Fake(?) FBI Phone Threat to Me 10 Minutes Ago

[Jim Sagle]

At 7:38 PM, my phone rang. The caller ID screen flashed

US GOV
202-324-3000

I picked up and said, "Yes?"

A voice on the other end said: "Is this Jim Sagle?"

Me: 'Yes."

Voice: "Do you post on Democratic Underground?"

Me: "Yes."

Voice: "You better watch what you post...because we're onto you."

After the call I googled http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=202-324-3000+. It's the FBI number.

So here's the deal. I will post whatever I want, whenver I want, until the mods shut me down or I get disappeared.

Specifically, I'll be checking in here every single day. And I won't be committing suicide. If I don't post, it'll be because I was taken away.

On edit: yes I changed this post to reflect the thread consensus that the call was fake. (Hopefully no one screen-captured the original.)

2nd edit: now that I reflect on it, if it were a real gov't call it would not have been the main FBI number. It's just what some suggested, a freeper googling the FBI number and using it in a spoof call.

[ContraBass Black]

1. Sounds more like you've been spoofed.

Caller ID can be fooled easily.

[kiahzero]

2. I like calling from Skype.

People freak out when they see 000-012-3456 on their caller ID.

[Jim Sagle]

6. I hope you're right. How would I check?

[rzemanfl]

10. So can we start placing spoof calls to our Repuke friends?

An IRS number would be nice, perhaps asking lifestyle questions about other Repukes they know.

[Jim Sagle]

29. Not a good idea. Not even to joke about, I suspect.

[BR_Parkway]

119. Then show up as US Army Recruiting - that'll freak em out just as much

and you're doing your part to support the troops (at least trying to get them as much help as possible)

[wakeme2008]

15. yes there are web sites that tell you how to do it..

For example http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/07/07/hackers_gut_voip/

[RagingInMiami]

3. I didn't realize the FBI gives warnings before making you disappear

[SharonRB]

4. WTF?

[Scurrilous]

5. The FBI...

...ain't nuthin' but shit. :thumbsup:

[alcibiades_mystery]

7. It wasn't the FBI

Calm

[Jim Sagle]

8. Easy for you to say. How would I trace it?

[sandnsea]

12. With your common sense

Get a grip. Geesh.

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sandnsea]

19. Because I call bullshit?

Sorry. There's enough conspiracy theory nonsense on this board. This one is just over the top. It was a prank call, nothing more.

[dogday]

38. I would not say because you

called bullshit.. It is the way you called it.. Rude and condendscending... Ya know that just doesn't work with some people... :shrug:

[sandnsea]

74. Some things don't deserve much else

I left out a whole lot more of what I think on the subject than what I said, believe me.

[alcibiades_mystery]

37. Why do you think you got a call

Could it be because you use your real name on the board?

It is a trivial operation to fool caller ID into thinking that the call came from a particular place. Is it a surprise that it came from the "FBI's" switchboard number? I mean really. The other poster is correct. Use your common sense, and turn the tin foil way down, and you'll be closer to the Real.

[sandnsea]

9. Oh puhleeze

Somebody was yanking your chain. The FBI is not calling people and threatening them about their internet habits. Good lord, you must have tin foil on all your windows if you believe that.

[Jim Sagle]

11. Let's just say this was un-nerving.

[sandnsea]

16. Yeah, because people are such jerks

It was pretty unnerving when I got wacko letters in the mail too. But somebody is just jerking you around, and yes that's unnerving. But it's not the FBI.

[NNN0LHI]

20. They would have hauled my ass off a long time ago if this was the case Jim

Really.

Don

[Jim Sagle]

24. That's right...they have even more "reason."

[Warpy]

34. The only proper response is

"Come and get me, copper! AHAHAHAHA!"

Seriously, the FBI doesn't make threatening phone calls. They follow you or they park a van on your street and eavesdrop and photograph everybody who comes to visit you or they intercept all your phone calls, email, and snail mail for examination. They don't ever tell you anything about it.

