Question for phreakers....

[nickbarresi]

This is unrelated to computer stuff, but I need an answer, no hard feelings if you delete this post:

I recently received a call from a person who claimed they were in Oregon, USA, when the Area code they called from turned up to be New York!!

They were using a phone card, should I assume they are lying? Or do phone cards route calls to different states?

Thanks in advance!

[Spookster]

Well I've used phone cards a couple of times but I recall that you had to dial another phone number which I assume connects you to that phone card companys phone network so if their network is in another state then that could be why is shows up on caller id as a different from where they actually are.

[Feyd]

It is possible to phreak your way into different area codes depending on your local exchange and how deep into routing you get...but what Spooty said is mostly right. Phone cards route you through their own exchanges, they could be calling from their phone or a pay phone and chances are almost guaranteed (almost without question or fail) that you are going to see caller ID saying something about some bank of numbers belonging to the phone card company. The exceptions may be when they use a card that is connected to their home phone service.

If you really wanted to know who's calling you, you could use certain :ahem: boxes to trace and route back the pipe...but we're not going to talk about such things here :)

[mouse]

In Britain all you have to do is add a 141 prefix and you're anonymous :eek:
I'd assume adding an intenational code to the dialed number would make you anonymous wherever you are. Though not to the authorities/telecom peeps of course...




* that's common knowledge btw, nothing spooky, business' do it all the time so you can't ring them back :rolleyes:

[Mhtml]

* that's common knowledge btw, nothing spooky, business' do it all the time so you can't ring them back

As annoying as that would be, it's quite clever.

[tommysphone]

Phone cards - If they are prepaid and slot in the phone and credit runs out as the call progresses then the calls are not rerouted. If you have to ring a number, enter a pin (to identify your card) then enter the number you want to call then the calls are rerouted. From where is upto the company behind the card! As for the 141 thing, I hate it. I am able to block these calls using 1478 :)
Note: This 1478 feature does not work on all switches in the uk.

And yep, your right mouse. Phone companies know who called who and when! And who received a call from where/who and when even when they 141 before placing the call. Technology is a wonderful thing.