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1996-07-13 - Can’t block caller ID in Massachusetts?

Header Data

From: David Mazieres <dm@amsterdam.lcs.mit.edu>
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Message Hash: 63be6f0b3f416e914abd46f991616ac521b05e93639d69d0e12ebd3eb03f110a
Message ID: <199607121555.LAA19993@extreme-discipline.lcs.mit.edu>
Reply To: N/A
UTC Datetime: 1996-07-13 00:26:44 UTC
Raw Date: Sat, 13 Jul 1996 08:26:44 +0800

Raw message

From: David Mazieres <dm@amsterdam.lcs.mit.edu>
Date: Sat, 13 Jul 1996 08:26:44 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Can't block caller ID in Massachusetts?
Message-ID: <199607121555.LAA19993@extreme-discipline.lcs.mit.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


My last phone bill said that Nynex is now giving out people's names in
addidtion to their phone numbers over caller-id.  I therefore called
Nynex and told them to block caller-id on my phone line.

They said no problem, but...  They said nothing I can do will block it
when I call 800 numbers.  "The people with 800 numbers have special
software, and there is nothing you can do to block your identity when
calling them.  Not even *67."

Wow.  Maybe I'm not paranoid enough, but I never expected this.  I can
never again call an 800 number anonymously to get information about
something unless I go out to a pay phone.  What an incredible
inconvenience, and how truly depressing.

I know 800 number owners probably used to be able to get lists of
calling phone numbers on their phone bills, but this is less
disturbing as it would take significant effort to match up the lists
after the fact.  I just want to be able to call up companies and say,
for instance, "If I buy your product, can it do X?" as opposed to, for
instance, "I'm stuck with your product, can it do X?".  People are
often more helpful in the former case.  Now, though, they'll know
exactly who I am before they even say hello.

David

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