This was a crank, somebody you know, maybe one of their kids.

[liberalnurse]

56. Ask Skinner if he gave out your Profile information to the FBI.

That would be the only way they could be sure who/how they needed to contact the identified poster.....

[rubberducky]

63. FBI thought my son was involved with gang activity.

They came to my house and to my mother`s house to "discuss the situation". Don`t know how they got the information. I would be wary if I was you. This happened in a very small suburb of Detroit. Shocked me then and still shocks me to this day. My son was 15 and an Eagle Scout, in Catholic school.

[alfredo]

87. Change your user name

If it wasn't a fake, bringing it up in public was the right thing.

If it was a hoax, that sucks. Even if you think it was hoax, there will always be that nagging doubt. Don't change anything but your user name.

[American liberal]

98. You know what, Jim?

I would have thought the same thing and been way more freaked out than you were. This stuff about Skype and putting phony numbers in caller IDs, well this is the first time I have ever heard of such a thing, so you whiz kids who are so in the know need to cut some slack here. It may not make a lick of sense that the FBI would be calling to harrass me about my Internet habits, but seeing their number on my caller ID would be pretty convincing evidence. Put yourself in Jim's shoes for a second before shooting off at the mouth! Not everybody is as technologically savvy as you think you are!

[Raydawg1234]

77. I can't stand when people refer to others as "tin foil hatters"

[sandnsea]

83. Some people are

Funny how I almost never do that, others do it all the time, but I'm the one singled out as particularly "bad" for doing it.

Some people are tin foil hatters, some people are hypocrites. Meh. Whatever.

[SPKrazy]

88. Oh Give Him A Break

he freaked out because of the phone call

I probably would to at first

but then logic and sensibility would creep in

and it seems to have with the OP too

but it would be freaky to me to get a call with the caller ID the FBI and have someone saying all that

I don't use my real name as my screen name here obviously either because I'd just as soon not be harrassed.

Of course, the net is anything but anonymous

[sandnsea]

91. "somebody was yanking your chain"

Followed up with a tongue in cheek - "you must have tin foil on all your windows".

Oh right, the most horrible thing ever posted at DU. :eyes:

If somebody wants to smack me around, they're going to have to find a real reason to do it. This wasn't it.

[SPKrazy]

136. How About

upthread where you were giving the OP a hard time about this

yes it's a spoof

yes most of us would realize it

if it happened to me though, it would probably freak me out initially until I thought about it

not everyone is as tech savvy as you are, and some people would be totally freaked out (like the OP) who seems to have used DU to regain his composure.

I'm not ragging you too hard, I just thought upthread you were kind of razzing the OP a little hard

but I guess that's your right to do that if you want

:evilgrin:

[sandnsea]

138. Really?

Use common sense, get a grip, and from the other post; "It was pretty unnerving when I got wacko letters in the mail too. But somebody is just jerking you around, and yes that's unnerving. But it's not the FBI."

That's really giving somebody a hard time??

(No, it's really tame for DU.)

[SPKrazy]

139. How about this one

sandnsea (1000+ posts) Fri Jul-07-06 01:14 AM
Response to Reply #13
19. Because I call bullshit?
Sorry. There's enough conspiracy theory nonsense on this board. This one is just over the top. It was a prank call, nothing more.

or this one:

sandnsea (1000+ posts) Fri Jul-07-06 01:59 AM
Response to Reply #38
74. Some things don't deserve much else
I left out a whole lot more of what I think on the subject than what I said, believe me.

or this:

sandnsea (1000+ posts) Fri Jul-07-06 01:10 AM
Response to Original message
9. Oh puhleeze
Somebody was yanking your chain. The FBI is not calling people and threatening them about their internet habits. Good lord, you must have tin foil on all your windows if you believe that.

