FRESNO, Calif. (KMPH) –
We’ve all been there. The phone rings during dinner and it’s a telemarketer. The national Do Not Call Registry was put in place to stop those calls. But a lot of people complain it doesn’t work. Others say the government does little to nothing to stop spam calls.
Telemarketers are now using new ways to get around it. And your caller ID isn’t even telling you the truth about who’s calling.
It’s no secret that some telemarketers are finding a way to get around the law and get you on the phone. Now, the Federal Trade Commission is cracking down but it needs your help.
Lauren Burwell has been dialed in to the national Do Not Call Registry since 2009. But that hasn’t stopped telemarketers from bothering this Fresno social worker who assists developmentally disabled adults. “Sometimes when I’m at doctors appointments with my clients that I work with, I’ll get a call from a restricted number and I’ll answer it and its some telemarketer trying to sell me something, and it’s like I don’t have time for this.”
Lauren checks her caller ID before picking up the phone, but has noticed that some telemarketers aren’t who they “appear” to be. “So I first enlisted on the national Do Not Call list in 2009 and I’ve had to update it every year cause I’ve still gotten calls from telemarketers. They’ve still found ways around it.”
Lauren is a victim of caller ID spoofing. It happens when a caller disguises their name and phone number to make it look like they’re someone else. Viewers on Facebook echoed the same thing. Barbara Calhoun wrote. “All the time. Just got one a little while ago.”
Karen Scharton-Douglas said, “I’ve been on the Do Not Call list for years and yet Heather the robo caller from “Credit Services” has been calling me for years. Every time I file a complaint with DNC, for all the good it does.”
The Federal Trade Commission is aware and has issued a warning: Some telemarketers are spoofing to get around the national Do Not Call Registry. They fraudulently pitch things like credit cards, mortgage relief and debt relief.
William Maxson with the FTC calls it a “serious and growing problem.” “Each month when we look at our top number of complaints for do not call violations, spoofed caller ID name and number are always at the top.” Telemarketers are required to display accurate caller ID information.
But when a call is spoofed, digits often show up as “dead”, meaning they aren’t real. Other times, the name of the caller is generic. Like “card services” or “customer service.”
William Maxson, of the FTC says, “They use the name or number of a recognizable national brand or organization to give themselves a veil of legitimacy.” That makes it difficult for consumers to screen out unwanted calls.
“It’s that invasion of privacy that concerns us. The consumer can feel overwhelmed,” says Amber Yoo of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. She says that’s why the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse says it’s important to keep a log of the spoofs you receive. “The date. The time. Was it a male or a female voice? what did they say? We recommend actually taking a photo of what your Caller ID is showing you.”
Then, report what you find to the FTC. They’re fighting back by actively investigating complaints.
“We’ve already brought nearly a dozen cases against companies that are engaged in Caller ID spoofing,” says William Maxon of the FTC.
That’s a message Lauren likes hearing. “It’s been probably my biggest stressor for a long time. It’s dealing with telemarketers. You can file a complaint with the FTC by logging on to FTC.gov, or by calling 877–FTC–HELP.
Maxson also recommends reaching out to your state attorney general, or your phone company.
Article source: http://www.kmph-kfre.com/story/16965077/phone-frustration-how-to-halt-caller-id-spoofing
View full post on National Cyber Security
