On 24/02/2021 08:01, Peter James wrote:
On 23 Feb 2021 at 14:22:53 GMT, "Steve Walker"
wrote:

On 23/02/2021 13:59, Fredxx wrote:
On 23/02/2021 13:52, critcher wrote:
On 23/02/2021 10:28, Jimmy Stewart ... wrote:
Can an Indian in a scamming call centre in wagga wagga who is trying
to rip you off and steal all your money do you under hate crime for
calling him a black ******* over the phone ?


its about time BT stopped these scammers, it must be possible somehow.

Many years ago Microsoft came up with a anti-spam suggestion that you
had the right to charge to receive an email, or the sender paid that
would be refunded if the recipient agreed.

These days the cost of phone calls is so cheap they're not a
disincentive. Until there is a cost to the sender, or one imposed, we
will continue to receive these fake calls.

Numbers can also be forged. It is not beyond man's ability to insist
these are kosher numbers by limiting entry into the world's telephone
network, and/or charging when receiving calls from dubious operators.

Part of the problem is that numbers can be legitimately spoofed. It is
fine for a VOIP phone, used while away from home to send the number of
your home landline. For a company phone to send the number of their
contact centre. Even for a Foreign call centre to send the UK contact
number of the company they are working on behalf of. Indeed it can be
necessary - if a company that you are a customer of is using a foreign
call centre, you may not be accepting international calls and they need
to show a UK number to get a legitimate call through to you.

I noticed in the past few weeks that a lot of spamming calls showed local
numbers. And yet their
determination to obtain my bank account details would show them to be criminal
rather that working
on behalf of Microsoft, Amazon or BT as they claim.

Yes, but blocking number spoofing to prevent that, would also block
legitimate use of it.

Indeed, I think spoofing doesn't go far enough. I hate companies phoning
with withheld numbers (particularly one, some years ago, that randomly
phoned me with an autodialling modem, but that I could not identify and
so could not tell them to stop).

I wish it were a legal requirement for companies and organisations to
always show a valid phone number - at least spoofed to the switchboard
or helpline - then it would be so much easier to block or ignore
withheld numbers.

At the moment, many companies, the local hospitals, etc. all just
withhold their numbers.