Is it really so hard to admit you were a little hard on the guy? Or are you going to stick with the "it's pretty tame for DU?"

I don't think the guy realized he was being spoofed, but you proceeded to attack his common sense, and even stated there's "a whole lot more of whatI think on the subject than what I said, believe me"

I think that he tripped your trigger for whatever reasons and you went off (albeit tamely) but rudely, and with condescension. IMO

[sandnsea]

140. They aren't all to the OP

The second one, and some others in this thread are to people, like you, who over-reacted to the very benign yanking his chain comment.

The first one you posted is a response to his post telling me to "drop dead" because I horrifyingly said to use "common sense" and "get a grip". The last one was my original OP, which I maintain is an incredibly tame DU post.

He didn't trigger anything except another hysterical thread in which most people agreed that there was no FBI threat at all. And I'll say it again, "I left out a whole lot more of what I think on the subject than what I said, believe me."

[SPKrazy]

141. Well It Is Your Right

to not be able to see that you were wrong to be so harsh on the guy, and I'm not the only one who thought so.

But live and let live

peace

[sandnsea]

144. Right

Because what I wrote is so much more horrible than:

"Could it be because you use your real name on the board?

It is a trivial operation to fool caller ID into thinking that the call came from a particular place. Is it a surprise that it came from the "FBI's" switchboard number? I mean really. The other poster is correct. Use your common sense, and turn the tin foil way down, and you'll be closer to the Real."

Which someone else wrote with no criticism at all. Beat up on me if you want because I don't tow the far left line on this board, but don't expect me to pretend the "outrage" is anything but that.

[SPKrazy]

145. "Beat Up On Me"-"I Don't Tow The Far Left Line On This Board"

WTF?
Where did that even come from?

:crazy:

[Occulus]

114. Well, there's that,

and then there's what they did.

Making a fake number show up ona caller ID. I'd think that's a crime, in and of itself.

My advice is, nail 'em with the unsexy charges. They're not pretty, but they have teeth.

[SmokingJacket]

14. Hmmm...

Maybe a good argument not to post under your real name -- spoof or not.

[C_U_L8R]

Call them back

and speak to a supervisor.
(and get everyone's name and direct phone number)

Either someone is waaaay
out of line at the FBI or someone is
impersonating thr FBI
and spoofing you over the phone.

I would think the REAL FBI
might look into either case.

No matter what... there is a real
record of who called you
(thank you NSA)

[Liberal In Texas]

25. I agree with you. The FBI probably takes a real dim view of someone

impersonating them to terrorize someone.

If it wasn't a friend of the OP jerking his chain, the feds might be more than interested.

[woo me with science]

128. Oh please, this was so clearly a silly prank.

The FBI has better things to do than chase kids playing with caller ID.

[Sapphocrat]

17. Here's one possibility.

http://www.securityfocus.com/news/9419

[guinivere]

18. I don't know. I think if the FBI wanted your ass,

they wouldn't call first.

[hpot]

36. 3 years - impersonating a federal agent

DEA Arrests Man for Allegedly Impersonating a Federal Agent
http://www.news10.net/storyfull2.aspx?storyid=16300

[rzemanfl]

64. Was the caller impersonating a federal agent? Or were they

just impersonating a person calling from a particular phone number. He never said "I'm an FBI agent." Remember a while back when they were charging people with this for wearing hats and T-shirts that said "FBI" on them?

[Jim Sagle]

111. Very good point. The guy never identified himself.

[Xeric]

21. It is a federal crime to impersonate an FBI agent

Call them and tell them what happened.

[havocmom]

44. If OP gets any more such calls, it might be nice to change message

on answering machine and mention that particular federal crime ;)

[LoZoccolo]

22. David Thompson, Charlotte NC city council meeting, 1/28/2002

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_Ebzlx6toA

[Jim Sagle]

27. Ha ha.

[LoZoccolo]

31. For the record, the CUckoos should know I posted that sarcastically.

They have a reputation for not being able to tell.

