An automated system is calling our company’s toll-free line every 20 minutes. It’s racking up long distance charges with each call and our SIP provider says that there is nothing that they can do to stop it. Each call comes in with a spoofed caller ID so blocking each number would be a futile effort. The calls are not coming in on an IP address, so we can’t block that either.
How can we see the caller’s real phone number? If it’s not possible to see the callers real caller ID number couldn’t someone from China call a toll-free number in the US that is supposed to only accept inbound domestic calls? If so, what the hell kind of system is that?
The chances are that they they are getting into the USA on another VoIP connection, so you will probably need the help of that ITSP as well, and unfortunately you will have no contract with them. At best, your ITSP will only be able to trace them back to the incoming carrier.
In the UK ordinary consumers can get many junk calls a day, and it is generally believed that many of these enter the UK on VoIP.
Ultimately, this is probably something for legislation, although there seems little political will on blocking nuisance calls in the UK, probably because of a combination of need a for major regulatory imposition on ITSPs, in an atmosphere which favours de-regulation, and also a view in government that telesales are good for the economy.