Expanded blacklist

[Morac]

Apparently scammers can get around Nomorobo by calling from a completely invalid phone number as Nomorobo can only block 10 digit phone numbers.

I got a call from the number 1036 this morning. It's a scam number that's been around since at least November.

http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/1036

Why would Ooma or Nomorobo even let that number through as it is obviously not a real phone number.

[caseym54]

what stops the spammers/robocallers from using this method to get their numbers unblocked? Should I assume that Nomorobo will somehow check the unblock request to ensure it's legitimate?

Telemarketers only respond to calls that are answered by a human. I do not think they track which calls were dud's for what ever the reason or the msg. Further, I don't believe they'd justify tracking numbers that did not go through then waste their time entering those numbers in Nomorobo to get them unblocked. Actually wish they would spend all their time doing that. yeah, yeah yeah....

The spammers just change the bogus number on their caller ID if they think it is getting blocked a lot. The probably do that every so often anyway. It's not their real number -- it's usually an unassigned one, so that people calling back to complain get a recording. When the numbers finally get assigned and are still blocked, the spammers have their last laugh.

[Mattman3234]

I cannot for the life of me get the website to keep my selection for enhanced blacklist. I tried changing the community setting as well to save it but I get an error every time. I've tried IE and Chrome. Any thoughts?

[brian428]

The spammers just change the bogus number on their caller ID if they think it is getting blocked a lot.

I think you missed a key part of his comment. "1036" isn't a valid phone number in the first place. Yes, if they spoof their caller ID to a valid phone number, it's basically impossible to prevent. But simply blocking completely invalid phone numbers seems like a no-brainer for Ooma.

[lbmofo]

In the meantime, you can block some of the invalid numbers yourself via wildcard blacklist entry. Example: 0* and 1*

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=14774&start=20#p108473
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=14774&start=30#p109127

[holmes4]

It's been suggested many times before that Ooma treat clearly invalid CID numbers the same as "Anonymous" for the purpose of call blocking. It is annoying that this hasn't been implemented. But indeed the spammers often will forge a real number in order to bypass blocks and get you to pick up.

[Morac]

Not sure if this is the expanded blacklist or the community blacklist, but the American Red Cross is now being blocked.

Personally I don't care since I find them annoying, but I'm not sure they belong on a public blacklist.

[Morac]

In the meantime, you can block some of the invalid numbers yourself via wildcard blacklist entry. Example: 0* and 1*

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=14774&start=20#p108473
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=14774&start=30#p109127

With the new Ooma site, it's not possible to block 0* or 1*. There must be at least two digits now or it complains to enter a valid blacklist number. Since blacklists can't be entered on the classic site, those numbers aren't an option unless I use 20 spaces to enter all two digit numbers starting with 0 or 1.

I just got called by 19046400 at 10 PM. It's really annoying that these calls are going through.

Edit: apparently you can enter 0* and 1*, you just have to enter it as 10* and 11*.

[Tom]

apparently you can enter 0* and 1*, you just have to enter it as 10* and 11*.

Just for clarification : MyOoma doesn't display the leading 1, so even though 11* shows up as (1*) the pattern is still 11* (for calls from e.g. 1-102* which 102 being an invalid area code). I'll enter a bug for not being able to enter 0* (you can enter 00*).

[Morac]

Well apparently scammers have found a way around blacklists entirely by calling from a real number in your area code and prefix.

I got a call from "Rachel from cardholder services" today. The call was from a number in my area code and prefix. I blocked my number and called back and it was the number of an actual person, so scammers are now not only spoofing numbers, but they are customizing the number spoofed based on what number is dialed.

There's no way to defend against that. Basically the scammers have won.

Edit:

Apparently they've been doing this for a little over a year in response to blacklists like this one and nomorobo.

http://www.cleveland.com/consumeraffair ... numbe.html