[Marie26]

48. Funny & sad at the same time

Classic paranoid schizophrenic. FWIW, I have not noticed any rogue taunting helicopters in the Charlotte area.

[annabanana]

131. good lord! . . . . . . .n/t

[whistle]

23. Please let us know if you are taken away and tortured for your

...liberalness. Actually, this is exactly what the FBI did to people who were blacklisted for their left wing activities without proof during the McCarthy era of Un-American Activities investigations. This is John Birch-ism all over again. It is going to be a long hot summer and this time the neo-cons will be getting their stooges and thugs out into the streets to inflict some real damage and bring more fear. The conservative talk-show hosts and pundits will be fueling and fanning the flames of discontent.

[w4rma]

26. Call the phone company and ask them to ID the phone call at whatever time

it was. If they call back, ask the phone company to do it again. The spoof should only work on your phone, but the phone companies trace shouldn't be fooled. Also there is a *something or other that you can press immediately after any potentially illegal phone call that will place a trace immediately. To use that star something you need to press the digits before someone else calls your phone.

[ContraBass Black]

47. I wonder what happens when you try automatic callback on a spoofed

Number.

Somebody call me and I'll try it.

[w4rma]

49. Should call back the phone number on the caller id. Unless the

automatic callback was a service through the phone company, and then it would depend on how it was implemented. Probably will still call back the number on the caller ID since there will likely have to be a trace placed to get the originating call.

[ContraBass Black]

51. I mean phone service implemented callback, like *69.

[w4rma]

60. Yup. I know. Already answered. (nt)

[tblue37]

126. It is *69 (eom)

[NYC Liberal]

129. I believe you can use *57, although I'm not positive that it works

everywhere.

[bluerum]

28. I would call that number back and ask what's up?

But keep in mind that caller ID can be spoofed.

[ThoughtCriminal]

30. If "they" call again

keep an airhorn near the phone. Whisper something so they turn up the volume, then give them an ear-load.

[Jim Sagle]

32. I've heard that a plastic whistle works nicely.

[Tom Joad]

52. Whistle - Very simple and appropriate.

We don't agree on much, Jim, but the bum that called you would deserve the whistle. Sorry this happened to you.

Really, really stupid stunt for someone to pull.

[Jim Sagle]

55. Stupid for me to fall for, as well, I guess.

But how many more years before it really gets that bad.

(I wouldn't be surprised if we agreed on more than you think. It's just you, uh, prioritize on an area where we don't think alike.)

[Redstone]

33. It's SO easy to spoof Caller ID. Come ON, why on EARTH would you

think, even for one second, that a real FBI agent would make a call like that?

Redtone

[Jim Sagle]

42. Times have changed.

[Redstone]

46. Not that much. You REALLY think the FBI has agents who are so bored

that they sit there and say: "Hey, I know what I'll do do keep busy! I'll call Jim Sagle and threaten him about posting on DU!"

Sorry, but that's just ridiculous.

Redstone

[w4rma]

50. Do you think that just because this is a political message board it gives

you the right to act like a jerk, Redstone?

[Redstone]

59. It give me the right to express my opinion. Which I manage to do without

resorting to name-calling, unlike some people.

Redstone

[w4rma]

62. Somebody call the whaa-ambulance. (nt)

[Redstone]

65. Hey, you don't like my posts, you don't have to read them. There's a very

easy way for you to make that happen, with very little effort on your part.

Redstone

[w4rma]

71. Pot meet kettle. (nt)

[Redstone]

72. Hey, I don't use ignore, because ANYONE here might say something

I agree with, and can post in support of.

But that's just me. I didn't start this by calling you any names.

Redstone

[Jim Sagle]

68. He wasn't THAT bad. He did suck, but not that much.

;-)

[serryjw]

57. OKkkkkkkkkkkk, Let's

ask a few questions
1) Have you been any more outrageous than any of us?
2) Do you have friends that know you post on DU?
3) Do you know anyone that is a prankster?

