{ Deekoo.net /
Peeves /
Spam }
A study of the success rate of spamming: Data collection.
Likely sources of data skew:
Some of the smarter spammers are probably avoiding my email
addresses/domains.
Data skew control efforts: I'm only calling spammers which are a non-toll call for me; therefore, the toll-free (800, 888, 877) numbers are totalled seperately from the local (415/510/650) numbers. The local numbers may show regional bias.
Toll-free numbers
| Legend: |
| Green background: Dead at last check |
| Yellow background: Voicemail at last check |
| Red background: Voice at last check |
| Grey background: Untestable, unable to fit into a category, or excluded for other reasons. |
| Phone number | Date / range | Number of spams received by me | Product | Status |
800 |
||||
| 800-222-6000 ext 957-8776 (an evoice.com voicemail box) | 2000 Oct 9 | 1 | Stocks | 2000 Nov 3-2001 Feb 24: Voicemail |
| 800-230-7135 Ext.58 | 1999 Dec 20 | 1 | Orlando Magical Vacation, Inc. | 2001 Feb 24: "711 that number is not in service". Further calls give a beep. |
| 800-242-0363 ext 2451 | 2000 Mar 08 | 1 | Bulk email service | 2000 Sep 24: extension gives a 'number has been disconnected' message.* |
| 800-261-7064 | 2000 Oct 5 | 1 | Vegas vacations | 2000 Oct 16: Live 2000 Nov 11: says hours are 9-5/9-7 EST. 2001 Jun 15: Call cannot be completed as dialed. |
| 800-276-3335 | 2000 Dec 27 | 1 | Phone sex | 2001 Jun 15: Bot, identified as Pleasure Entertainment. Billed as Frontier. Advises calling 800-771-1249. Announces that customer service time is $4.99/minute. |
| BizOpp | 2000 Oct 11 | 1 | 1-800-320-9895 ext. 6396 | 2000 Nov 9: Busy. |
| 800-328-7103 | 2000 Jul 23 | 1 | "Finally-free" gum | 2000 Oct 16: Voicemail |
| 800-333-3474 (800-333-DISH) | See 800-761-8321 | 2001 Jun 15: Live. Says they have nothing to do with DirecTV. I suspect that this is true, as ISTR that at the time Dish and DirecTV were competitors. | ||
| 1-800-345-9708 | 2000 Sep 24 | 1 | BizOpp | 2000 Nov 9: Voicemail, "Julianna" 2001 Feb 24: Voicemail, "Julianna" |
| Hosting | 1999 July 8 | 1 | 800-409-8312 (removes) | 2000 Nov 19: Generic voicemail. |
| 1-800-420-RICH access code 2622 | 1999 Oct 11 | 1 | BizOpp | 2000 Nov 9: Access code dead. |
| 800-461-2377 | 1999 Jul 23 | 1 | Weight loss | 2000 Oct 16: Number no longer in service |
| 800-471-3717 | 1999 Jul 3 | 1 | Airline tickets | 2000 Oct 16: Voicemail (outside hours; hours are 9am-6pm) |
| 800-478-5678 (1-800-4-ru-lost) | 2000 May 26 | 1 | Dial-for-directions | 2000 Oct 2: Up |
| 800-479-9955 (orders) | 1999 Aug 25 | 1 | Male sexual secrets | Live operator (it's a phone bank) but the spammer's product is no longer orderable there. |
| 800-505-4346 | 2001 Jan 23 | 1 | Financial freedom | 2001 Jun 15: Voicemail |
| 888-522-4554 | 2000 Oct 26 | 1 (with number. Many without.) | Address list | 2000 Oct 28: Answering machine |
| Merchant Services | 2000 Oct 13 | 1 | 800-561-3128 | 2000 Nov 11: Voicemail. |
| 800-609-9292 | 2000 Jul 3 | 1 | Grants | 2000 Oct 16: Live; redirects to customer service at 1-800-955-7693 |
| 800-634-7775 | 2001 Mar 1 | 1 | Email addresses | 2001 May 5: Live operator |
| 800-652-0660 | 2000 Sep 12 | 1 | Free money grants | Live operator (ordering service). Says their customer service is at 1-800-955-7693 (see above) |
| 800-659-1991, code 300 | 2000 Nov 14 | 1 | DVD player | 2001 Jun 15: Busy |
| 800-675-8965 (Fax orders) | 2000 Sep 10-28 | 2 | Rainbow Cellular, 2 | 2000 Nov 11: Voicemail/Fax 2001 Feb 24: Disconnected. |
| 800-679-8965 | Appears to be a typo for 800-675-8965. | 2000 Nov 11: Not in service | ||
| 1-800-701-3301 (order line, 9AM-3PM PST) | 2000 Nov 30 | 1 | Credit Repair | 2001 Jun 15: Voicemail (called after hours, though), identifies itself as Globalweb Emarketing Inc. and Utopia Somethingorother. |
| Regulations Database | 2001 Aug 29 | 1 | 800-734-7226 x1105 (from their website) | 2001 Sep 7: Up |
| 800-734-7226 x1415 | Untested | |||
| 1-800-739-9993 | 1 | 2001 May 1 | Web design | 2001 Sep 7: Voicemail, claims to be outside normal business hours. |
| 1-800-761-8321 | 1 | 2001 Jun 10 | Free DirecTV | 2001 Jun 15: Live. First answerer hung up when I stated I needed it free.
