Using caller ID..

Caller ID(1) (or more properly calling number identification) is a wonderful invention for screening your calls. Caller ID is often helpful for tracing down prank calls and other unwanted intrusions. However, it can also impede communication by enabling users to become evasive. The concept behind caller ID is the value of informed consent; however, it also poses problems for personal privacy. Additionally, nothing ensures that the number sent by a switch is the actual number where the call originated. It is very easy for a telephone switch initiating the call to send any digit string desired as caller ID. This is called, Caller ID Spoofing.(2) A call placed behind a private branch exchange (PBX) has more options when it comes to spoofing their number. In the typical telephony environment a PBX connects to the local service provider through PRI trunks. Generally, although not absolutely, the service provider simply passes whatever calling line ID appears on those PRI access trunks transparently across the PSTN [Public Service Telephone Network]. This opens up the opportunity for the PBX administrator to program whatever number they choose in their external phone number fields. There is an interesting quirk when one uses Vonage(3) or other Internet Telephony services to make calls. See, Vonage has call gateways to get around long distance calls. If you place an Internet Telephony call with Vonage, the Caller ID will get a number at random from the local gateway instead of the one from the actual originating caller. That said, spoofing your caller identification seems tricky. It is, however, handy for scammers causing their victims to place and inordinate degree of trust because the caller identification comes across as their bank, credit card company, or some other trusted business source. For normal people who call to want to talk to you.. well, it is probably exceedingly rare. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (To use a typical spoofing service, customers pay in advance for a PIN allowing them to make a call for a certain amount of minutes. To begin, customers dial the toll free number given to them by the company and enter their PIN. After which they enter the number they wish to call and the number they wish to appear on the caller ID. Once the customer selects the options, the call is bridged and the person on the other end receives the customer's call. Assuming caller id is used on the receiving end the receiver would normally assume the call was coming from a different phone number (the spoofed number chosen by the caller) than the caller's actual number, thus tricking the receiver into thinking the call was coming from a different individual or organization than the caller's. Most providers work similar to a pre-paid calling card. ) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ack! There are services to do this. Tricky. Hrm, a few April Fools jokes come to mind. Well, scratch what I said about it being tricky. Ok, so it is easy if you know how to find this caller ID spoofing service. But, I do not think many people actually know how to do this... even if it would be easy to Spoof the Identification number, I still do not think it is done often. That is Joe Smith and Nancy Goodman probably do not spoof their number just to see if you answer. And, on that level, like every one else, I can imagine not feeling like answering a call from that person at a specific time. People also used to do this with answering machines. They wouldn't pick up until they heard the person speaking. With my new research, however, I find that it might not be so hard or costly to spoof the identification number from a person you suspect your spouse is cheating on you with and see if they pick up the phone. And, of course, how they answer the phone. Hrm... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Various included footnotes: 1) Caller Identification - link ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caller_ID ) 2) Caller Identification Spoofing - link ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caller_ID_spoofing ) 3) Vonage Internet Telephony - link ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vonage ) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I personally don't like answering to callers who hide their ID. I will definitely not answer to a caller I do not like to talk to

yes, or if I am busy and if the caller is not someone who would be an urgency for any reason - such as a company that I do not have an appointment with. I find it interesting though, that many times these same people that I do not answer the call from also do not leave a message on the machine... it just verifies that "yep, it was not important"

Hello dear ersmommy. Yeah, I usually have a look at who is making a call to me when it rings, but I do not refuse to answer the phone because I have paid the free incoming service call per month.

We don't have caller ID on our home phone, but I do decide not to answer sometimes when my cell phone rings if I don't recognize the number or I don't feel like talking.

I do this all the time,because my phone rings non stop most days and its so annoying.It wakes up my baby and sometimes I even take it off the hook,lol.I dont like to talk to my interferring in-laws so I always check to see if its them.If it is I give the phone to my husband or let it ring until the answering machine picks it up.

Definitely! That's what caller ID is for; so you can know who is calling and make a decision whether you want to take the call or not. Since I don't own a landline, and my only phone is a cell, everytime I get a call with a number that is not in my address book, I don't bother answering. If the call is important, the person can leave a message. Although to be honest, if I know the caller I would usually pick up, unless I'm extremely busy or if I'm not ready to take the call.

I do not have the caller id thingy on my phone, which is really annoying because then I agonise over whether to answer the phone or not. And you can guarantee that if I answer it then it will be sales reps calling and if I do not answer it then it will be really important!! Usually I leave it to ring to answer phone, because I figure if it is really important they will leave a message, if they do not leave a message then I dial last number called thing and see if there is a number left.

Yes this happens very frequently. Especially if, there is someone whom can be very annoying calling. I will not answer my phone. I can be sitting right there and the phone will ring, I will not bother to pick it up. Once when I had my apartment, my mother-in-law would call, and I would never answer my phone when she would call. When I am home, my answering service will come on. I will let it pick up, when I am home. She would call and I would never pick the phone up. Even when I was on the computer. I know this sounds mean, but I have every reason why, I would not answer my phone when she would call. I am good for doing something like this. I even have people whom will call for other people who does not live at my residence. They used to have the phone number that I now have. So, when they keep on calling, I just keep on not answering....

oh yes :)

I don't think I could live without caller id. And I am guilty of not answering the phone if I don't feel like calling. And I never answer the phone if it shows unknown.