This is an update to a previous post (http://sigma5.blogspot.com/2013/06/malicious-phone-calls.html). Today I got yet another robocall. I didn't even stay on the line long enough to find out who was calling. After hanging up I decided to stop stalling around and see what happened if I did the "*57" thing. So I tried it. The results were less than completely satisfactory. I got a recorded message indicating that I was being charged $1.50 and that if it was a life threatening situation I should hang up and dial "911". Then the message started repeating.
I hung up and mulled for a while. Then I picked up the phone (same phone) and dialed "0" ostensibly to be connected to the Operator. This put me into an "answer tree" that was mostly set up to allow me to change my telephone service. I did end up eventually getting to an "operator" or at least a live body. When I explained that I was trying to get some information from my "*57" trace he transferred me to "customer service", actually could more accurately be described as sales.
The person I talked to was not familiar with the "*57" service or malicious phone calls or call traces. He did say that "*57" was a "third party service". Eventually he transferred me to his supervisor, a "David N in North Idaho"., He couldn't provide me with any of the trace information either. The best he could do was to say that "if I had caller ID", which came bundled with some kind of long distance package, and he couldn't tell me what such a package would cost, then somehow this would help. By this time I was pretty frustrated and he accused me of being unprofessional (apparently being unable to provide any service or information on his side is not unprofessional but my being annoyed with his inability to provide any information or service is unprofessional). Anyhow, eventually he hung up on me without providing any help.
I decided to try again and called the "operator" again. Again after a couple of rounds with the "answer tree" system and another person I ended up back at customer service. This person was better informed and slightly more helpful. She suggested I call the "annoyance call bureau", which she described as an industry organization, at 800-582-0655. I asked her if she could reverse the $1.50 charge. She said she couldn't because it hadn't come through yet but she put a note in my file. She also indicated that I could get it reversed when it came through on my bill.
So I called the annoyance call bureau. The "answer tree" system I was connected to did indicate that it was part of Century Link, my "land line" phone company. One of the first things the "answer tree" did was ask if I had done a "*57" trace. I selected the "yes" option. This all happened before I was connected to a person. I asked this person if they could identify or give me contact information on the "third party service" that apparently performs the "*57" function. She could not. I asked her if she could give me the results of the trace. She could not. The information was only available to law enforcement (and the NSA).
She recommended in the future that I do a "*69". This is effectively a one time caller ID where a voice gives you the information. When I asked if the "*69" information could be blocked or spoofed she said that it could. I asked her what the next step was assuming that I had done the "*69". She indicated that my only option was to fill out an FTC complaint form. Given that it is cheap for businesses to block or spoof caller ID this is not much help. I have written about the "robocall challenge" (http://sigma5.blogspot.com/2012/10/fcc-robocall-challenge.html) previously. The fact that the FCC ran the contest indicates exactly how effective filing a complaint is.
The "annoyance bureau" lady did indicate that she could get my $1.50 charge reversed. We'll see.
In summary, the good news is that "*57" is out there and that it works at the basic level of tracing a call. The bad news is the rest of the story. Maybe other phone companies do a better job in this area than Century Link but I doubt it. So the approach I recommended in the post linked to at the top of this piece looks more feasible than ever, again assuming that the trace information is real and can't be blocked or spoofed like standard caller ID can be. And I can't say I am surprised that the NSA gets better service than I do from the phone company. They have actual clout and I, as a member of the "99%", don't.
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