800 #s Recognizing "Unlisted" #s?

By Maureen Sharib

We had that discussion last week in the Austin MagicMethod seminar how 800 numbers UNBLOCK Call Block. Someone made the remark that cell phones will also UNBLOCK all blocked calls, and being a techno-idiot, I went along with the program. That, and the fact that I don't call many cell phone numbers - I don't find them particularly helpful when sourcing names. But something stuck with me, bothering me, and the subject came up again yesterday in my Radio Interview with the Recruiting Animal (I was answering Caller questions about telephone names sourcing) and I may have concurred on the subject once again but now I WANT TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. Cell phones DO NOT unblock Call Block - I just called Bob's (my husband) cell phone from my Call Blocked landline and it came up "restricted" as several calls to my cell phone have come up in the past. Try it - I believe you'll find the same. We use Verizon Wireless as a provider - maybe other providers react differently - I'm curious to know. Anyone want to scout around and report back?

Another Urban Legend (maybe) laid to rest...

But here's an interesting question that came to me yesterday in email:

"... one more question if it’s not too much trouble, on your radio show today, I wasn’t sure if I heard correctly. If I call into an 800#, and my landline is unlisted (not a *67) can an 800# line still decipher my unlisted phone number?"

Can 800 numbers decipher UNLISTED numbers? Anyone know?
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There’s still room - register for my October 16 Workshop at ERE’s Fall Expo in D.C. on 16: Telephone Names Sourcing: What Is It and Why You Need To Do It Go here to read all about it! Questions? Contact amy at ere.net or call her direct at 360-264-5627 or also at 212-671-1181 x813

Maureen Sharib
Telephone Names Sourcer/MagicMethod Trainer
513 899 9628
TechTrak.com, Inc.
maureen at techtrak.com
Watch the Telephone Names Sourcing Video

If you want to hear me (and Pam - the star of the telephone sourcing video) on Animal's yesterday's taped radio program go here.

Comments

[Maureen Sharib]

Great answer by Jim Wahl, PHR Staffing Systems and Operations Manager7-Eleven, Inc over on ERE!

Interesting question so I did a little digging and this is what I found.

"When does blocking not work?

800,888 and 900 numbers. When you call an 800, 888 or 900 number, blocking does not work. Your number will be transmitted to the called party, and can be captured and displayed using a technology called Automatic Number Identification (ANI). For example, many mail order companies with 800 numbers link their incoming phone service to a computer data base of all customers' account information. When their phone rings, the data base automatically retrieves customer information. Federal regulations place restrictions on the use and sale of your phone number when you call an 800, 888 or 900 number. (47 CFR 64.1602) Your consent is required if your phone number is reused or sold for purposes unrelated to your original call, for example marketing purposes.

Calls to 911-emergency. When you call the 911-emergency number, your phone number is transmitted even if you have Complete Blocking. The display device used by emergency services usually shows not only your phone number, but also your address. This enables police, fire and ambulance services to locate you in case you are unable to provide the address."

[Bill Quimby]

That's correct, the ANI is still passed and is always going to show up on the receiving party's phone bill.

Some smaller enhance voicemail systems use and even display this information in the caller ID position but they're not supposed to and most don't do that.

Only larger more sophisticated systems usually take advantage of this. The ones that advertise free reports or information are typically capturing your info and may even lookup that number to get a name so they can send you more mortgage refinance applications etc.

That does happen, but I used to dial thousands of toll free numbers per week researching and looking for vanity numbers and didn't get any appreciable increase in junk mail. So if someone really wants to get your info they can, (you already knew that) but most people don't go to that extreme.

Bill Quimby
TollFreeNumbers.com

[Karl Quimby]

Bill Quimby says he used to dial thousands of 800 numbers per week looking for vanity numbers... Isn't that a little unethical? You have been wasting tons of peoples money calling them. Also wasting their time. Since most toll free users are businesses, you're just interfering with the flow of business. For what so you can hoard a few numbers for yourself? I don't know, but it sounds like bill quimby is a spammer, a telephone spammer.