The scammers are changing their tactics.

[Archae]

I got an "Unknown Caller" in my caller ID, it was that "computer problem" guy who sounds like somebody from the Third World.

(My machine takes those calls.)

How can they bypass Caller ID like that, so I get an "Unknown Caller" on my phone display?

[hobbit709]

1. All you have to do is block caller ID on your outgoing phone.

[PoliticAverse]

2. Caller ID is easily avoided and or spoofed.

http://www.fcc.gov/guides/caller-id-and-spoofing

[meow2u3]

4. I had a scammer try to call me once

who spoofed her caller ID to make it look as if she were calling from the Social Security office--on a Saturday! I saw through the ruse because Social Security offices aren't open Saturdays, not at 1PM.

[GeorgeGist]

3. Heck I had a call last week ...

the Caller ID said it was from ME and MY number was on the display.

[crazylikafox]

10. Same here. How do they do that?

[backscatter712]

5. Commercial phone PBX equipment let's you set the Caller ID text.

[Orsino]

6. "I am calling from Windows Technical Support about a problem on your computer," mine said.

I jerked him around for a while, asking him repeatedly which computer and what sort of problem. He had nothing but a script to work from, and got frustrated after a bit and hung up.

Fun, and for a few minutes this guy wasn't scamming someone vulnerable.

[Archae]

8. Same scam calling me.

[Orsino]

12. I tried to keep him talking...

...hoping to find out what he knew about me. I suspect that I was just a phone number, but possibly one linked to an age, 'cause man, he couldn't expect that bullshit to work on anyone not yet middle-aged.

[badtoworse]

7. When mine comes up "Unknown Caller", I just don't answer.

I assume they're concealing their identity because they believe I wouldn't pick up if I knew who they were. They're correct.

[n2doc]

9. I get a lot of those unknown caller ones

I just wait to see if the person leaves a message, and pick up if it is someone I want to talk to. The only annoying things are I can't block them, and I have to clear my answering machine of a bunch of hang up messages.

I wish I could block them, but so far I do not know of a way.

[WillowTree]

13. Assuming you're using a landline, you can block them.

There's this nifty little program called Call Station. I used it for years when I still had a landline. Among a plethora of useful options, you can enter settings to answer calls from "Unknown Caller" or "Blocked Caller" and tell them that you don't accept calls when you can't identify who's calling, ask them to unblock their number or call back from a number that will display on Caller ID and then hang up without taking a message.

It's inexpensive, does a great job of call management (you can even record personalized messages for numbers in your phone book ......."Hi Aunt Mary. I'm not home, but I'll call you when I get back.......I recorded one of those for a bothersome neighbor saying that I'm not accepting her calls anymore and she should feel free to call the condo association, which I knew she'd never do), create different answer and message settings for different times of day.......lots of stuff. You just need to connect your PC to your phone line.

I haven't had a landline for awhile now so it might have changed, but a license used to cost only $35, way cheaper than any other kind of answering machine, and fixes and upgrades were at no additional charge. Added bonus was not having to have an answering machine taking up space on my desk or in my kitchen. You might wish to check it out.

[n2doc]

14. Problem is, I have a couple of friends who block their id's too

So they show up as unknown caller, no number available.

[WillowTree]

15. Then I guess there's no solution for you.

If it was me, I'd tell them to un-block their numbers when they call me if they actually want to talk to me. I don't have time for that kind of foolisness.

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. It's a law of physics, I think.

For every action, there is a reaction, or something.
We use caller ID to spot crooks, they develop a way around it.