This is almost definitely a scofflaw telemarketer calling from a PRI
> line. By using a PRI line, can set the caller ID to be whatever he wants.
Could you explain what is a "PRI" line, and characteristicss give it the power to change caller ID?
Why would any subscriber have access to such a line?
You answer and get no-one on the other end because he is using a
> predictive dialer -- a computer dials the numbers, and connects the calls
> to people in the telemarketing call center only when the call is
> answered on your end. If no one is available in the call center to take
> the call, when you answer you get the classic "no one there when I
> answer" effect -- you just hear dead air.
I don't understand that when the fellow answers the call, why someone doesn't come on on the other end and make their sales pitch. There is usually a brief 1-2 second, but someone does come on. Obviously they don't want live people to miss their sales pitches.
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The hassle is the 'predictive dialer' (which is what they call the device which 'dials ahead' and gets suckers on the line works too fast for the human beings doing the talking/selling. It thinks, based on formulas built in, that by the time it gets a sucker on the phone, an agent will be ready to talk to them. That's when the predictive dialer plays a pre-recorded message saying 'please hold, we have an important message for you' or something similar. That's when I usually hang up, and you should also. PAT]