phone geeks or leo, how is this possible?

[feralmerril]

A short while ago a city cop here paid me a visit. Supposedly a man called a woman on the other side of town saying he would kill her for stealing his newspaper! Our phone number was on her phone! At first he asked me my name, I confirmed it. Then he asked did I call some woman over stealing my newspaper! I said come on, I dont even get the newspaper, you guys must be haveing a slow day, gotta be more to this! Then he said the woman said I threatend her life! Obvisely, I talked myself out of going to jail. Only my wife and I live here. No one else was here today. How in the world could my number appear on another phone that I never called? Sounds like the party was on the opposite side of town that I supposedly was accuseing and threating to kill over stealing our paper that I dont even subscribe to!
Is there anyway someone could purposely do that to get me in trouble or play a joke, or is there glictchs in the phone system that this is somewhat common?

 

[g_conway]

A short while ago a city cop here paid me a visit. Supposedly a man called a woman on the other side of town saying he would kill her for stealing his newspaper! Our phone number was on her phone! At first he asked me my name, I confirmed it. Then he asked did I call some woman over stealing my newspaper! I said come on, I dont even get the newspaper, you guys must be haveing a slow day, gotta be more to this! Then he said the woman said I threatend her life! Obvisely, I talked myself out of going to jail. Only my wife and I live here. No one else was here today. How in the world could my number appear on another phone that I never called? Sounds like the party was on the opposite side of town that I supposedly was accuseing and threating to kill over stealing our paper that I dont even subscribe to!
Is there anyway someone could purposely do that to get me in trouble or play a joke, or is there glictchs in the phone system that this is somewhat common?

Much easier than most people would like to know; however, the most likely situation is a screw-up at the phone company reporting computer. Either a changed area code, or just a programming issue.

 

[27145]

Dunno, maybe you had a "Gran Torino" moment and forgot about it?

 

[BaldEagle1313]

I think I already know the answer to this, but I'm going to ask anyway. Is the phone number a land line, or a cell phone? Land line - phone company switch screwup. Cell phone - ID theft? Someone cloned your phone? Check your cell bill for calls to Russia!

 

[feralmerril]

Same officer was just here again and left. He had someone dial our phone # and answered it. It`s still ongoing. I suggested to him to have another officer go to her house at a set time, he be here, her call me and listen to my voice. He has to think that one over.

 

[dewey]

'MEN IN BLACK'

they're everywhere

 

[feralmerril]

It`s a land line. Our cell phone doesnt work well here, we are in sort of a canyon.

 

[johngalt]

There is hacking equipment (I don't know exactly how) that enables you to fake the caller ID. More seriously, it has been used to fake 911 calls and get the SWAT team sent to innocent strangers.

 

[feralmerril]

I havent made any enemys here that I know of, and am too old for games and jokes. Dont think I even know those type people that are into that stuff anymore. Also been retired for 11 years 450 miles away.
If we get this solved I will report back. (If I am still loose).

 

[BaldEagle1313]

It`s a land line. Our cell phone doesnt work well here, we are in sort of a canyon.

"Sort of a canyon" describes half of southern Utah - you have two national Parks with the word "canyon" in the name! But they're really pretty canyons.

Johngalt is right - there is hacking software that can spoof a 911 call. It sounds TV-ish, but they can have the police going off one direction while they are doing something bad elsewhere. But a stolen newspaper???

 

[mrerick]

It would be worth checking the point at which your phone line enters the house to see if anyone has been tampering with it.

Phone-man's Home Phone Wiring Advice Page- Network Interface Device

The most common Network Interface Box has one side that is for the phone company to connect to, and another side with a jack for your house to connect to. These are delivered with only a screwdriver needed to open your house side of the box. There is a hole for a padlock, which I have installed on mine.

Someone could unplug your house, and plugin a wired phone to the RJ-11 jack on the customer side of the box, make a phone call, and then put it all back together again.