Second autoforwarded me to a busy signal. Third forwarded me to 800-333-dish. 2001 Jun 15 7:46 GMT: Picks up, dead air, string of DTMF tones. Then live operator, who forwards to an unknown number which rings once, then dumps me in a voicemail. Voicemail points at 818-767-3300 www.alliancedf.com if about a satellite system 626-449-5544. Final call got a female(Or possibly male faking; it sounded a bit off.) voice claiming to be from Dish Network and not DirecTV, who offered to relay my email address to DirecTV for removal and said my ANI is 626-585-8776. 2003 Aug 13: All this stuff about DirecTV suing people for smartcards inspired me to check. Cannot be completed as dialed. Hmm. I wonder if the suits are the last gasp of a dying company? |
| Search engine submission | 1999 Apr 7 | 1 | 1-800-771-2003 | 2000 Oct 19: Makes a sound like a high-speed busy signal. |
| 800-777-1249 | See 800-276-3335 | 2001 Jun 15: Live. Offers to remove me from their list. Then claims that they never sent any email out. | ||
| 1-800-799-2185 | 2000 Apr 30 - 2000 Oct 7 | 3 | EMF (credit repair) (2, 3) | 2001 Feb 24: Voicemail. Extensions:
x10 (publicized): "general mailbox." x11 (guessed) "Dawn Detz (sp?)". |
800-804-4352 |
See 800-799-2185 | 2000 Nov 3: Voicemail | ||
| Contest | 2000 Sep 14 | 1 | 1-800-811-3796 (postmasteroptin) | 2000 Nov 3: Answering machine |
| 800-814-4436 | See 800-799-2185 | 2000 Oct 2: Live operator 2000 Nov 3: Split into extensions 0, 14, 15, 16, and 17. x0: Voicemail. 2001 Feb 24: Disconnected. |
||
| 800-894-3111 | See 800-675-8965 | 2000 Nov 9 - 2001 Feb 24: Voicemail | ||
1-800-933-1172 |
See 800-799-2185 | 2001 Feb 24: Disconnected. | ||
| 800-933-2887 | 2000 Dec 14 | 1 | Home Shopping Network | 2001 Feb 24: Up (Although I didn't wait long enough for an operator to come online.) |
| 1-800-955-7693 | See 800-609-9292. | (Customer service, Matthew Lesko) | 2000 Oct 16: Ansmach when I called, claims hours are 9-5 EST 2000 Nov 3: Same ansmach. Voicemailbox full. |
|
| 1-800-965-4885 (removes) | See 800-479-9955 | 2000 Oct 19: Disconnected. Telco message says "027P". | ||
866 |
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| Some work at home scam or other | 2002 Nov 23 | 1 | 866-667-5398 | 2003 Jan 26: "Your call cannot be completed as dialed." |
877 |
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| 877-276-9665 | 2000 Mar 02 | 1 | Airline tickets | 2000 Sep 24: Number is not in service |
| 877-529-7358 | 2001 Feb 23 | 1 | Spamming service | 2001 Jun 15: Voicemail says hours are 9am-9pm Eastern |
| 877-538-2175 | 2000 Sep 29 | 1 | M & M Credit | 2001 Feb 24: Voicemail |
| 877-581-0280 | 2001 May 5 | 1 | Free DSL modem | 2001 Jun 15: Voicemail, says hours are 5AM CST - 2AM CST. Identifies itself as "DirectTV DSL". Refers callers to www.directtvdsl.com (number of ts unknown.). |
| List of new businesses | 2000 Jun 22 | 1 | 1-877-855-3200 | 2000 Oct 2: Live operator, denies all involvement in the spam. See archive entry for more. |
888 |
||||
| Software | 2000 Jul 30 | 1 | 1-800-228-2095 | 2000 Nov 3: Voicemail |
