I was on the phone last night with my Dad, concerning a family member’s cancer surgery. I didn’t want to switch over in the middle of a delicate phone call - but was baffled when I saw the caller ID: 5-062-274-4855
And it kept trying to beep though for a good 5 minutes as the individual called back 3 times.
Where on Earth could this have come from? I can’t find a country code that’s just “5” - but I expect it’s because the only out-of-country calling codes I pseudo-understand is China’s.
506 = Costa Rica, so it could be that.
My guess; it’s spam. Yep. You ring them back and get connected to a $10/minute (or whatever the highest rate in CR is) service that tries to keep you on the line for as long as possible. It’s a scam. Had you actually answered their call they would have cut off immediately so you would call back.
this is why we don’t have caller id
we just don’t answer the phone
In my personal experience, international calls received to my cell phone don’t get the country code prepended. So it’s quite possible that it’s a valid number in some country and that it was simply an international call.
Answer it, it’s from Fropland! They just wanted to thank you.
I’ve got caller id (on my cellphone, I don’t have a landline at all anymore) and I just don’t answer the phone if the caller id doesn’t map to someone in my phone’s contact list. If the caller id shows up as a number instead of a name and I don’t positively recognize the number I just mute the ring on the phone. If they leave a voicemail, great, maybe I’ll call them back if it is actually someone I want to talk to, if they leave no voicemail, fuck 'em.
That’s awesome! I’m going to start doing this now, too. Is there a shorter way to describe it, in case I need to explain to anyone else how to use a phone with caller ID? Maybe one word? Something along the lines of “sieving” or maybe “straining,” or “colanding?”
screening, maybe?
LOL
my new year’s resolution is to be less sarcastic. I miss it.
The calls are coming from INSIDE THE HOUSE!
… also whoooooosh!
Sadly I have to do this for my cell AND for work. Somehow my number got out and sales folks call me in droves trying to sell stuff. It’s especially bad right now since everyone is struggling to make sales numbers. I just put everything not recognized to voicemail and screen from there.
Looks to me like that number is in a range of numbers being spoofed by scammers to try to get people to hand over enough info for identity theft.
Any time I get a number I don’t recognize on my phone I take out the dashes and do an google search for it. 9 times out of 10 I find information on the number.
Unfortunately I have people in my life who refuse to their number to be seen to see their number (like my kid’s dad for example) so I’m forced to answer those “Caller unknown” calls. But I wouldn’t answer a call from outside the country.
Thanks Angie, I didn’t think to take out the dashes as I thought it would mess up the country code. Any way to get back at these people? Seems like there’s never any penalty for the scammers and they have nothing to lose - everything to gain.
No you’re not. I assume he has no problem with you seeing his number. Most telco’s have a set of digits a user can place before dialing a number to allow their normally hidden number to be displayed. He wouldn’t even have to manually enter it every time - he can just edit your current phone number entry in his phone (cell or land line) and place the digits before your actual number. That way when he calls you, you will see the number - any other calls he makes will stay hidden, as usual.
I use a similar screening protocol as CCZ. If I don’t recognize the name on the Call Display, I do not answer the phone. Period. If the number shows as coming from a toll-free exchange, I never answer because it’s always either a) someone trying to sell me something unwanted or 2) some collection agency looking for money.
If I don’t answer and it’s something pertinent, they’ll leave a message.
No, there is not any real way to get back at these people. You could answer their calls, try to figure out who they work for (many will just hang up on you if you ask) and then report them to your state’s Attorney General… but that’s a lot of work and there’s little chance of direct payoff for you.