Re: OT: Landline Phone Service Scams?

Per danny burstein:
>Integretel has been cited again and again by the Feds, etc. Do the usual
>searching of the internet and you'll find plenty.

I just got off the phone with Verizon support.

Requested collect call blocking. Verizon said, "Sure, but we cannot guarantee
100%".

I said "Huh?...how about some background on that?"

They replied to the effect that technologically, there are many ways to get a
collect call through and that technology is changing (by that, I take them to
mean that new creacks in their logical firewall are being found...) and they are
always trying to stay ahead...but sometimes people find new ways to get them
through.

I said something like "That suggests to me that collect calls are a widely-used
means of perpetrating fraud." Verizon laughed good-naturedly and replied to
the effect of "Rest assured...".


As far as I could determine from talking to Verizon, there's no hardcopy or
digital record confirming how or by whom the call was accepted.

Seems like a good situation for the perpetrator: the victim's word against
theirs. Keep the attacks against any one person below a certain "convenience
price" level, apologize profusely and credit the occasional person who questions
a call... and pocket the rest.
--
PeteCresswell

Per (Pete Cresswell):
>>Integretel has been cited again and again by the Feds,

Just a little additional info for those who may share my concerns.

The Verizon was *not* forthcoming about all the blocks needed/available to
protect the account. Once I asked, no problem....but you have to know what to
ask for.

What I *think* is needed (maybe they're still holding out something...) is:

1) Long Distance block
2) Collect Call block
3) Third Party block
4) Miscellaneous block

Per the last Verizon rep I spoke with, with those four blocks in place the
account should wrapped up as tight as it can be - noting the earlier disclaimer
about the Collect Call block not being 100% effective...
--
PeteCresswell