| Satellite dish | 2000 Mar 19 | 1 | 1-888-245-3201 | 2000 Oct 16: Up. The guy answering the phone is rather pissy. |
| 888-248-0744 | 2000 Oct 1 | 1 | Growth Hormone | 2001 Sep 7: Voicemail. |
| Merchant Accounts | 2000 Oct 28 | 1 | 888-264-9272 | 2001 Jun 15: Voicemail. Goes through a string of mutated rings, so is probably answered by a live operator on occasion. |
| 888-309-5852 | 1999 Aug 29 | 1 | judicial judgements | 2000 Oct 16: Number not in service. |
| 888-309-9865 | 2000 Oct 9 | 3 | Liberty Financial, 2, 3 | 2000 Nov 11: Voicemail, says hours are MF 9-5 CST 2001 Jun 15: Voicemail |
| 888-323-3482 | 2000 Sep 15 | 1 | Merchant Accounts | 2001 May 5: Voicemail |
| 888-331-2879 | 2000 Jul 7 | 1 | Offshore Banking | 2001 Feb 24: Disconnected. |
| 888-337-0990 | 2000 May 2 | 1 | DirecTV satellite system | Voicemail |
| 888-339-6418 | 2000 Jun 28 - 2001 Jan 6 | 7 | eWorld Marketing {2, 3, 4, 6,7} | 2000 Oct 16 - 2000 Nov 9: Voicemail |
| Bulk email service, 2, 3 | 2000 July 27 - 2003 Jan 29 | 3 (actually Many, but 3 are archived.) | 1-888-340-9733 | {Date Unknown}: x10: Untested {Date Unknown}: x11 (billing): voicemail {Date Unknown}: x12: Untested 2001 Jun 14: Busy. 2003 Jan 29: The Default Message Boxes are answering machines. Undocumented extensions exist: 1340: Customer support voicemail. 1341: Voicemail of some sort. 1342: Live person. Who apparently does not appreciate this, as he calls me back, to Ask Why I'm Doing This and all that. He tells me that, if I want to be removed, I will have to ask nicely the next time he spams me. Also feeds me the usual lines of BS ("You don't complain about TV ads, why complain about email?"). Eventually is badgered into claiming that he'll remove my domains. But only ones I personally own; he won't stop mailings to any that I administer without a cease and desist order. He informs me most assuredly that I'm not costing him much, he's only paying 3c a minute long distance. Claims that his answering system will automatically block callers after five calls (probably true, I haven't tested.) and that it can hold 5,000 numbers in its block list. I note that "OK, so what I should be doing is leaving fake orders?". That induces frothing at the mouth about Interstate Commerce and Federal Crime, so now I know what pisses him off the most.). He also asserted that his contract with the Singaporean machine he was spamming from permits it. And that I cannot enforce a contract made over the phone. (Which is irrelevant: I don't need a contract to tell him that he can expect bogus prospects as long as he keeps mailing me, nor do I need a contract to tell him to stop mailing.) |
| Financial freedom | 2000 May 15 | 1 | 1-800-352-3288 Ext 2224 | 2000 Nov 3: Voicemail |
1-888-352-5443 (removal) |
See 888-340-9733 | 2000 Sep 24: Up (15-second limit, 2 calls per day.) 2001 Jun 15: Voicemail, 15-second limit, 2 calls/day. |
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| 888-418-2575 | See 888-339-6416 | 2000 Oct 2 - 2000 Oct 16: Voicemail 2000 Nov 9: Dead air when dialed 2001 Feb 24: Voicemail |
||
| 888-467-1838 | See 800-701-3301 | 2001 Jun 15: Voicemail, identifies itself as New Start credit remove line. | ||
