Mr. Salvatore Petrarca wrote to the Digest after doing some research
into the number 866 383-0986 and finding that it apparently belongs to
Media Direct Marketing Consultants in Knoxville. This caused me to
review caller id logs for the four lines on which I retain that
information (all of which are answered by machines). I noticed that
there were three calls from that number, each to different numbers.
Mr. Petrarca surmised that spyware might have picked this up.
However, since I operate under the firm conviction that "Friends Don't
Let Friends Drive Windows", and since all of the three numbers are
unlisted and are rarely if ever revealed to anyone at all, I don't
think that's what's up. Instead, I think that the company behind this
number is simply war dialling.
I note that tonight it is no longer answering at the Indian shop.
Here is a list of all calls from 800 Service numbers with an
indication of what I get tonight.
20-FEB-2003 17:09:22.48 Fax 800 379-8414 Reorder
25-SEP-2003 12:03:19.21 Ln1 800 839-5031 DME Telephony Services
26-SEP-2003 19:24:02.84 Ln1 800 839-5031
18-FEB-2004 12:17:26.73 Ln2 866 383-0986 Mystery Phone Number
26-JUN-2004 20:08:56.06 Fax 866 383-0986
14-JUL-2004 19:33:44.81 Ln1 866 383-0986
15-SEP-2004 09:32:00.97 Ln2 800 497-9512 Direct Satellite
15-SEP-2004 10:34:14.52 Fax 800 497-9512
25-OCT-2004 13:55:57.43 Ln3 800 290-7432 AOL
26-OCT-2004 15:21:32.32 Ln3 800 290-7432
27-OCT-2004 15:31:22.90 Ln3 800 290-7432
28-OCT-2004 12:11:19.90 Ln3 800 290-7432
8-NOV-2004 11:59:56.68 Fax 800 682-0393 "Customer Service"
None of the calls to the Fax number were faxes. Here is the fax log
for those calls:
Answered Phone : Thu, Feb 20, 2003 17:09:26
NMBR = 8003798414
Error : -6002, Answered, No Facsimile Machine Responded.
Elapsed Time of Transmission : 1 min, 33 sec
.......................................................
Answered Phone : Sat, Jun 26, 2004 20:09:00
NMBR = 8663830986
Error : -6002, Answered, No Facsimile Machine Responded.
Elapsed Time of Transmission : 1 min, 32 sec
.......................................................
Answered Phone : Wed, Sep 15, 2004 10:34:18
NMBR = 8004979512
Error : -6002, Answered, No Facsimile Machine Responded.
Elapsed Time of Transmission : 1 min, 33 sec
.......................................................
Answered Phone : Mon, Nov 8, 2004 12:00:00
NMBR = 8006820393
Error : -6002, Answered, No Facsimile Machine Responded.
Elapsed Time of Transmission : 1 min, 32 sec
.......................................................
A further search of the fax log reveals that in every case where I
have an 800 service number in the "Received Station Message", the
calling fax spammer has sent the call "Out of Area", that is, the 800
number in the station message is not in the caller id.
11-MAR-2003 08:09:03.89 Fax OUT OF AREA
Answered Phone : Tue, Mar 11, 2003 08:09:07
Received Station Message : WSREPORT 8662046541
30-JUL-2003 09:37:56.86 Fax OUT OF AREA
Answered Phone : Wed, Jul 30, 2003 09:38:00
Received Station Message : 18007307253
18-MAY-2004 07:16:16.63 Fax OUT OF AREA
Answered Phone : Tue, May 18, 2004 07:16:20
Received Station Message : 18887623345
6-AUG-2004 07:42:17.69 Fax OUT OF AREA
Answered Phone : Fri, Aug 6, 2004 07:42:21
Received Station Message : 18884495207
21-OCT-2004 09:43:19.68 Fax OUT OF AREA
Answered Phone : Thu, Oct 21, 2004 09:43:23
Received Station Message : 18884495207
10-NOV-2004 08:40:07.74 Fax OUT OF AREA
Answered Phone : Wed, Nov 10, 2004 08:40:11
Received Station Message : 18884495207
/john
John R. Covert (nospamtd@covert.org)