Frequent Calls from UNKNOWN ???

[threegee]

Hi all

I have a regular "UNKNOWN" caller which calls my phone on a fairly regular basis and it only rings once/twice and it is impossible to answer these calls. My wife gets them too and exactly the same scenario.

How many other Vodacom/MTN/CellC/Virgin subscribers have experienced this?

My guess is that it is an automated system which is doing the calling probably a "number-discovery" type system which rings your phone to check if the number is valid and then they can spam you. Perhaps it's some type of tracking system ... whoooooo .... maybe big brother is keeping tabs on where we all are every day

What leads me to believe it's automated is that sometimes the calls come in at 3:00 am in the morning. I will be asking a few colleagues and friends if they experience this but I would like to know from the greater community of MyBroadband if the same is being experienced and if so I will take this matter further with Vodacom to reveal who this Unknown number is (Vodacom must have records) and what this unknown person wants?

I for one am opposed to this Unknown numbering system or the ability to hide your number or have private numbers. It seems only those people with something to hide would want such numbers and it opens up a lot of avenues for criminals (mostly) to work freely without ever being known. Definitely an issue worth taking up with ICASA.

But for now lets stick to just the issue of who else is experiencing the calls from Mr Unknown???

[Skeptik]

Vodacom do have the number. Getting it off them may be a problem unless you make some sort of official complaint - & with the SAPS.

[Datura]

Been getting a private number phoning me from time to time and it just goes dead when I answer. Quite a recent thing and very annoying. Nobody has to hide their number from me if they have something to talk to me about so I have just informed my friends, family and co-workers not to call me from private numbers because I no longer answer these calls.

EDIT: All these calls have been to my MTN number.

[Amith]

From what i hear they only will deal with a complaint if they have a case opened by the SAP and they are very very reluctant to help with unknown numbers

I also received 3 calls from unknown on Sunday!

So does anyone know how we can track these numbers succesfully??

p.s the Sap will only help if the complaint was life threating

[JK8]

From what i hear they only will deal with a complaint if they have a case opened by the SAP and they are very very reluctant to help with unknown numbers

I also received 3 calls from unknown on Sunday!

So does anyone know how we can track these numbers succesfully??

p.s the Sap will only help if the complaint was life threating

Well open a case at the police, explain that its becoming disturbing and exagerate whatever effects it having on you, mentally.

Then they can trace it.
But if it doesnt bother you but just irratates you then just try to catch them!

[Hein_JHB]

If someone calls landlines, cellphone numbers with skype and voice over IP then the number will show up as "unknown" or "private" number.

I had it a few times that marketing ppl called me with "Private" number and i think that they use voice over ip or skype

[JK8]

If someone calls landlines, cellphone numbers with skype and voice over IP then the number will show up as "unknown" or "private" number.

I had it a few times that marketing ppl called me with "Private" number and i think that they use voice over ip or skype

Yip!

To Amit - You indian right?
Its probably your little cousins messing with you

My suggestion just start rejecting the call, it will stop eventually.

[threegee]

Well certainly good to see so many responses. This is certainly worthy of further investigation. I will monitor this post and then lodge a formal complaint with Vodacom & ICASA.

I am certainly not going to run around wasting my time with the SAPS. This is a Provider issue as far as I am concerned and I am quite certain ICASA will take this matter up in a more serious light than the providers who have this attitude of it being my problem to solve.

It is the providers (Telkom included) who provided the ability for these guys to lurk in the shadows and remain unknown to everybody so why should it become the SAPS problem to deal with? Why should our taxes go to fighting this type of criminal? Why should an already stressed SAPS be burdened with such nonsense?

Providers must start becoming responsible for their actions and start being held responsible for their actions ... it's far too easy to always pass the buck !!! Something big corporations are notoriously good at.

[Natas]

I have said so before ..But i think that if you ahve a cell phone then you should be able to blocks calls from number withheld callers on teh service provider side...my wife ahd a stalker problem where teh dude was calling and withholding his number..at the very least you should be able to do teh *69 thing and call the person back....

Voadcom have the information but will not give it to. They will only release teh information on the basis of a proper warrant. They dont release the information on the basis that they have a confidentiality obligation to their client. IE the cannot even reveal a telephone number.....IMO if someone calls you and witholds their number....that number also forms part of YOUR customer infromation. They do not need to give you a name and address...all you want is the number from which that person called you anyway. IMO if somoeone calls you on your phone then they have consented to you having that information. If they do not want you to have it....then **** off and dont call.....

Service providers should have a sysetm in place where if you have nominated to not receive calls frmo withheld numbers then an automated message should inform the caller of this and advise them to call frmo an unblocked number. They can then make exceptions for international and other calls. That way if you get a withheld number call you can tell its frmo o/seas.....

[Amith]

[QUOTE=JK8;845779][COLOR="Navy"]Yip!

To Amit - You indian right?
Its probably your little cousins messing with you


I dont have any younger cousins and im very sensitive to "Indians" remarks so pls its not funny for me.

Vodacom will not give out personal info without a warrant unless you have a "cousin" in Admin.

[JK8]

[QUOTE=Amith;846062]

[COLOR="Navy"]Yip!

To Amit - You indian right?
Its probably your little cousins messing with you


I dont have any younger cousins and im very sensitive to "Indians" remarks so pls its not funny for me.

Vodacom will not give out personal info without a warrant unless you have a "cousin" in Admin.

My bad, Im indian to

[Gadget_guy]

If I see a call from Unkown, depends what mood I am in to answer, if people want to talk to me, I normally like to know who I am talking to and decide if I want to talk back.

If it's unknown, then they are invading my privacy, and are dealt with accordingly (depending how I feel)

[MyDummyName]

hmmm..

the reasons telkom, mtn, vodacom, cell c, virgin etc make blocking / barring numbers so difficult is very clear to me....

if you are allowed to block numbers it means that less calls will go through their exchanges, and, less calls = less revenue...

i.e. they do not wanna lose money, so why should they care if we get woken up in the middle of the night or threatened or stalked... as long as they can keep the money rolling in...

listen, we have the wrong mindset and we always have, we have to look at it from their point of view which is:

THEY DO NOT PROVIDE A SERVICE TO US; THEY MAKE MONEY OFF FROM US!

this is the harsh reality we dont seem to realise...

they mind-**** us into thinking they are service providers when all they are really doing is milking us...

anyway its my meagre little opinion...

[Shake&Bake]

hmmm..

the reasons telkom, mtn, vodacom, cell c, virgin etc make blocking / barring numbers so difficult is very clear to me....

if you are allowed to block numbers it means that less calls will go through their exchanges, and, less calls = less revenue...

i.e. they do not wanna lose money, so why should they care if we get woken up in the middle of the night or threatened or stalked... as long as they can keep the money rolling in...

listen, we have the wrong mindset and we always have, we have to look at it from their point of view which is:

THEY DO NOT PROVIDE A SERVICE TO US; THEY MAKE MONEY OFF FROM US!

this is the harsh reality we dont seem to realise...

they mind-**** us into thinking they are service providers when all they are really doing is milking us...

anyway its my meagre little opinion...

That little opnion struck home bru! But you might just awaken my paranoid sensory systems about big brother and the capitalist structures in place to mould us anyway they want....but that's a other ball of candy

[Skeptik]

If only it were untrue.