| 888-467-1838 | See 800-634-7775 | Untested | ||
| 888-522-4525 (fax orders) | See 800-701-3301 | 2001 Jun 15: Voice/Fax combo answering machine; anonymous voice. | ||
| Search engine submission | 2000 Sep 22 | 1 | 1-888-532-8842 (orders) | 2000 Nov 9: Voicemail, "The Internet Professionals" |
| Phentermine (See also contact page HTML) | 2003 Apr 26 | 1 | 888-557-1872 | 2003 May 4: Live operator. Who, before even finding out that I wasn't a customer, has me on hold for an incredibly long time before I give up on waiting for them to return. |
| Beaverhome | 2001 Aug 11 | 1 | 888-595-4663 | 2001 Sep 7: Live operator. Is willing to take messages for Todd Pelow of Monsterhut. |
| Bulk Email | 2001 May 12 | 1 | 888-615-5810 | 2001 Sep 7: Not in service. |
| 888-663-8767 (888-6-NEUPORT) | See 888-340-9733 | {Date Unknown}: x10 (sales) is voicemail. {Date Unknown}: x11: Untested {Date Unknown}: x12 (customer support) forwards to email. 2001 Jun 14: Busy | ||
| Email addresses | 2001 Apr 7 | 1 | 888-800-6339 extension 1010 | 2001 May 5: Voicemail |
| 1-888-800-6339 X1377 (removes) | See 888-532-8842 | 2000 Nov 9: Voicemail | ||
| Inkjet refills, 2 | 2000 Nov 19 - 2001 Jun 14 | 2 | 888-813-4071 | 2001 Jun 15: Voicemail |
| Bulk email services {2} | 1999 Aug 12 - 1999 Oct 2 | 2 | 1-888-845-8109 | 2000 Oct 16: Unknown: Rings once, then hangs up. |
| Numbers below this point not sorted. | ||||
| Printing | 1999 Oct 25 | 1 | 800-810-4330 | 2000 Nov 19: Voicemail |
| QCSBS pyramid | 1999 Dec 28 | 1 | 1-877-262-6368 | 2000 Nov 19-Dec 23: Fast busy signal. |
| Bulk Email Company | 2001 Feb 21 | 1 | 1-877-529-7358 | 2001 Feb 24: Total Reach Inc. voicemail. |
| Weight loss | 2000 Jan 3 | 1 | 1-877-810-1218 | 2000 Dec 23: Out of service. |
| The Home Loan Source | 1999 Dec 18 | 1 | 1-888-313-9414 | 2000 Dec 23: "Bulletproof" voicemail. |
| Growth hormone | 2000 Jan 7 | 1 | 2000 Dec 23: Voicemail | |
| Some MLM | 1 | 2000 Mar 31 | 1-800-266-7240 ext 5288 | 2000 Dec 23: Voicemail |
*1-800-242-0363 is Digicom Nationwide Services, a voicemail rental outfit extremely popular among spammers during the tail of the 1990s. I do not know if they've got any direct connection with the spammers.
1-888-800-6339 looks like another cheesy voicemail rental place popular amongst spammers.
Totals, toll-free:
Sample size: appears to be 34 spammers. Totals don't add up to 20 because some have multiple numbers.
Voicemail: 21
Down: 8
Live: 6
Unknown: 3
Local numbers
| Product or company | Date range | Qty on file | Number | Status |
| Long distance | 2000 Aug 1 | 1 | 415-273-3955 | 2000 Nov 3: Voicemail. |
| Merchant accounts | 2001 Mar 31 | 1 | 415-382-0999 | 2001 May 5: Live operator, claims to be an answering service. |
| 415-884-9766 (Fax) | 2001 May 5: Answers with fax tones. | |||
| "Internet Desktop Spy" | 2000 May 6 | 1 | 415-704-3071 (Fax) | 2001 Feb 24: "This number is not in use. Thank you for calling. Goodbye. |
| BizOpp | 1999 Oct 11 | 1 | 804-254-9905 | 2000 Nov 9: Does not accept collect calls. |
Totals, local:
2 spammers
Voicemail: 1
No collect calls: 1