Look for signs of recent opening of the box, and for footprints in the area of the box.

The central office switch programming may also be at fault. The police have the ability to request "LUD" Local Usage Detail records for your phone number. These records are generally stored at the switch and available for some time prior to any police request. The LUDs may show that this number was never dialed from your line.

Finally, it would be worth asking telephone repair if there has been any recent installation or repair activity on or near your subscriber loop.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subscriber_Loop_Carrier

There may have been installation or repair errors made by a service tech during a recent process. This could account for a mis-addressed circuit or a programming error.

Don't forget that it's possible that these calls are originating from a service tech that is manipulating the system to hide their identity.

 

[feralmerril]

Yeah! Supposedly, this single mother gets a call from some guy going beserk accuseing her of stealing his newspaper and threatens to kill her! She of course calls the police, they find our number on her phone!

 

[Injunbro]

We had a similar situation a few years ago. I won't go into details but a swapped wire (or several) @ the pedestal box can make this happen. Then swap them back & there's little or no evidence. A few young men did some jail time & our problems ceased.

 

[Sprefix]

Seriously?? Check her for "psychotropic" drug prescriptions!

So why would this woman, that is accusing you of going to kill her for newspaper theft, drive across town or out to your "canyon" to steal your paper thus illiciting your response? The police should be asking that question first. Then there's the easy to substantiate fact that you don't get the paper in the first place. I'd tell them, as you did, that you don't have a clue what they are talking about. Keep in mind, it is not your responsibility to prove your innocence. It is, however, their responsibility to prove your guilt. Lets just hope that this goes away and you aren't "sleep-pranking" people in the middle of the night!!!!!

 

[Penmon]

i-phone number changing ap

My sons best friend Josh has a program on his cell phone that allows him to change his number.
So if he was to call me on my cell or my home phone my caller ID would show the number he wants it to show and the name that goes with that number.I know this works because Josh has got me twice, once he pretend to be my son and the second time a pizza place.If he has the numbered programmed into his phone he can make the call appear to come from that number.
I think to told me he paid $20.or $30. for this App for his I-phone on line.
I can find out more from him if you wish.
Penmon aka Jim

 

[feralmerril]

The last thing the officer said was they are probley getting a warrant to go to the phone company and check our numbers dialed or whatever. At first I thought this was funny, but the more I think this out it might not be so funny! I was just assumeing at first it was some kind of honest glitch in the system and when the nut called her somehow our number got posted. But if someone delibertly is trying to get me in trouble we might have trouble. I cant conceive of that at this period of my life ehough. Our phone is also on some type of cable company system that includes our tv, internet etc. I have had trouble with the tv on the high defintion channels the last few days now that I think about it. Right now I am all about curious, however my wife is a little shook. I am tech challanged and dont know what to look for on that other reply. May have the neighbor help me or get the phone company out tomorrow if I aint in jail!

 

[feralmerril]

PENMON, if they had that number (mine) would they also need to know my name, or would my name automaticly show up because I have my name and number in the phone book?

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

My sons best friend Josh has a program on his cell phone that allows him to change his number.
So if he was to call me on my cell or my home phone my caller ID would show the number he wants it to show and the name that goes with that number.I know this works because Josh has got me twice, once he pretend to be my son and the second time a pizza place.If he has the numbered programmed into his phone he can make the call appear to come from that number.
I think to told me he paid $20.or $30. for this App for his I-phone on line.
I can find out more from him if you wish.
Penmon aka Jim

X2! My cousin has that app too and got me with it a few times. Could very well be the case here!

 

[sureshotbob]

Feralmerril this could turn really bad .Here in Ct. if someone make's a complaint like that the police can come in and confiscate your firearms till it gets resolved if it ever do'se .I do know of one guy that this happened to and he lost about 30 or so gun's and never got them back he also lost his FFL.

 

[DeadAye]

Do you have cordless phones?
Someone near by with a similar phone can use your line.