Disconnected phone numbers that aren't disconnected???

[Czechman]

Here's a new one on me.

I've had to have some unpleasant dealings with a slumlord in LA and he recently called me and left a message, but when I tried to call him back on that number I got the canned message: "We're sorry but the number you called is disconnected or no longer in service... yada, yada"

What's up with this?
Is this some new way for scumbags to cloak their identity?
If so what's this called?

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

[SLRdude]

Originally Posted by Czechman

Here's a new one on me.

I've had to have some unpleasant dealings with a slumlord in LA and he recently called me and left a message, but when I tried to call him back on that number I got the canned message: "We're sorry but the number you called is disconnected or no longer in service... yada, yada"

What's up with this?
Is this some new way for scumbags to cloak their identity?
If so what's this called?

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

Services like Google Voice and Grand Central allow you to mark your number to where all inbound calls or just the ones from numbers you select will receive that very message.

I did that myself not long ago to get rid of somebody that was bugging me.

[Czechman]

How interesting! Is there a term for that?