 24 Jun, 5:00pm, 618-509-5762, BELLEVILLE IL, auto blocked, disconnected phone #, electric service rate scam again
#150, 26 Jun, 10:00am, NO BLOCK!!, call did not show on CID recorder, Consumer Credit scam, How did it get thru my blockers???
#151, 30 Jun, 7:20pm, 217-300-7271, UNIVERSITY OF I, auto blocked, boiler room scam solicitors, I doubt U of I gets anything!!!
A few clicks and I conclude that this number is used by the University of Illinois or it's contracted fundraisers. Either way, if I'm making any donations to my Alma-mater or alumni organization I WILL NEVER do so over the phone. Nor will I use any link in an unsolicited email or reply to a phone or email address in a USPS mail solicitation. Even legitimate fundraisers skim too much from donations. In addition, it's far too easy for frad-sters to create BOGUS phone numbers and/or online web accounts/addresses.
Legitimate charitable and non-profits are not subject to DNC limitations. Legitimate businesses follow the rules, everyone else should be regarded as thieves.
I agree. In fact, I told them many times that if they just send me something in the mail, I will donate. If they call me, I will not. I've even said that if you persist in stalking me by phone, I will never donate again. I've even asked that they put me on a do not call list. But, they can't even get straight I got my Ph.D. there, and half the time they identify me as having a bachelors from there only.