I am sure that someone is tracking me. I pretty much only post on DU and do an enormous amount of google research....I have way over 100 adwares every couple of days.

[Jim Sagle]

73. I'll just answer #1. No - I'm actually as tame as average in what I post.

Then again, we have awild and wooly bunch.

[conflictgirl]

96. I had no idea it was that easy to spoof caller ID.

For a long time, I had people telling me that when they accessed my website, instead of getting a 404 error page, they got a message saying that the activity had been logged by the FBI for investigation. I'll admit that it had me freaked out for quite a while, until I finally found out that someone had hacked my site and changed my 404 message to say that.

Considering the things that *have* happened to people that you would think FBI agents wouldn't have time for (remember that college kid who got a visit from FBI agents because of the anti-Bush poster in his dorm room?), I don't think it's being such a tinfoil-hatter to get freaked out when something like this happens. Not everyone is so hip to all the ways that people can screw around with telecom and computer devices in order to impersonate the FBI.

[pretzel4gore]

35. play stupid, ferfukksakes...

admit you're Jim, ok, but never admit anything to anyone - say you think someone hacked your computer recently and there are strange things going on, really strange....and you've never even heard of DU yada yada....

[Raine]

39. It was a freeper

trying to scare you. If it was really the FBI they would come right to your home with a badge, especially when they are trying to frighten you. It was very easy for a freeper to get you phone number due to your screen name.

[reprehensor]

40. YOU CT'ers NEED TO TAKE A HIKE THIS MAKES THE

WHOLE SITE LOOK BAD!

[Jim Sagle]

41. I hope you never get a call like that. It would rattle an awful lot of

folks.

[originalpckelly]

58. You need to know...

how to say fuck off. If it is the FBI they are going to be in more deep shit than you would be for saying fuck off.

[Jim Sagle]

66. I do know how to say that. I just don't want to say it to the gov't.

Even if it is in the 1st amendment.

[w4rma]

45. I think you need to calm down, buddy.

Sagle got a threatening phone call from a whackjob "conservative" pretending to be an FBI agent (through spoofing their phone number). It's pretty simple to do and there are serious legal penalties for whomever called him.

[jobycom]

53. He's either telling the truth or blatantly lying. CT doesn't enter into it

I don't know the poster personally, so I just file this away as an interesting tidbit that means one of three things. One, the FBI is threatening DUers. If that's happening, more of us will have the experience and post about it. Two, he made it up. There's no way to prove that, unless he later shows a history of stuff like that. Three, someone called him pretending to be the FBI. That itself has two options--either an acquaintance of his who thought it would be funny (which is no matter to us) or someone has managed to get his personal info from his DU handle, in which case I suspect others will have the same experience.

In short, as a single incident, it's irrelevant to most of us. If it becomes a pattern, it becomes important. So I just file it away for future reference, without judging the OP or the FBI yet.

You think I analyze things too much? <G> Man, I'm hungry. I'm going to eat.

[American liberal]

100. self-delete

self-delete

[Freedom_Aflaim]

43. Funny story about Call Spoofing

I did some work for a university awhile back and got to chatting with guy who ran the University phone switch.

Without getting bogged down in telephony details, the administrator of a switch determines what number get is sent to the public telephone network, when a call is made by an extension off of that switch.

So anyway, this is guy is dealing with his local telephone sales rep and is getting frustrated because he won't call back or answer his calls due to some sort of dispute.

So, being the administrator of the switch, said administrator googles the home telephone number of sales rep, reprograms his telephone switch and gives the sales dude a call.

VIOLA! The sales guy answers his phone. Why? Because the administrator programmed his system so that it appeared on caller id as though his wife/kids was calling him.


So who do you know any technically savvy/telephony folks who'd like to play a joke on you? Thats where I would start.

