Need Freeper Help to stop unwanted phone calls

[ladyjane]

At 8:15 this morning the phone started ringing. A fax machine is now dialing my number every 2 minutes. I tried returning the call but it's always busy. I have called the operator who said their company will try (3 times) to send a fax. I can't take the phone off the hook because I'm waiting for a delivery. A long weekend is ahead.

Freepers always have the best ideas. Help!

[Da Mav]

It is quite possible that this is not a spam fax but a misdialed number which happens quite frequently. Somebody punched your number in by mistake or by transposing a couple of digits and the sending fax machine just keeps dialing it because it is set to do that.

One other shot you might take is to dial numbers just up a couple from the sending fax number (if you have it) as fax lines are often just one or two numbers off from the voice lines in small companies. i.e voice 888-2000; fax 888-2001.

This will at least give you something to try while you are preparing to hurl the phone at the wall. Good luck.

[mlbford2]

~~Pick up the phone and make fax noises and try to communicate with it :)~~

Hey, I saw that work in Terminator III.

[Muzzle_em]

This happened to me about a month ago. I called the phone company and they gave me a number to key into the phone the next time it happened. It will send an error code to the fax machine to let it know that it is dialing an invalid fax number. The calls stopped.

[hosepipe]

receive the fax.. and be done with it..

[mlbford2]

~~My advice to you is to start drinking heavily.~~

That's what I did, but then the ringing got louder. So, I started smoking tons of pot and then I started getting ocean noises in my head. So then I load up on a Thorizin/Ocicontin cocktail and all seems to be good now.

[Saundra Duffy]

It's hopeless.

[daybreakcoming]

what a beautiful thought. Now you've got me hoping someone will try faxing me repeatedly so I can follow the steps you outlined.

[Sabertooth]

I have a friend at the phone company.

Post your number and I'll e-mail this thread to him so that he can look into it.

[marty60]

That's what i did. Get the # off caller Id and call the phone company to see who it belongs to. Then call the head of the company.

[wingnutx]

Your local phone company can probably block that number for you.

[George Smiley]

Judging from how you spelled "Thorazine®" and "OxyContin®", I'd agree that you're at about the right level now.

[WhiteGuy]

I, myself, Never mix Thorazine and Oxycontin.

Of course you didn't mention Morphine suppositories...........

[taxcontrol]

Since this is most likely a cooperate automated fax systems, there are two possible solutions.

1) simply receive the fax. That works if it is a single fax and the message is not part of some marketing effort.

2) Another option is to tell the sending computer that this is no longer a working number. This will cause most commercial fax applications to take your number off the list.

To accomplish this, get a small cassette recorder and dial a none working number. One of the ways to fine a none working number is to start with your number and add a 1 and dial. It takes a little bit but odds are you will find a none working number in 25 attempts. Once you have found a none working number, hang up and get your cassette recorder ready to record. Call the number again and record the Beep beep BEEP tones. These are the tones that tell computer systems that this is a none working number.

Then change your answering machine message. Start the recording with the three tones, pause for a second or two, then record your greeting.

After that, all you will need to do is screen your calls. When an automated fax program calls your number it will hear those tones and record your number as a none working number and take it off their fax list. Sounds complicated but it is not really.

Try receiving the fax first. If you still get the calls, go to the backup plan. BTW, the three tone solution works well against telemarketers as well.

[ladyjane]

Great ideas. I don't have a fax machine. I'm trying to borrow one right now!

[Armedanddangerous]

"YOURE DOOMED!"

[boris]

Change your number to an unlisted one.

[EUPHORIC]

Forward your phone to someone you don't like.

[ladyjane]

I got the phone number to return the call but it's constantly busy of course. I did call similar numbers - the first five digits and then added two zeros - and finally got a company that said it "might" be one of their numbers. In the meantime I'm trying to find out how to 'call forward' to a friend's answering machine.

[SirChas]

Forward your phone to your local Democratic headquarters.

[ladyjane]

The number calling me is 703 480-7270