How can we fix this?

[AprilShowers]

We really need some help here! For SEVERAL months now we have been receiving FAX phone calls. These have been at all hours of the day and night.

We don't now, nor have we ever had a fax machine!!!!! I am sick to death of being awakened in the middle of the night only to hear the unmistaken beep beep beeping of the fax machine on the other end.

We have caller ID, but it only says Unknown caller.
A week ago I called Verizon to see if they could check our phone records and tell us the company who mistakenly has us on their fax list so we could kindly ask them to remove us. I was told that the company has paid for a private line and it is against the law for Verizon to reveal their identity! What the heck!!!!!
It's not, however a problem for them to harrass me with fax phone calls for months at a time at all hours of the day and night. (the only reason I've let it go for so long is that we'll go weeks with nothing and then they start up again)
What Verizon did do (bless their little helpful souls) was sign me up for something that blocks anonymous calls to my house. The caller will get a message that says we do not accept anonymous calls and they will have to unblock the call and try again. "That should fix the problem" Very helpful customer service guy says.
"What if it doesn't?" Aggravated me says
"Well then we have other things we can try": him
"Like what? : me
"We'll cross that bridge......": Him

So guess what? Last night at 11:15 p.m. Ring!!! "hello?"......beep.....beep....
We were SLEEPING!!!!!! They always come in twos and threes. Soooo ten minutes later........

Can I MAKE Verizon just tell me who this company is? They won't even contact the company on my behalf! The guy said it's "against the law"
What should I do next?

 

[SeaShelley]

How horrible. If you're like me and the phone rings past 10pm.....it's probably not good news! My advice would be to call Verizon back and ask to speak with a supervisor/manager.

Good luck!

 

[GoodFairies]

Maybe someone signed you up to a mail-order menu program called "Now We're Cookin'."

 

[AprilShowers]

Maybe someone signed you up to a mail-order menu program called "Now We're Cookin'."

Would they fax me at 2:00 a.m.?

 

[XOoOoVEEoOoOX]

We really need some help here! For SEVERAL months now we have been receiving FAX phone calls. These have been at all hours of the day and night.

We don't now, nor have we ever had a fax machine!!!!! I am sick to death of being awakened in the middle of the night only to hear the unmistaken beep beep beeping of the fax machine on the other end.

We have caller ID, but it only says Unknown caller.
A week ago I called Verizon to see if they could check our phone records and tell us the company who mistakenly has us on their fax list so we could kindly ask them to remove us. I was told that the company has paid for a private line and it is against the law for Verizon to reveal their identity! What the heck!!!!!
It's not, however a problem for them to harrass me with fax phone calls for months at a time at all hours of the day and night. (the only reason I've let it go for so long is that we'll go weeks with nothing and then they start up again)
What Verizon did do (bless their little helpful souls) was sign me up for something that blocks anonymous calls to my house. The caller will get a message that says we do not accept anonymous calls and they will have to unblock the call and try again. "That should fix the problem" Very helpful customer service guy says.
"What if it doesn't?" Aggravated me says
"Well then we have other things we can try": him
"Like what? : me
"We'll cross that bridge......": Him

So guess what? Last night at 11:15 p.m. Ring!!! "hello?"......beep.....beep....
We were SLEEPING!!!!!! They always come in twos and threes. Soooo ten minutes later........

Can I MAKE Verizon just tell me who this company is? They won't even contact the company on my behalf! The guy said it's "against the law"
What should I do next?

Can I make a suggestion?? it may seem weird, but why not purchase a fax/ printer hook it up and wait for the fax to come through, once it does reply to the faxer to take your name of their list. I dont know if this will work or not but it is what I would do.

 

[AprilShowers]

Can I make a suggestion?? it may seem weird, but why not purchase a fax/ printer hook it up and wait for the fax to come through, once it does reply to the faxer to take your name of their list. I dont know if this will work or not but it is what I would do.

I actually thought of that last night while lying awake after the fax calls! Thanks for reminding me cause I had forgotten already! Duh!

 

[XOoOoVEEoOoOX]

I actually thought of that last night while lying awake after the fax calls! Thanks for reminding me cause I had forgotten already! Duh!

lol, no problem, let us know if it works...

 

[cherylp3]

found this on http://www.junkfax.org/fax/basic_info/junk_fax_qa.htm

http://www.junkfax.org/fax/action/stop_devices.html

 

[oxfordcircus]

perhaps if you sign up on the "do not call" list, their fax will be blocked because of their private number.