[ContraBass Black]

54. You don't need to know anything to do it anymore.

There are websites that do it for you.

[Boo Boo]

61. If someone wasn't sure it was the right Jim Sagle, they would

ask, "do you post on DU." The FBI would already know they had the right guy, and they wouldn't be calling to threaten you in any case---especially using the incredibly infantile "you better watch what you say... we're on to you... etc." The unfortunate thing is that apprently now some dumbass Freeper knows where you live. What the person did is, of course, a crime on several different levels and they should be nailed for it.

The proper thing for you to do is call the FBI.

[Boo Boo]

67. You should call the FBI

I mentioned that in my previous post, but decided I wanted it in a message title. You should definitely inform the FBI. The call was a crime. The person doing it really deserves to get busted for it. I'm sure the FBI would appreciate knowing that their number was being used to make threatening phone calls.

[prolesunited]

78. Yep

I'm sure impersonating an FBI agent is a federal crime. You should call them right away and they'll be able to trace the call easily.

Hahaha. The real joke will be on the idiotic caller.

[Ohio Joe]

123. I agree, call the FBI

Intimidation like this should be reported and prosecuted.

[Marie26]

69. It's fake

But it still means someone's harassing you. Maybe you could change your handle, or change to an unlisted number if it happens again? You can also call police if there's a continuing pattern of harassing phone calls - they can trace to the real number or even make an arrest for impersonating an officer or criminal harassment. This just sounds like a prank right now, though. But it can't hurt to be careful.

[alcibiades_mystery]

70. Check your PM

cheers.

[MODemocrat]

75. Whenever we get a cooky call, I press the pound sign & 69

This gives me the last number that dialed me. I've been able to trace 2 or 3 calls that way. There are a bunch of goofy people out there, minding our business instead of their own. :argh:

We have periodically been getting calls for about four years, asking for someone who used to have our number. It's usually a bank in Florida, and we received one from Tempe Arizona within the last two weeks, asking for him. It's really inconvenient to change one's telephone number; and notify everyone.

Edited to change subject line from pound sign 69 to *69

[Jim Sagle]

76. Thanks.

[Poll_Blind]

84. Also when you use *69 your phone company records that you did.

If you are able to pull up the same number 3 times, most telephone companies will help your file harassment charges, IIRC. Call them to find out more about their policies.

PB

[Jim Sagle]

97. I just tried *69 and got the same FBI #.

I guess *69 can be spoofed.

[Poll_Blind]

101. Call your telephone company and let them know this. Tell them you're...

...calling the FBI and that you want the incident number (or more likely code) they use when you call. Also, before almost anything else, get and confirm their first name and badge ID(they usually give this the moment they answer). Make sure they make a note on your account's record that you called (each note they make gives them a code you can refer to later) and to include whatever other information they have. Let them know you plan legal action and that they need to follow up immediately with whatever mechanisms they have in place for harassment such as this and to preserve any and all information for an eventual subpoena by law enforcement. If they give you any shit, thank them for their time and tell them that you're choosing to escalate this matter and will wait to speak with their supervisor. Use the word "escalate" and be polite. If they continue to give you shit let them know you already have a case open with the FBI (whether you do or not) and that their name, not their company's will bear the brunt of legal actions, especially civil damages, for not assisting a terrified customer who has just been the victim of a federal crime and for which all telephone companies have processes to deal with.

Include that information when contacting the organizations I sent you via PM.

I'm heading out the door so it's sloppy but you get the gist.

PB

[Poll_Blind]

79. Check your PM. n/t

PB

[SmokingJacket]

80. Check out your info on Zabasearch.

Are you the James Sagle of Illinois, or the one in Ohio?

It's creepy, isn't it??

(apparently you can get this stuff blocked, if you want to...)

