Spoofing phone calls?

Didn't know where to post this. I'm kind of looking for technical help though. If it's in the wrong place, please move it.

Lately I've been getting random phone calls from angry people who are convinced I'm calling them and harassing them - except I'm not. In fact I rarely call anyone. I buy a 400 pack of minutes from Tracfone once a year and it lasts me all year. They aren't automated robo-calls - it's real angry people yelling at me.

It could be a new kind of scam call, maybe. But I'm wondering if an ex-friend is spoofing my number and pranking people, and I'm getting the lashback.

Is there a way to know for sure, if someone is spoofing my number? Is there a way to track this at all?

As it is, I'm considering getting a call blocker app and using a whitelist. I really shouldn't have to do that, but I wonder if it's the best solution.

Thanks for your help.

I have had this happen. The guy called and asked why I called. I didn't and my phone record's prove it. Sorry system that allows this to happen.

a reply to: peskyhumans

i work in collections
we spoof out numbers all the time. i can change my number to whatever i want. so i can call you with your own number and delete your messages.
internet is a wonderful thing.

my guess, some scam collection office or indian person is spoofing with your phone number, people are calling it back and flipping out.

a reply to: nobunaga

I was thinking it might be something like that. Is there any way to stop people from spoofing your number? From what I understand the FCC technically allows spoofing, but not for malicious purposes. I would classify this as "malicious" as I don't like getting the angry calls back meant for someone else.

a reply to: peskyhumans

Kind of hard trying to convince people, "It wasn't me"; as far as they're concerned, it was. I wouldn't waste time trying to convince them, do what wassisname said...

SOUNDBOARDS!

It's most likely one of your good friends OR somebody you've pissed off. If it's friends they should eventually call and tell you about the jokes, get you in on calling more people you know with it.

originally posted by: IgnoranceIsntBlisss
Then there's the old prank phone calls, best done by "victim soundboards", which are made from people that were 'victimized' by celebrity soundboards, recorded arguing with them, and then themselves turned into a soundboard, and then those victims of the victim boards were recorded into soundboards, ad infinitum this stuff a whole 'scene' has been going on for like a decade now.

I first found them by wanting to get a daily laugh when the damn telemarketers / indian scammers would call all the time. Eventually they took me off all the lists, especially after I made it a point to call them and harass them (it was just so much damn fun). Was disappointing when they stopped calling me.

Those are the Rated PG / PG-13 boards (best for calling places with customer service).

Then there's scores of Rated R boards (best for targeting rage addicts you know):

Tiesha & Irate Black Man work great as a tag team duo!

If they've been calling from Skype they've probably been recording you too, so hopefully you didn't tell them your name a bunch of times or you might become the next Victim Soundboard (well you might anyways if you're funny and there's enough content).

If you figure out who it is you can reverse-prank em using soundboards, or craigslist pranks:

Post ads on Craigslist to bait people into calling your friend. Stuff in the free section, or ridiculously cheap items. Dont make them tooo tempting otherwise CL trolls will flag the items down as "inappropriate" (so that) only a handful will ever get to see the ads (they do that so "only they can get it").

originally posted by: peskyhumans
They aren't automated robo-calls - it's real angry people yelling at me.

You've probably been "arguing" with boards like:
Duncan / Frank Garret (the 'messiah' of victim soundboards)
Rick the Mulletman
Yankee Toughguy
Meat Tenderizer Mike
Irate Black Man
Drunk Al
-many possible others including probably a bunch of new ones (been a few years since I've goofed around with them)

no theres no way to stop it.
unfortunately, once they start spoofing your number, its up to them to change the number once its blown out of preportion.

check google, type your phone number in search.
see if theres a listing on 800 notes or similar scam # reporting site. they may leave and 855 or 844 or 888 or 800 number to call back. call that number, and tell them that they are being reported to the attorney generals office for misrepresenting themselves. that should work

You could start answering the phone with soundboards, get a laugh out of it...

Or answer and say hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello.

If it's thru the computer (i.e. Skype) it costs them money just to get your voicemail.

If you're 'no fun', and especially if it costs them money to do it, they'll go away. Typical dont feed the troll tactics apply here.

If its thru Skype dont even bother trying to contact them and have them busted. People call police stations and such even going as far as threatening them. There are even victim boards of police officers (who were "victims") people prank people with. You should hear some of the calls in youtube (A Nightmare on Burton Street)!

Chances are you already have a pretty good idea who it is, now that you know its the same person. The running prank is them dying to see how long they can keep it going before you figure it out and "retaliate" lol, assuming you've got old friends you guys used to always do various pranks on each other.

The same company that sold you minutes also sells ID cover cards to people. These cards fake the caller ID into thinking it is a different number. Unfortunately yours must be a commonly used number for these cards. As well these cards are most often used for three things, cover crimes/commit crimes, stalk people, and make prank calls.

I'd change my number if it was that important.

I'd wager they're calling thru skype, or doing the spoof trick app thing on their cell phone with the phone next to their computer speaker.

a reply to: peskyhumans

There are agencies that allow this to happen....I got called by my own number once.