Spoofing a neighbor's phone call.

I'm starting to get calls with the same first 6 digits as my number (area code + first 3). Never picked up any of the calls and none of them left any messages. I'm starting to worry that they will eventually spoof my number and I'll start receiving angry callbacks.

So it's NOT just me! I've gotten 6 calls like this (same area code and prefix as my mobile, different last four digits) in the past month. I never answer, and they never leave a message.

These tele scumbags think that if they spoof with a local area code and prefix that people are more apt to pick up. Often they spoof a local city business on caller id or they spoof a national chain. I get a call or 2 a week from credit card scammers using Discover Card or Mater card toll free 800 #. It is getting old.

Get a call blocker.  Simple.

No, you are definitely not alone.  I've received several on my cell and landline as well.  It's a spoofed number.  Again, this is why (except for maybe some rare circumstances) you should never call back an unknown number. The changes are good that you and other people doing that will end up harassing some poor soul who's number has been spoofed.  In order to do my best to insure the people behind these spoofs have the possibility of getting caught - I answer them and try to get past the robocall, the initial script-reader, and to the person trying to close the deal. Find out as much info about them I can, and then report it to the FTC.

If it works (i.e. enough people who answer end up buying from them), then you can expect this behavior to continue.

Seeing lots of these spam calls (with the same area code + prefix) on my phones these days - 10-20/week in the past month or two.

I have been receiving spam calls with the same first 6 digits (area code + prefix) as my own cell number. Out of curiosity, I answered one of the calls... the robo-lady voice said I won something from my recent stay at the Marriott Hotel. It's totally fake, because I haven't stayed at Marriott for the past couple of decades...

I have recently started receiving these same area code+prefix scam calls too. Sometimes they call five or more times per day. My phone has the ability to block numbers so I just blocked the entire area code+prefix, since funnily I don't know anyone with a number that begins with the same digits as my own number.

In fact, I'm thinking about blocking all area codes in the US which aren't in use by people I know.

I've gotten a couple of calls from confused people so just out of curiosity I googled my phone number.  I landed at another call reporting site where someone reported a spam call from my number.  Apparently my cell phone number is one of many being used by the spoofer and there's nothing I can do about it.
I am not amused.

Rule 1:  NEVER answer a call unless you know that number.  If it is important, they will leave voice mail or text you.
Rule 2: There are no other rules.
My wife and I get 216-780-xxxx calls everyday.  Never answered, never missed something important.

Yes, this has been happening much more lately, on both landline and cell phone numbers.

Sorry Bob, I disagree.  It depends upon what your goal is.  If your goal is to try to ignore them, then go ahead.  And that's okay.  The only issue is that ignored calls are not reported to the FTC. Even if they are, reports of spoofed numbers with no accompanying information doesn't  provide much actionable information for anyone.  And individual spoofed numbers with no information doesn't rise the level of being a reasonable target to the FTC for them to take action. So the calls will continue unchallenged.

We need more individuals to take direct action against them. We can't depend upon the government alone.

A month ago you wrote: "I answer them and try to get past the robocall, the initial script-reader, and to the person trying to close the deal. Find out as much info about them I can, and then report it to the FTC."

You must have a lot of time on your hands and the patience of a saint to do this. Good for you, but 99% of us do not have either, nor should we. We pay taxes to the government to fund the FTC, why should we have to do the work for them too?

Quote:

We pay taxes to the government to fund the FTC, why should we have to do the work for them too?

People expect the Government to just simply "take care of" problems, like it was a company thats paid for its services, so you do not have to do it yourself. They do the legal and physical portions, but knowing the "who, what & why" comes from people being bothered by unwanted callers. How does anyone expect the FTC to go after someone if nobody lets them know there IS a somebody to go after?

Sure most people just want the calls to stop and want someone else to worry about it, but if you just want to ignore and block, then don't complain about nobody doing anything about the problem. If you have something useful, then by all means you should report it and it doesn't mean you have to go out of your way to get the information, as some people get useful information from a single call.