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Fake CLIDs - why are these not blocked by the system?

walkeral
Newbie
Posts: 3
Registered: ‎21-09-2008

Fake CLIDs - why are these not blocked by the system?

Like many others I have been getting missed calls on an almost daily basis. On occasions when I'm at home and answer them, they are nearly always the "Microsoft scam" callers and are always of an Indian accent.

Every time, the CLID is shown as a UK number. Examples:

01950304867 - Cunningsburgh [Shetland]

01955236234 - Wick

01310504587 - Edinburgh

Rarely I get an INTERNATIONAL flash alongside it which is a giveaway. Extremely rarely I actually get an international number.

Obviously adding actual UK numbers to the system would possibly block genuine calls.

Therefore, what I would like to know is why the following procedure is not being adopted by Plusnet / Openreach / etc.:

1) If the number is international and isn't prefixed 00<country>, BLOCK IT

2) If the number is a UK STD code which has no registered owner, BLOCK IT

3) If the call is international but the CLID system doesn't pick it up, this is a fault and should be rectified.

Similar rules are often applied to DNS addresses and IP addresses on ISP gateways. Most phone systems today are packet switched and therefore can easily be subjected to the same checks and filters.

Futhermore, someone should be noting exactly where these international calls are actually coming from, then approaching appropriate law enforcement agencies in their respective countries with a view to stopping it.

12 REPLIES 12
RandallFlagg
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,915
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎11-01-2018

Re: Fake CLIDs - why are these not blocked by the system?

Hi Walkeral,

 

Thanks for getting in touch.

 

I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing so many unsolicited nuisance calls - I appreciate that they are frustrating and stressful at the best of times.

 

Have you had the opportunity to look at Plusnet Call Protect which is a free feature we provide in order to prevent many of these calls from reaching your handset?

 

The feature has the ability to block international numbers and/or the last number which called you, alongside withheld numbers etc.These blocked calls are transferred to a voicemail service which you can review/delete at your convenience.

 

You can add Plusnet Call Protect through the Plusnet member centre once you've logged into your account.

 

Although I understand what you're requesting in terms of blocking numbers 'across the board' based on the criteria you've provided, this isn't something that we offer - the facility to block numbers has to be controlled and driven by yourself as we have no way of predicting which numbers you would legitimately like to hear from (and therefore don't want to prevent genuine access to your contacts).

 

In addition to Plusnet Call Protect I'd also recommend that you register with the Telephone Preference Service (you can do this via their website, via Google) as this will also minimise the volume of marketing/spam calls you receive.

 

I hope this helps to combat the unsolicited contact you've reported.

 

Best Wishes,

 

Dave

Angstony
Dabbler
Posts: 11
Registered: ‎17-07-2017

Re: Fake CLIDs - why are these not blocked by the system?

I'm also getting these calls daily now and it's driving me nuts. Whenever they show a CLID number I block them on 1572, but a lot of them now just appear as "INTERNATIONAL Out of Area" so I can't block them. I don't want to block international or withheld numbers, as I have genuine contacts in both categories, but it would be good if I could block these 'Out of Area' calls, because they are always scammers claiming to be from TalkTalk or BT.

TPS membership will have no affect on these people.

RandallFlagg
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,915
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎11-01-2018

Re: Fake CLIDs - why are these not blocked by the system?

HI @Angstony,

 

Thanks for adding to the thread.

 

Unfortunately, there isn't an alternative process to be able to block those specific types of calls at present and you'd need to continue to manage them via 1572 as you have done so, so far.

 

I appreciate that its frustrating (I receive these types of calls myself from time to time and they are irritating) but businesses who set up and operate unsolicited spam calls tend to understand the nature and limitations of the UK's telephony network and use this knowledge to ensure that their calls reach your handset.

 

That being said, one thing worth exploring is the "VIP List" feature which will allow you to specify numbers that "override" your divert settings. For example, you have noted that you have genuine callers from international numbers and this prevents you from blocking all international numbers. You could add the genuine number to your VIP list and still block the rest. I have included the menu breakdown to help you navigate to this section:

 

Using Plusnet Call Protect  
Call Protect Menu       Dial 1572       
Main Menu       

  1. Press 1 to add the last answered call to your diverted caller list.  
  2. Press 2 to remove the last entry from your diverted caller list.  
  3. Press 3 to listen to your 1572 messages.  
  4. Press 4 to change your personal options including – 
    Plusnet's diverted list 
    Your diverted list 
    Diverted call groups 
    VIP list 
    DND settings 
    Or hold to hear these menu options again 
     

I hope this helps.

 

Best wishes,

 

Dave

Angstony
Dabbler
Posts: 11
Registered: ‎17-07-2017

Re: Fake CLIDs - why are these not blocked by the system?

