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Workaround for GV->Callcentric blocking calls from verification services?

Started by Taron, January 04, 2018, 01:42:13 PM

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Taron

So I have my Obi set up with Google Voice on SP1 which is set as the primary for outbound calls. I then have Callcentric set up on SP2 for 911 service. I have GV forward to my Callcentric number which then rings through to my Obi in order to get Caller ID through Callcentric.

Yesterday I was annoyed that my phone wasn't ringing when I was being called to verify my identity. Today I logged in to Callcentric to see if it was blocking the number as spam or something, and there was a big notice at the top of my dashboard that said:

Quote
We're sorry but our Free Phone Numbers CANNOT be used for verification purposes with third-party services, such as: WhatsApp, Craigslist, Ebay, etc...

Inbound calls to our Free Phone Numbers from third-party verification numbers will be blocked.

Is there any way around this? Like, can I somehow set specific incoming numbers to go directly from Google Voice to my Obi and bypass Callcentric when I know they will be blocked by this, and have the rest still go through Callcentric so I can get caller ID?

Or at the very least, if I know I'm about to need to do a verification call can I temporarily make Google Voice call my Obi directly without having to go through a painful process?

Taoman

Quote from: Taron on January 04, 2018, 01:42:13 PM

Or at the very least, if I know I'm about to need to do a verification call can I temporarily make Google Voice call my Obi directly without having to go through a painful process?

Yes.

Go here:
https://www.google.com/voice/b/0/redirection/voice/#phones

Uncheck box for Callcentric
Check box for Google chat

Taron

Quote from: Taoman on January 04, 2018, 02:40:46 PM
Quote from: Taron on January 04, 2018, 01:42:13 PM

Or at the very least, if I know I'm about to need to do a verification call can I temporarily make Google Voice call my Obi directly without having to go through a painful process?

Yes.

Go here:
https://www.google.com/voice/b/0/redirection/voice/#phones

Uncheck box for Callcentric
Check box for Google chat

Thanks!  Is there no way to do that with the new GV interface then? I didn't think to go back to the old one to do it, but in the new one I don't see where you go to tell it to send calls to Google Chat again...


Western

CallCentric has been great for 4 years

But this is frustrating. Why would we be getting these virtual numbers if not to use them with services that do verification?

Does anyone know what the impetus for this change was? Cost, regulatory...?

I'm not going to buy another physical cell phone

SteveInWA

Quote from: Western on November 29, 2018, 05:45:56 PM
CallCentric has been great for 4 years

But this is frustrating. Why would we be getting these virtual numbers if not to use them with services that do verification?

Does anyone know what the impetus for this change was? Cost, regulatory...?

I'm not going to buy another physical cell phone

Hunh?  What do you mean?  You can't use their FREE numbers to receive text messages, but you can certainly use them to receive telephone calls, regardless of the caller.

Taron

Quote from: SteveInWA on November 29, 2018, 06:54:39 PM
Quote from: Western on November 29, 2018, 05:45:56 PM
CallCentric has been great for 4 years

But this is frustrating. Why would we be getting these virtual numbers if not to use them with services that do verification?

Does anyone know what the impetus for this change was? Cost, regulatory...?

I'm not going to buy another physical cell phone

Hunh?  What do you mean?  You can't use their FREE numbers to receive text messages, but you can certainly use them to receive telephone calls, regardless of the caller.

No, it is not "regardless of caller", as the original post says, Callcentric blocks calls from security verification services (though only the ones they know about - I've had some more obscure ones like my work paycheck system call through fine). This is not part of the usual call blocking system they have available to users, they block these numbers before the user can do anything about it. It is part of their policy.

Try it yourself if you have Callcentric. Have eBay or WhatsApp or another popular service call you to verify your identity with 2-pass authentication. The call will not go through. The next time you log in to the Callcentric dashboard, a big bulletin message will appear at the top of the site that says "We're sorry but our Free Phone Numbers CANNOT be used for verification purposes with third-party services, such as: WhatsApp, Craigslist, Ebay, etc... Inbound calls to our Free Phone Numbers from third-party verification numbers will be blocked."

In fact, its just the opposite of what you said - if you use a text message verification code, it will go through just fine. Its only the services that directly call with an automated voice system to give you verification codes that Callcentric will block (since texts will go directly to the GV number anyway so Callcentric has nothing to do with it). For most systems I've just started using the texting method instead but some only have a direct phone call as an option, and then I have to use a different phone or jump through hoops for the call to come through.

So it is legit to ask why they implemented this policy, as I'm pretty sure when I first started using them (purely for 911 and caller ID) that this was not the case.

SteveInWA

They are telling you, loud and clear, that you can't use the free numbers for that purpose.  It is an anti-fraud measure to prevent bad actors from getting free CC numbers solely for the purpose of credit card or bank fraud.