Call Forwarding to Feds

It has been my experience that these RoboCallers frequently call from the same number numerous times. When they call me the first time I simply go to my ATT U-verse homepage and enter that number on my list of numbers that I want forwarded. Att U-verse has a feature that all telephone providers should offer their telephone subscribers. It is called "Exclusive Call Forwarding". This allows you to forward up to 20 phone numbers from a list of specific incoming callers to an alternate phone number. When the Robocaller calls you the second and any subsequent times the call is automatically forwarded to another number of my choosing. I have these calls forwarded to a phone number that was one of the first Robo-callers to ever call me. It is one of the few that will actually answer their phone. I figure that it is only fitting that they call each other once in awhile. My home telephone doesn't ring and I am no longer bothered by them until they call with a new number. They will get through one time and that is all. I recommend that: 1. The FTC/FCC require all telephone providers to offer that call forwarding and blocking service (to include cell phones). Also remove the 20 telephone number limit and raise it to 50. 2. Provide a telephone number to be used to forward these calls to that is recorded and traced by the Federal Government. Perhaps the FTC. Their "honeypot" number could be used for this. This would provide them with the evidence they need to prosecute and give them the identity and location of the caller. 3. Finally prosecute to the full extent of the law and impose the highest fines possible. In addition to the call forwarding feature I also have simple "Call Blocking" (which is what I do to the anoying but "Legal" robocalls such as most political calls) I also have a feature called Anonymous call Blocking" which allows my phone to automatically reject incoming calls that choose to block their caller ID information. This prevents the robocaller from getting past the call forwarding feature. None of what I am recommending requires any new technology. ATT already has automatic call forwarding/blocking and I'm sure the Government has the capability to trace and record calls from a dedicated phone line. The call forwarding is a simple two step procedure. First, identify a number to send all unwanted calls to (in this case it would be a number provided by the FTC) then start entering the numbers as they call you on your "call forwarding" list. Problem disappears. They will continue to believe that they are making their calls to you however once you have identified them, their calls are now going directly to the authorities who can use that as evidence in court. The FTC doesn't have to get a complaint from the private citizen to react to. They can answer the call themselves and do a "sting operation".The FTC will have the opportunity to gather their evidence "Real-Time" directly from the criminals. This should fit in to the FTC's Robocall Action Plan initiative # 2 (Gathering Evidence Strategically) The agency has created a telephone "honeypot" that currently receives robocalls. I recommend that this honeypot phone number be made available to the public so we can send these calls directly to the Feds. One big advantage of this solution is that I can choose the calls I want blocked or forwarded. Legal robocalls that I don't want to put up with get "blocked". Illegal robocalls get forwarded to the authorities. Legal calls that I want to receive will continue to get through as before (example: medical, charities, reverse 911, etc). If only 5% of the population forwarded their Robo-calls to the Fed for their action, we would totally put an end to this problem for good. I can attest to the fact that it has worked for me. I only get one call every two weeks now where I use to recieve on average 2 to 3 per day. ****CRITERIA DETAILS***: ** Does it work? (weighted at 50%)*** In the past three months I have reduced my unwanted robocalls from an average of 2 per day, down to an acceptable 1 every two weeks. Yes, It works. I can only assume that calls going directly to the authorities will help them locate and prosecute these robocallers. (The FTC has set up their "honeypot" where they get these calls at the present time).To validate my solution I had these unwanted calls forwarded from my home phone to my cell phone for one week. At the end of seven days I compared my ATT Call Forwarding list to the list of calls my cell phone received. There were 11 calls that had been forwarded from my home phone that were robocalls from my list. (Not an average of 2 per day but it was only a one week test period). Also during that period I only received one call from a robocaller to my home phone.It came from a new caller ID number which has since been added to my list. This solution will not stop legal calls from getting through. At the present time I am only able to forward these calls from my land-line (home phone). If my cell phone provider could be convinced to offer this same service, I could impliment this solution there as well. I believe enough public pressure on the rest of the telephone service providers will have them all offering these services in the future. I don't know how robocallers could counter this solution short of changing their caller ID with every call they make. Sooner or later they will run out of numbers to use since there is a finite number available. *** Is It Easy To Use? (weighted at 25%)*** Yes it is very easy to use. Once you obtain the robocall number (from caller ID) it is a simple matter to go to your ATT U-verse homepage and enter that number on the list of "calls to be forwarded". You never again have to get calls from that number. Even if you enter the wrong number, there is no harm done. It can easily be corrected. People with disabilities should have no problem with this system. As for satisfaction using this system: I am presently very happy with what I'm doing. The only thing that will be better is when I can forward the calls directly to the authorities. Not only will I be ridding myself of these pests, I'll be a part of them getting caught. That would be extremely satisfying to me and a whole lot of other folks. Can It Be Rolled Out (weighted at 25 %) Nothing needs to be changed in the current marketplace. ATT U-verse already offers all these services at no additional cost to the consumer. I've heard that some other telephone service providers offer some of these options but I'm not sure which ones ??? If all service providers offered this service the problem would be solved quickly however if only 10% of the current ATT customers forwarded their illegal robocalls to the Fed, there would be enough evidence to shut them all down within six months. Is I stated above, ATT provides this service at no cost to the customer. The FTC already has established their "honeypot" phone number so no additional funding is required there. I am simply performing a marriage of the two systems at no cost to anyone. This solution is totally economically realistic. You ask "How rapidly can this idea be put into production? Answer ::: I can change the number I am presently forwarding to in less than 3 munutes from the time you release your "honeypot" number to me. You should start receiving 2 to 3 robocalls the very first day that otherwise thought they were calling me. +++There is an additional benefit to this solution beyond dealing with robocalls+++ We have all heard the horror stories of the persistant "high-pressure" salesman, scam artist or bill collector that calls the elderly lady and threatens to evict her from her home if she doesn't come up with some money. I've heard of some older folks who were literally afraid to answer their phone for fear that it was "HIM" again.This solution would Allow the victim to forward these calls to the FTC as well. The FTC could answer the call and quickly determine if anything illegal is being done. If it is, they could set up a "sting operation", gather evidence and prosecute. If what the caller is doing is "legal" but very unethical, the FTC could identify themselves to him as a Federal Agent and the fact that the FTC is somehow receiving his calls would be enough to have him clean up his act. The FTC could place his number on their block call list and they wouldn't receive any more calls from him either. In any case, the elderly "Granny" won't be afraid to answer her phone. I truly believe that many of these robocallers will "close up shop" on their own when they find out that a percentage of their calls are going directly to the FTC. Most of them are smart enough to know that if this is happening it is only a matter of time until they are caught. The others will just continue until they are caught like Rachel and Heather. This should put an end to the robocall problem and if a few abusive salesmen, scammers and bill collectors can be put out of business as well, I think the Challenge was all worth it. Finally, this solution will give people who are on the Federal Do Not Call Registry a place to forward these unwanted calls. This will greatly aid the FTC in their crackdown on companies and individuals that violate these requirements. Without the violaters knowledge, his call is being recorded and answered by a Federal agent who will have the opportunity to gather evidence to be used in Federal courts. Ever since Robert Redford and Paul Newman made the movie, everybody loves a good "Sting".