[American liberal]

102. How do you get it blocked?

My name turned up my phone number at other people's addresses. But it also listed my most recent three addresses, my last two phone numbers (my current one is listed with first initial, last name, city, state ), but on Sabasearch it was ALL there! Full name, address, phone number... I don't want my personal info. out there! How do I make it go away? Thanks!

[SmokingJacket]

124. Try this...

http://reviews.cnet.com/5208-7810-0.html?forumID=77&threadID=124030&messageID=1407899

I didn't bother blocking mine, because it's all out of date anyway!

[Redstone]

81. On a serious note, you should listen to the people who advised you to

call the FBI and tell them what happened.

You may be able to trigger some VERY unpleasant consequences for the righwinger who called your phone with a spoofed Caller ID.

I'd think that the thought of those consequences being applied to that caller would be well worth the time and / or paperwork it might take you to have the FBI go after them.

Go get 'em. and be sure to let us know how it works out if you do.

(I am NOT being sarcastic here. I think you should burn the asshole who made that call to you.)

Redstone

[Ioo]

82. It MAY come from the main FBI number, depends on the PBX

If they are on a trunk line, VERY much would the caller ID say the MAIN number, if it comes from anywhere in a building. When I call home from work, it always comes up as the main office number, not my desk phone

[Swamp Rat]

85. Call the FBI. Impersonating an FBI official is a felony.

This guy will get busted if you file a complaint. The FBI takes this VERY seriously, with good reason.

At least one federal crime was committed, maybe more. Phone records will be examined and the idiot who threatened you will get a knock on his front door very soon.

Press charges and sue the bastard for everything he owns.

[Catherine Vincent]

86. Probably some stank freeper.

[struggle4progress]

89. Act as if you think its spoof harassment. Complain to the phone company.

Complain to the local police. If you have a decent Representative or Senator, wait a day, then contact them, indicating that you cannot tell whether it is authentic or not but given the tendency of the Administration to pack the bureaucracies with incompetent ideologues, and the recent stories on government spying, you can't be sure that the threat wasn't real.

[kestrel91316]

90. I have a question - is this "Jim Sagle" who supposedly posts under his

real name really THE Jim Sagle of NPR fame and "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" or whatever that show on Saturday AM is????

Or is he just some dude using the name?

Enquiring minds want to know............

[Jim Sagle]

92. Never heard of him.

[American liberal]

132. I think you're confusing Jim with Peter Sagal, host of "Wait, Wait...Don't

Tell Me" (one of my favorite NPR shows behind "This American Life" and a couple of others).

[Midlodemocrat]

93. Posting on DU isn't going to earn you a spot at Gitmo.

I wouldn't worry about it. Someone is just messing with you.

[Exultant Democracy]

94. It's it strange to live in a world where you have to tell people

that you are not going to commit suicide just in case. Hummm... maybe I should write some letters.

[orleans]

95. trace the call!!! you can do it if no one has called you back

call the police and tell them that someone called, threatening you. you can do a phone trap by hitting two numbers and either star or pound (i forget)

file a report so it is on record

the phone company is only allowed to notify cops when they get the trace back

file a complaint--malicious mischief or some other thing

don't let it go, if at all possible

(especially if they are impersonating fbi--i'm sure the fbi would like to know who the fuck is doing that to you as well)

call and report it RIGHT NOW!

[orleans]

99. *57 to trace the call (star 57)

do it and then report it to the cops, file a complaint

they'll get the call traced in a few days

[SupplyConcerns]

103. Not the govt, but still a sign of an ugly shift in our culture

I KNOW that this is a rash comparison, but remember that the Brownshirts didn't personally smash up all of the Jew-owned storefronts. Alot of it was by civilian Germans who knew the government was on their side.

[Jim Sagle]

104. Called the local police and they took my info, left a calling card, and

said they would file a report.

