Redpocket (AT&T)

I've been with them for years and never had it happen in the past.
Just this year it's been happening.

Maybe from the Android, AT&T or Samsung updates?

No, it's not an update. If the VM was a spammer, it was using the direct to mailbox feature you can do. If it was somebody you know, then somewhere along the handoff, the carrier didn't find your phone online and directed it to go to the VM mailbox.

If your # still ends in -0075, I just sent you a message directly to your VM Mailbox.

So it was you spamming me all this time!
Very clever.

I get the message 'Scam Likely' if it is an suspicious number, and it goes to voicemail.
But ya, with T-Mobile all blocked calls go directly to voicemail although I have had some do a half ring then go to voicemail.

At one of my crimefighter meetings, one of the FBI guys went down the sign in sheet and entered everyone's cell phone number.
Hit a key and everyone was getting spoofed phone calls and texts saying they were from someone else in the room.
Then he said "Don't see my number on there anywhere do you?"

Client of mine (pretty) said she was being harassed by a cop and she needed to meet with him at a bar.
I said "How do you know he's a cop, did he show you his badge over the phone?
If he really is a cop and it is important, he would be knocking on your door. They have cars"

Hold the press.

Are you telling me/us that we can call someone and leave a message without it ever ringing their cell phone?

How do I do this. I gotta do this.

I remember there was a TV show a few years back that had a bit about an app that could do that sort of thing. It caused quite a storm of people searching for that app. I searched for that app. I still want that app.

whatcha got?

Under the hood:

There are VM pilot numbers. When you call yourself, you are redirected to a pilot number. When you transfer to someone's VM, you are actually transferred to a pilot number with the person's # in the transfer. This is important to understand for the next part.

If you know the pilot numbers for the carriers you can build a script using Google Voice, skype, soft phone to call those pilot numbers and have it enter anyone's number for that carrier. While the pilot number might not be for the subscriber you are trying to leave a message for, it will move it with-in that carrier.

Now there is always "glitches" that could happen that don't "ring" your phone. Then you will get dumped into the pilot number to leave a VM. This is supposed to be uncommon, but we all experienced it.

^ This guy knows too much to be blameless in all of this.

hahahaahahaha

I thought it was just me and too afraid to ask.

Happens on both my iPhone 6SE and Note III.

Ringless voicemails have been around for quite a while. It's why I disabled Voicemail on my cell phone.
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/201 ... oicemails/

There are tons of companies that offer this as paid service. You can thank your cell phone carrier for allowing this bullshit.
https://www.bing.com/news/search?q=ring ... &form=QBNT