Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!netsys!vector!telecom-gateway From: msmith@topaz.rutgers.edu (Mark Robert Smith) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: re: Caller ID and crank calls Message-ID: Date: 29 Mar 89 19:41:31 GMT Sender: news@vector.Dallas.TX.US Organization: M. R. Smith Consulting, New Brunswick, NJ Lines: 20 Approved: telecom-request@vector.dallas.tx.us X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@vector.dallas.tx.us X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 120, message 2 of 2 Well, it would seem to me that being able to give the crank's number to the police, and having it on your machine is a fairly good deterrent. It's not easy to get a number onto your Caller*ID machine without them actualy calling you, and I'm sure the police would consider it convincing evidence. Here at Rutgers, a Hispanic activist got a long series of racist calls form a few freshmen. She followed up on it with the police, they traced the calls with the aid of NJ Bell, and now the frosh are facing a $5000 fine and 90 days per call. I'd say it's a useful deterrent. How many cranks are gonna call you long distance or from a pay phone? Mark -- Mark Smith (alias Smitty) "Be careful when looking into the distance, RPO 1604; P.O. Box 5063 that you do not miss what is right under your nose." New Brunswick, NJ 08903-5063 rutgers!topaz.rutgers.edu!msmith (OK, Bob?) msmith@topaz.rutgers.edu