[WXC/VFX] Private Calls throughout the Night

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › [WXC/VFX] Private Calls throughout the Night

bnr034

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#112641 16-Dec-2012 06:54

Anyone having this problem... i do not who the prankster is but someone think its funny calling my home from 2am to 7am every 15-20 mins and its driving me nuts and im losing sleep over this.

Every time i pick up the phone no one will answer(talk) at the other end... its so annoying..

Is there a way to find out to the caller is???

Anyone else experiencing this problem?

Cheers

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#733039 16-Dec-2012 07:32

I have a permanent 24/7 immediate divert to voicemail for all private calls. You can do this with the advanced feature set.

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Hiamie

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#733040 16-Dec-2012 07:42

Oy you could turn off the phone ringer on your phone at night letting all calls go to an answering machine, that gives your cellphone number in the welcome message. That way, friends and emergency calls still get through(to your cellphone) and your normal phone remains silent!

freitasm

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#733041 16-Dec-2012 07:43

I simply have blocked calls from numbers that are not presented. Straight to /dev/null.

dimsim

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#733069 16-Dec-2012 10:27

You need to contact WxC and have them investigate. I have only ever done this with Telecom and they required dates and times for their investigation team. The other suggestions are not only an inconvenience for your other legitimate callers abut also somewhat of an "ambulance at the bottom of the cliff" approach.

I have for years now received middle of the night calls from Indian +91 ISD codes for no apparent reason which to my surprise Xnet have been unable to do anything about.

good luck.

Goosey

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#733070 16-Dec-2012 10:32

Hiamie: Oy you could turn off the phone ringer on your phone at night letting all calls go to an answering machine, that gives your cellphone number in the welcome message. That way, friends and emergency calls still get through(to your cellphone) and your normal phone remains silent!

wouldnt the prankster also then use the cell number?

InstallerUFB

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#733072 16-Dec-2012 10:35

The simple answer is to contact your service provider to register your problem - more than likely thay will tell you to contact the police to lay a complaint - as i dont belive they (providers) can or are willing to take action without the polices involement.

bnr034

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#733076 16-Dec-2012 10:52

Thanks guys ... Ill ring xnet tmr after work. The prankster rang at 7 this morning... I picked it up n left it there for 20 mins... The prankster didn't even hang up... Some people with no life ay...

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Hiamie

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#733083 16-Dec-2012 11:06

Gooseybhai: wouldnt the prankster also then use the cell number?

Not likely as if they are malicious, it will cost the caller each time it is answered.

Secondly, in all probability, the calls are probably automated calls coming from overseas, and not actually man-made malicious calls at all. (I have received hundreds of these type of calls over the last couple of years - The caller ID shows crazy numbers associated with the calls, so the callers number is being falsified somehow, and a Google search of the numbers often reveals lots of people all over the world have similar calls.), In my experience, given time - say 2 to 3 weeks - they will stop of their own accord.

robjg63

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#733084 16-Dec-2012 11:10

Sounds like 'the prankster' is some sort of automated dialer rather than an actual human.

One of those dumb overseas call centres - or someone has some application set up to call your number - maybe they put the wrong number in?

You didnt say if you have caller ID or if any number is displayed??

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Kyanar

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#733085 16-Dec-2012 11:27

robjg63: Sounds like 'the prankster' is some sort of automated dialer rather than an actual human.

One of those dumb overseas call centres - or someone has some application set up to call your number - maybe they put the wrong number in?

You didnt say if you have caller ID or if any number is displayed??

They said private call, which means the caller id is blocked.

Most likely it's a badly configured auto-dialler trying to find valid numbers to phone spam. I've heard that you can get these to go away usually by changing your voicemail greeting to start off with a tone representing a not-in-service number, but not sure how or if that really works.

bnr034

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#733098 16-Dec-2012 12:37

i seriously do not know how they got hold of my number. Since I have my caller ID blocked.

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#733115 16-Dec-2012 12:41

Won't be a prankster.
Won't have "gotten hold of your number".

Will be a poorly configured dialler for a telemarketing or scam setup, and will have simy dialled you as part of a number range.

I.e. if your phone number is 09123456 I can dial everything from 09123000 to 09123999 and I'll dial your number. I dont have to "get hold of it".

Niel

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#733139 16-Dec-2012 14:01

Blocking a specific number requires the advanced features, blocking all anonymous calls does not. This weekend was the first time ever that someone told me he could not get through, and it was an aircon installer that had his home number suppressed. Blocking anonymous calls has significantly reduced telemarketing calls to 1 a month if that much.

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sbiddle

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#733160 16-Dec-2012 14:40

bnr034: i seriously do not know how they got hold of my number. Since I have my caller ID blocked.

In many cases they are robot autodiallers. They don't get your number from anywhere, they just dial every number.

I'm assuming you haven't yet contacted WxC about this? This is clearly the first step. They will be able to tell where the call is originating from (and the number if it's from NZ).

antoniosk

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#733188 16-Dec-2012 17:00

My callers have been going on for a year or so now, usually international 70 and 80 numbers (India unfortunately, continuing to completely devastate that countries reputation).

The methodology I have discerned is:
1. Get a white pages listing, which is pretty easy.
2. Wardial every number you can
3. For any that 'respond', up their attractiveness rate to continuously dial the number. A response can be you picking up or an answering machine, it doesn't matter. Remember, it's a computer doing the work.

The game is to find any number with a voicemail system of some sort they can hijack, to make outbound calls. They can't tell what's an analogue pots line and what's a primary rate.At it's height, I received 186,000 call attempts to my number over a 3-day period.... Which is insane for a home line, but not insane for a typical business that can accept 30 or 60 incoming calls. Over 72 hours that can add up. And before anyone asks, I had the long suffering complex team look at why I was so popular.

None of the carriers seem to be able to do anything about this type of nuisance call, as its not malicious or life threatening.

What I found worked well:
1. Go ex-directory and delist your number ASAP
2. Turn off your voicemail
3. Get CLI turned on and do not answer CLI you don't recognise or withheld numbers
4. Direct all important callers to your mobile

My calls are down to about 1 a month now, but to be fair it has rendered my pstn pots service completely bloody useless. Even with a VoIP service giving me more call control, the last thing I want is this level of fuss - I just don't have tolerance for it.

________

Antoniosk

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