ahlenius%cell.mot.COM@uunet.uu.net> (01/08/90)
I recently moved and got a new home phone number. Each night at approximately 10:28 pm we get a call from some auto dialer device. It does not sound like any modem device I have ever heard before. It has a short beep (about 0.5 sec.) then pauses for 3-4 seconds or so and repeats until either I hang up or it gives up a minute or so later. It does not sound like any fsk device. It almost sounds like the type of beep you hear when someone is recording a phone conversation. Anyway it will try to call us 3 times and then finally give up. Maybe HAL or the WHOPPER were revived? I called Ma Bell (Illinois Bell in this case) and explained the problem. They told me that the previous owner of this number had it changed some time ago cause they got calls from some Bank's fax machine. And I could have it changed too. They couldn't resolve the problem at that time either. But alas we have already published our new number to a lot of folks and hate to change it again. A phone trap will cost ME bucks and we have to get the local police involved - something that I don't want to spend money on. I called our fax machine at work and it does not sound like this device either - so I am confused about it. If it is indeed a fax machine - perhaps I can borrow a fax machine or fax modem and hook it up and try to recieved their cover sheet and in effect - return the favor. My guess is that our number is programmed in some auto calling device by mistake and no one knows about it. Then I can call the culprits and tell them of the trouble and if that doesn't stop them I could fax them the whole Sears catalog - until they get the picture! Anyway does anyone have any ideas on what this problem could be? If so - please email me your suggestions and I will post any successful solutions if so desired to the group. Thanks in Advance. Mark [Moderator's Note: What you are suggesting is a fun idea, but then they could make trouble for you. I suggest instead that you have IBT trace the calls. If the service rep tries to tell you there will be a charge to you for tracing, start yelling loudly and demand to have a supervisor 'or someone who has been trained to talk to subscribers and correct problems' come on the line. Remind them that their own tariffs cover tracing of nuisance calls; they are there to serve you, not the other way around; and do they want to do their job or will you be put in the postion of having to appeal to the Chairman's office? They'll do the trace, and when it is completed, then go to the office of the Illinois Commerce Commission and file a complaint against the offender and request that the ICC order telco to disconnect the offender's service. I will look up the appropriate regulation number if telco can't find it for you. Then take your bill for what all this has cost you and file suit in Small Claims Court against the offending caller to collect for your expenses. I had an almost identical situation three years ago involving a computer at a bank in Chicago which was mis-programmed to dial my second line. All the pleading in the world did no good; I could reach no one in authority to correct the matter and was told they would do as they pleased. All of a sudden when one day they were notified by telco that they had a Commission complaint with a 48 hour 'correct or disconnect order' and the next day the Sheriff served them with my summons in Small Claims, they became very solicitous and eager to talk to me. PT]