miller@gvlv3.gvl.unisys.com (Bruce J. Miller) (11/13/89)
I have been told that in my area (Eastern PA, A/C 215), it's possible for an individual to trace, or at least call back, the originator of a crank and/or nuisance call by dialing *69 from a DTMF phone after the caller hangs up (but before you do). Supposedly this initiates a call back to the originator (without revealing the number to you); the callback is said to keep trying for 1/2 hour in case the calling phone is busy. Does anyone know if this is for real? If so, if there any way to extract the number of the caller? Comments, please. (Forgive me if this covers old ground. I've only been reading the group for a week.) Bruce Miller (miller@gvlv3.gvl.unisys.com)
msmith@topaz.rutgers.edu (Mark Robert Smith) (11/15/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0507m04@vector.dallas.tx.us> miller@gvlv3.gvl.unisys. com (Bruce J. Miller) writes: > I have been told that in my area (Eastern PA, A/C 215), it's possible > for an individual to trace, or at least call back, the originator of a > crank and/or nuisance call by dialing *69 from a DTMF phone after the > caller hangs up (but before you do). Supposedly this initiates a call > back to the originator (without revealing the number to you); the > callback is said to keep trying for 1/2 hour in case the calling phone > is busy. > Does anyone know if this is for real? If so, if there any way to > extract the number of the caller? Comments, please. > Bruce Miller (miller@gvlv3.gvl.unisys.com) Yes, this is true. It's called "Return Call" in Bell Atlantic country. This allows you to call back the last person who called you, without knowing their number. You must have this service turned on ($$$) for it to work. In New Jersey, Call Trace is turned on automatically for all lines. This allows you to initiate a trace of the last person who called you, and for that info to be forwarded to the phone company's harassment dept. You then have to initiate a complaint with the local Police, as only law enforcement authorities can get this information. The code for this is *57. You can also get Caller ID soon in PA, where a little screen will show the number of the person calling you between the first and second rings. This service must also be turned on in advance, and you must also buy a Caller ID box to attach to your line, which run about $80. BTW, I found a strange thing yesterday. If I try to use a CLASS feature that I haven't signed up for, I get the message "This feature will not work because the number is outside the CLASS area" or something close. It seems they have only one error message! Mark Smith, KNJ2LH All Rights Reserved RPO 1604 You may redistribute this article only if those who P.O. Box 5063 receive it may do so freely. New Brunswick, NJ 08903-5063 msmith@topaz.rutgers.edu