Thanks for the prompt reply, Dave.

I'm aware of the VIP option but I don't really want to go down that route either, because I can't guarantee that friends and family abroad won't try to call me from unknown (to me) numbers.


@RandallFlagg wrote:

…businesses who set up and operate unsolicited spam calls tend to understand the nature and limitations of the UK's telephony network and use this knowledge to ensure that their calls reach your handset.

I rather think that is the whole point of this post: ISPs and OFCOM aren't doing enough to protect people from these scam – not spam – calls. If the system can flag a call as 'Out of Area' it shouldn't be beyond its scope to block them.

adamwalker
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 16,871
Thanks: 882
Fixes: 221
Registered: ‎27-04-2007

Re: Fake CLIDs - why are these not blocked by the system?

Understood and I'm sorry there isn't another way around this that we could recommend. In an ideal world the suggestion made by walkeral would be a way around this but not an option that we could configure using the options made available to us by our suppliers. As always we'll take the feedback onboard though. 

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Adam Walker
 Plusnet Help Team
mort7890
Pro
Posts: 580
Thanks: 92
Fixes: 4
Registered: ‎28-06-2007

Re: Fake CLIDs - why are these not blocked by the system?

Just had another unsolicited call, reported the number to I.C.O., however I dialed 1572 to add the last number to my diverted call list only to be informed that my "Diverted callers list is currently full". I cannot find anywhere on the P/N site as to how many callers I can divert?Huh

If my memory serves me right P/N were looking into being able to manage the list on line, but my concern is the list is full?

MymsMan
Dabbler
Posts: 23
Thanks: 7
Registered: ‎30-06-2018

Re: Fake CLIDs - why are these not blocked by the system?

Caller Protect is really not fit for purpose in that it is incapable of providing protection against the spam callers who deliberately hide behind unknown and faked/ spoofed numbers which change so frequently that they cant be blocked.

 

PlusNet urgently needs to upgrade its Call Protect service to be as good or better than provided as standard by its competitors.   This would include:

  • Removal of size restrictions on block lists
  • Online management of the service and lists
  • Call filtering (without needing to buy new phone)
  • Blocking of unknown or spoofed numbers

The telecoms industry as a whole needs to work together to eliminate the mechanisms that allow these spammers to fake telephone numbers and hide behind unknown numbers.

mort7890
Pro
Posts: 580
Thanks: 92
Fixes: 4
Registered: ‎28-06-2007

Re: Fake CLIDs - why are these not blocked by the system?

Even using option 4 it is coming back as Diverted callers list is currently full. As I have put very few callers into that list this makes me feel that P/N have a problem with 1572

198kHz
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 5,730
Thanks: 2,773
Fixes: 41
Registered: ‎30-07-2008

Re: Fake CLIDs - why are these not blocked by the system?

It's taken a long time, but Ofcom are bringing in these rules:

  • Phone companies will be banned from charging customers for caller display, a service which helps people to screen unwanted calls;
  • Telephone numbers displayed to people receiving calls must be valid and allow a person to call the number back;
  • Phone companies must take steps to identify and block calls which carry invalid numbers – a feature of many nuisance calls – so they don’t get through to consumers in the first place; and
  • Ofcom will be able to take back blocks of numbers from communications providers if they are found to have been systematically used to cause harm or anxiety to people, such as to make nuisance calls or perpetrate scams or fraud.

from 1 October 2018.

Source

Murphy was an optimist
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mort7890
Pro
Posts: 580
Thanks: 92
Fixes: 4
Registered: ‎28-06-2007

Re: Fake CLIDs - why are these not blocked by the system?

Probably that is why I am getting numerous unsolicited calls before the month end, however I thought part of this had started in September. Still need 1572 to block unwanted calls but my diverted caller list is currently full and no answer from P/N.

MymsMan
Dabbler
Posts: 23
Thanks: 7
Registered: ‎30-06-2018

Re: Fake CLIDs - why are these not blocked by the system?


@mort7890 wrote:

Still need 1572 to block unwanted calls but my diverted caller list is currently full and no answer from P/N.


@mort7890,

Painfully slow and cumbersome method https://www.plus.net/help/phone/call-features/

1572->4 (options) ->2 (your diverted list) ->.4 (least effective list) -> 1 as each number is announced (don't need to listen to full number), repeat a few times to clear a bit of space

mort7890
Pro
Posts: 580
Thanks: 92
Fixes: 4
Registered: ‎28-06-2007

Re: Fake CLIDs - why are these not blocked by the system?

But how do you know which is the oldest, has it been duplicated and is it the same procedure for option 1