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Article #246

Crank caller problem -- Update (need CN/A number)

#246
From: David R Zinkin
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 15:42
35 lines
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As I said in a message that I sent to the TELECOM Digest (though I'm
not sure if Pat is going to post it), the way that I chose to deal
with the crank caller is to take the phone off the hook at night
(with call waiting canceled) so I could sleep, and to impersonate a
phone company rep during the day in the hope of tricking the prankster
into giving her number.

Since I sent that message, however, the prankster *did* hit again,
and she *gave her number*!  I didn't let on what I was doing, so I'm
fairly certain she didn't suspect anything.  (She even asked me, "Are
you sure that I won't be charged for operator assistance?" :-)

Now that I have the number, I'd like to take this just one step
further.  Does anyone know how I can get the name (and, perhaps, the
address) of this idiot from her phone number?  I have no intention
of writing to her or paying a visit, but the next time she calls, I'd
like to be able to tell her, "No, Miss So-and-so, your friend doesn't
live here, but as you can see I know who you are, your best bet at
this point is to leave me alone."  (Or something a little less polite;
you get the idea.)

So: does anyone know a CN/A number for the 716 area code (New York
Telephone portion, not the Rochester Telephone area) that is usable
by people who aren't telco employees?  As an alternative, what other
ways are there to get a name (with or without an address) from a
phone number?  I know about the phone directory on CompuServe, but I'm
not a CIS subscriber and I don't plan to become one just to use the
phone directory.

Thanks again, 
 -- Dave

P.S. Many thanks for all of the suggestions.  Once exams are finished,
I'll post a summary of the responses.  (Keep 'em coming; you might be
able to help someone else. :-)
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Message-ID: <Bz7Fn4.7FH@acsu.buffalo.edu>
Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!sparky!uunet!cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wupost!gumby!yale!yale.edu!nigel.msen.com!fmsrl7!ukma!cs.widener.edu!dsinc!ub!acsu.buffalo.edu!zinkin
References: <ByvBnu.86v@acsu.buffalo.edu> <1gejenINN37@tamsun.tamu.edu>

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Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!sparky!uunet!cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wupost!gumby!yale!yale.edu!nigel.msen.com!fmsrl7!ukma!cs.widener.edu!dsinc!ub!acsu.buffalo.edu!zinkin
From: zinkin@acsu.buffalo.edu (David R Zinkin)
Newsgroups: alt.dcom.telecom
Subject: Crank caller problem -- Update (need CN/A number)
Message-ID: <Bz7Fn4.7FH@acsu.buffalo.edu>
Date: 13 Dec 92 15:42:40 GMT
References: <ByvBnu.86v@acsu.buffalo.edu> <1gejenINN37@tamsun.tamu.edu>
Sender: zinkin@eerie.acsu.buffalo.edu (David R. Zinkin)
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