[orleans]

105. did you do a "phone trap"? (tracing the call?) n/t

[Jim Sagle]

107. I did star 69. It came back with the FBI #.

[upi402]

108. Good follow up. Let us know what happens when you report it.

Also try the local sheriff, state police, local FBI if you're not from around that #
And as Swamprat said, report it to the phone company as an 'FBI impersonator complaint' and request a follow up report sent to you from each.
Please keep us posted.

5 years ago I would have said you were a whacko too. I'm getting up to speed now though with some of the righty whackos in many places of government and law enforcement. I hear even the Whitehouse has some loons in there these days. OP, you may be going sane in a crazy world, who really knows. Most FBI would scoff at that activity, but a Bushler would be waging his righteous little war.

The internet is their current target. It may not be long until they squelch that. I'll be leaving toenail marks down the driveway too, cuz I am an American. A true American. And I'll criticize the government with a sense of duty- as our forefathers advised.

[Jim Sagle]

109. Thank you for saying my first reaction MIGHT not be off base.

Surely the chances are slim and none as the old saying goes.

But none left town back on 12-12-2000.

And, the cops weren't quite 100% sure themselves.

[upi402]

112. What else did they say? n/t

[Jim Sagle]

113. Nothing detailed-just that they would file a report. The call itself was

not a crime since no clear threat was made.

They did say it could be a bored, ticked-off agent.

[upi402]

115. But it's a crime to impersonate... a big old crime n/t

[rumpel]

116. "A bored ticked off agent" ? Since when do they allow agents to

get phone numbers of private citizens, because they are bored. Or did you post you phone number here, I don't think so.
Are you sure you connected back to the FBI?

That agent could get fired.

I don't think it is the FBI, they know better. File a formal complaint of harassment, then you'll know.
I agree with another poster, they are very quick in finding out who.

[Jim Sagle]

117. That was strictly conjecture by the police.

I will be following up with the FBI and the phone co.

[rumpel]

118. Sorry this happened to you

but definitely, the FBI.

Local PD and FBI do have a thing of distrusting each other so beware. I would go to the purported source and complain.

[Vidar]

106. Sorry this happened to you Jim. Le us know about any followup.

[Jim Sagle]

110. Indeed I will.

[Vidar]

121. Thanks & best of luck.

[WinkyDink]

120. I always respond, "Who's asking?"

[anarch]

122. I would suggest calling the actual FBI and reporting it

I'm pretty sure they can trace where the call really came from. I believe that's two federal crimes: telephone harrassment and impersonating a federal agent. Very very naughty!

[snooper2]

125. It is a real US GOV phone number....

Verizon is providing the service out of Washington D.C., Central Office WASHDCFIDS0, rate center WSHNGTNZN1....

[upi402]

133. That's the odd thing n/t

[JHB]

127. Call the number: If someone's out there impersonating the FBI...

...they might want to know about it.

[TX-RAT]

130. Contact your local Police dept, tell them what happen.

When they show up, fill out a report with as much of the conversation as you can remember. Show them the caller ID so they can do a trace. Relax, sit back and let them do their job. No agent of the FBI would make such a call, plus the Federal Bureau of Investigation would have showed up on your caller ID,not US GOV. If it was a prank call, then a Felony was committed.

[Rosemary2205]

134. Yes CALL THE POLICE!! --- I second that!!

It's a felony. Let the cops take care of this ahole. -- and they will.

[Gabi Hayes]

135. Jim started another thread on this just a few minutes ago, and I

can't find it?

what's up with that?

also, Jim, check your PMs....I put that in the disappeared thread

[Raine]

137. Here it is

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=1589177

[survivor999]

142. Got one too.

From the White House. :)

[ryan_cats]

143. If I were you I would call the FBI and say someone was impersonating them

If I were you I would call the FBI and say someone was impersonating them and to have them investigate it. Unless you said you wanted to shoot the president or something equally inflammatory, they just aren't going to waste time with you.
Call the FBI and lodge a complaint. It's possible someone inside the FBI is making these calls, too and that's just as bad.
Turn the tables on this caller.