use of routing information in anti-fraud mechanisms

[Paul Syverson]

On Tue, Nov 29, 2005 at 02:49:26PM -0500, Anthony DiPierro wrote:
> 
>  And caller-ID blocking is available and more popular
> than Tor (not to mention that calls can still be traced by the phone
> company unless you've somehow hacked the network or gone through a
> redirection service).
> 

As is blocking of calls from caller-ID blocked phones, at least in
some US jurisdictions. The receiving phone does not ring, and the
initiating caller gets a recording saying that the number that is
being attempted does not accept calls from blocked phones.

For many years I've imagined this would escalate to the point that you
would get a call from an operator who would tell you, "I've got a guy
on the line who offered ten bucks to talk to you.  What will you pay
to make him go away?" In the ensuing bidding war, the carrier is
always the only real winner.

-Paul