A True Tale of FCC Nothingness and the

Spoofed Calls from Hell

Does that sound like a sort of existential, trippy something-or-other? Exactly, darlings.

Let me 'splain myself.

I, Sher, your intrepid Brazen Hussy editor, is on the Do Not Call List. You know, the federal mandated list where - theoretically - you enter your phone number and telemarketers quit calling. Oh and if they do, according to moronic non-researched, wide-eyed, half-baked "advice" from bloggers-who-think-they-are-journalists, if a telemarketer DOES call you, all you have to do is say "I'm on the Do Not Call List. Don't call again."

And then they won't call. They can't. It's the law, see?

Oh, PUHLEAZE... not only do they ignore requests, the Do Not Call List, being cussed out and my faithful "Bullshit" button, but what do we do about the spammer, scammers? You know the ones who call offereing "free" security systems and suggest they are from a (nebulous, not exactly, certified) "government program" to lower interest rates. Or (one of my favorites of the smarmy breathless scare tactic) to offer a free alarm system to save you from "cardiac arrest or violent crime."

With bullshit so steaming it smells even over the phone, all they want is your credit card number...

So what do you do? Or, more to the point, what did I do?

I have filed - no kidding - at least 75 complaints with the FCC, filling out their awkward online form keeping records of the time and date the calls were made. I even called the FCC personally a few years ago and after an hour of being on hold and passed from person to person I was told there was "nothing really they can do" and to "contact my Congressman." Yeah, right... Uh-huh. THAT should halt the scammers... Sure.

Besides filing the reports (answered only with form emails saying the FCC has noted my report and basically aren't doing squat), using my wonderful Bullshit button to blast the eardrums of the scammers, using whatever dramatic skills I have to spoof them right back... nothing works.

But what has become the harassment has gotten worse. If I don't answer, they call my answering machine. If I answer and immediately hang up, they call back.

Here's the latest. Some scammers from hell call me every single day over and over from this number, 1-213-221-3703. The caller ID says UNKNOWN NAME. If you call the number you get a "fake" message saying the number is not in use due to fradulent or suspected fraudulent activity - meaning, I suppose, they aren't answering in case they are being busted because they ARE engaged in fraudulent activity. It is clearly a fake message (listen and you can tell) because they keep calling me incessantly from the number with the same bogus plan to lower my interest on credit card debt (I DON'T EVEN HAVE)...

They have also called me over and over from a "spoofed" number and caller ID indicating it is the local Yogli Mogli yogurt shop. NOPE! The creep scammers...

If that wasn't enough, I received a phone call that showed - get this - the call was coming from ME and MY NUMBER. Yes, these creeps have spoofed my OWN PHONE NUMBER.

Anyhoo, darlings... I do have a point and here it is. I broke down and called the FCC again. I thought I had two new points - a number showing a faked message about the "fraudulent" activity and the fact my own number is being spoofed and used by crooks for illegal activities. I thought it mattered.

Wrong.

After being on hold for 27 minutes, I got through! And the person immediately hung up on me. This was repeated two times until - voila! I talked to a woman who was completely inarticulate, sighed and cut me off telling me there was "nothing they could do" and I just "should ignore them"and, you guessed it, "write Congress."

I could scream.

Yes, boys and girls, ladies and germs, this is America, this is our tax dollars at work. Scammers, thieves praying on the ignorant and elderly and desperate and stealing credit card numbers - have at it. The FCC does NOTHING. Law Enforcement isn't interested. I think I already said this but... I could scream.

Instead, I may just call the FCC and, should I get someone again to actually answer the phone... I just hit my bullshit button.

For your very own "Bull Shit" Buttons and the like, check out these products!!!