New Service Unblocks Private Phone Calls

A new service set for launch Tuesday allows cellphone users to unmask the Caller ID on blocked incoming calls, obtaining the phone number, and in some cases the name and address, of the no-longer-anonymous caller.

The service, called TrapCall, is offered by New Jersey's TelTech systems, the company behind the controversial SpoofCard Caller ID spoofing service. The new service is likely to be even more controversial — and popular.

"What’s really interesting is that they’ve totally taken the privacy out of Caller ID," says former hacker Kevin Mitnick, who alpha-tested the service.

TrapCall's basic unmasking service is free, and includes the option of blacklisting unwanted callers by phone number. It also allows you to listen to your voicemail over the web. It's currently available to AT&T and T-Mobile subscribers, with support for the other major carriers due within weeks, says TelTech president Meir Cohen.

"It’s not meant for spies, it’s not meant for geeks, it’s not meant for any specific target audience,” Cohen says. "Everybody hates getting blocked calls, and in this day and age they want to know who’s calling, and they want the option of taking the call or not."

Consumers have had the option of shielding their number from display since Caller ID was introduced in the early 1990s, either by dialing *-6-7 before placing a call, or asking their carrier for blanket anonymity for their line. But TrapCall takes advantage of a loophole in Caller ID blocking that’s long benefited corporate phone customers: Namely, calls to toll-free numbers are not blocked, because those calls are paid for by the recipient.

TrapCall instructs new customers to reprogram their cellphones to send all rejected, missed and unanswered calls to TrapCall’s own toll-free number. If the user sees an incoming call with Caller ID blocked, he just presses the button on the phone that would normally send it to voicemail. The call invisibly loops through TelTech’s system, then back to the user’s phone, this time with the caller’s number displayed as the Caller ID.

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Dang no more prank calling i guess? This is a good thing i guess for people who get prank called a lot or have threatening phone calls ... i think it's kind of a good thing ... what do you think?

[edit on 18-2-2009 by baseball101]

I'm sure anyone who has ever dealt with anonymous callers will be glad to hear this. If you have a legitimate need to make an anonymous call, you can simply locate your nearest payphone and do so from there (it's as anonymous as most will need). For the most part, however, the perpetrators of blocked calls are engaging in harassment or behaving with sheer cowardice. Anonymous calls are rarely excusable.

Just what is needed to trap those unscrupulous telemarketers that ignore the do not call list and repeated warning not to call your number.

We have a law that allows people to sue pesky telemarketers here in Calif if you CAN SHOW they ignore the do not call list and warnings not to call you.
but they always block caller ID to beat getting sued.

The idea of a private number, is for privacy.
Doing this invades peoples privacy.
The option should be on the caller.
Not the receiver.
You can put your number on a black list for telemarketers.
This is just about obtaining peoples private information.
For example, you call a company to inquire about something.
They get your details.
And can put your details and number on a marketing list.
They can send you mail, telemarket you, sell your details to others.
This is corrupt.