 

[Missy1961]

Would they fax me at 2:00 a.m.?

Actually, they probably would. I work for a directory publisher. Years ago, we used to fax the companies so they could update their info. We used a company to do these mass faxings for us. They would fax the info at odd hours so the faxes would go thru on the first try. We don't do it anymore, but that could explain why it happens so late at night.

I have no idea how you can fix it. I would call Verizon back & ask for a supervisor.

 

[pennst8r]

I was thinking that someone had new business cards/flyers made and got the # wrong. But I agree, get or borrow a fax machine and see what comes thru. If it's all going to the same person or company call them and let them know.

Maybe you can turn off the ring for your phone during the night until then.

 

[AprilShowers]

Actually, they probably would. I work for a directory publisher. Years ago, we used to fax the companies so they could update their info. We used a company to do these mass faxings for us. They would fax the info at odd hours so the faxes would go thru on the first try. We don't do it anymore, but that could explain why it happens so late at night.

But you were working for a company faxing COMPANIES. This person was referring to a company who faxes menus to people's homes. I doubt they would fax to people at 2:00a.m.

I really can't turn off the ringer either cause if something were to happen to DH's parent's or anyone else for that matter we wouldn't know what was going on.

Thanks to CherylP3 for the great website! I bookmarked it. I'll be doing some reading and research this weekend. Thanks again!

 

[Hercules10]

What Verizon did do (bless their little helpful souls) was sign me up for something that blocks anonymous calls to my house. The caller will get a message that says we do not accept anonymous calls and they will have to unblock the call and try again.

So did Verizon do this or did the fax/call come through with a ID#?

 

[RunDanceSkate]

We had this problem, turned out to be our local elementary school had put our phone number down as their FAX number on a letterhead. We found out who it was by rigging up our computer to accept a fax. As soon as we got a Beep, beep call, we switched the phone line from the handset to the computer, and didn't answer on the next call. It wasn't a geat copy but I could see it enough on my screen to tell who it was going to. I then notified the school of the problem. Them basically told me that it was my problem not theirs. So after asking again nicely and being told off we started collecting the FAX's and printing them. It was August so it was 12 to 20 FAX per day. I called the school each day and let them know how many Fax I had, they wanted me to tell them who they were from and to drop them off. I said sure, but at a cost of $5 per Fax for my secretarial services. After 5 days, they decided to contact everyone they could think of and correct the number, after that we had 5 or 6 Fax over the next month and none since. They never did claim the Fax that I had. People especially doctor's offices fax some very personal info, yuck. I only did it after they were rude to me, glad my kids were in a different school system.

 

[almacdonald]

When we first moved into our apartment we got 4 or 5 phone calls a day for the same person, Enid Campbell. They must have been the biggest sucker on the planet because they were on EVERY phone list on Earth! The phone company suggested I subscribe to "call block" where you can block certain numbers but there were just so many! I eventually made them give me a new number, for FREE! just to stop the insanity. Inconvenient - yes, but not more so than being interupted 5 times/night to tell someone they have the wrong number and to quit calling.

I really like the fax machine idea. Good luck!

 

[Disney Deb]

We had the very same problem. Verizon suggested a service called "Call-Intercept". There is a small monthly fee involved........but it completely solved our fax problem immediately.

Anyone calling with a private or anonymous number will get a message when your number is dialed. They must speak their name........and then they are asked to "hold" while their name is relayed to you. This worked great with our fax problem, because no one ever responded with their name, and we were never bothered. If no voice is heard, the phone is disconnected before it ever rings in your home. Sounds a tad complicated, but it really isn't. It also weeds out bothersome calls also.

Good luck.

 

[Feralpeg]

For awhile, I was getting obscene phone calls during the night. I called Sprint. They also suggested that I change my number to make callers identify themselves for approval. I decided to just unplug the phone at night. After a few nights, the calls stopped.

I recently had to change my cell number because I was getting a ton of obscene text messages (what is it about me that attracts these folks?) for which I was paying a charge. T-Mobile has no way to turn off text messaging. The customer service person told me there was no way to block individual texters. To change my number, cost me $15. If I was willing to file a police report and prove to them that the police could not stop the person, I could get it changed for free. Good grief! If I hadn't just renewed my plan, I would have dropped T-Mobile on the spot.

OP, I feel for you!