Yes, I have noticed the ineffectual lack of actual support from the Do Not Call Registry.   It has done little to nothing to prevent the phone calls and the automated  sales hacks from taking place.  :(

It appears that any fears that those telemarketers, MAY have once had from fear of prosecution,  is also diminishing , simply by the fact that the increased amount of these calls received increases steadily,  especially over the past 4 - 5 months.

This is a landline number through the Verizon network.  I did a lot of internet research and discovered that the number has been moved from New Jersey, to Florida, and back to Newark NJ.  Specifically located at Mulberry Street, Newark, New Jersey, 07102.  The various sites provided pieces but all want payment to list the actual building number.

I'm sorry for the typo in my previous post and hope it didn't confuse anyone.

When I wrote, "Marketing lists that have been scrubbed to include only active telephone numbers are worth much more to telephone marketing companies that lists of numbers that have not had such an editing process performed," what I actually meant to say was that marketing lists that have been scrubbed to include only active telephone numbers are worth much more to telephone marketing lists THAN lists of numbers...

I make that typo all the time!

I got one, too, and neither answered nor returned the call. I thank you all for sharing your experience here, because it tells me exactly what is happening. I will share it with you and hope it helps.

Usually, when you get a telephone call from an unknown number, and when you answer the call and the one on the other end immediately hangs up, it is one of two thing: your spouse is cheating on you with a crazy person who is now stalking you, or it is actually a marketing organization using an automated system to dial hundreds, if not thousands, of telephone numbers to see if they are active numbers.

Marketing lists that have been scrubbed to include only active telephone numbers are worth much more to telephone marketing companies that lists of numbers that have not had such an editing process performed.

Unfortunately, just not answering the call doesn't keep you off the scrubbed list that is sold to marketing spammers everywhere. If the "bot" gets your voicemail message, it's the same thing as you answering the call.

One thing I do might help you, I have a contact on my cell phone called "Do Not Answer." Every time I get a call from one of these automated scrubbers, or if I get a call from a marketing group, I save those numbers in my "Do Not Answer" contact.

Of course, that gets to be a lot of numbers over time, especially as one number starts getting a lot of "publicity" around the Internet, letting the weasels know that it is time to use a different phone number.

However, you would be surprised how often a "Do Not Answer" number pops up on my phone. Then, I know to simply ignore it.

And yes, I, too, am on the Do Not Call List. Has anyone found that to be a useless as I have?

Harassing call

Let me correct that to the Drug Enforcement "Administration" who are looking into the drug-addicted "card services" scammers operations.

The calls don't come from the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) they come from the drug-addicted "card services" scammers. It's quite ironic that these criminals would choose a spoofed number of the exact same people who are looking into their operations.

Forgot to add press release. This is from the official DEA site.

http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/pressreleases/extortion_scam.htm

This is a scam. This is someone pretending to be the DEA to extort money from you. I called the real New Jersey DEA office. They confirmed it was a scam and they would never contact someone by telephone. Please see this press release on the DEA's website for further information.

The New Jersey DEA's real number is 973-776-1100 NOT 973-273-500.

I just received a call from this number. It rang once, then stopped, and then called back again. I answered and it said 'credit card services' about interest rates, same as the rest. I hung up before any extensions were mentioned.

Missed a call from this # yesterday, April 9 . No message.

Tried to call back to a call from 973 273-5000.  Said network was down.  Wife received an unwanted call from "card services" on her cell phone this morning.  What can be done to prevent unwanted calls from robbing our cell phone minutes?  Friends report getting calls from "card services" as well even though they are on a cell phone do-not-call list.  Report that when they block this number, the company calls back on another number.

We are also bothered by this company on our land line.

Got a call from this number. It started off "in reference to your credit card account' since I don't have a credit card, I hung up

I got a call on my cell phone at 9:13 am this morning.  I did not answer the call.

I just got a call from them just the same as everyone else, but with a twist...I informed them they could kiss my a$$!

Got a call from 973-273-5000. There was not a message. I recently sold my old blackberry to u-sell for 70 bucks. Anyone else who got this number recently,
sold their old cell phone?

They called my cell today.  If the number is not listed in my contacts, the spam blocker sends it right to voicemail on the first ring.  Of course they didn't leave a message.  Most of these losers won't leave a message.  My call blocker app was worth every penny.  I am never bothered by these losers any more.  :-)

Looked up the number and came up DEA.

Called DEA of NJ, that is their old phone number. Disregard the phone call from 973-273-5000

Looked up the number and it comes up DEA (Newark, NJ).  Called and number is not in service

At 12:36 p.m., April 10, 2013, I received a call from this number.  Complete dead air and no message left.

....Saved it...under B.S.

Rachel from Cardmember Services wanting to reduce my interest rate.

Got a call from this #. Didn't pick up. No reaaon for DEA to call me. Got a call from one of my credit cards monday about suspicious charges. Cancelled my card. I called the # above back just in case it was from a credit card again. No answer. So glad for the info you all gave. Will block this #.

This unsolicited phone number called us, and we are filing a formal complaint against them. We suggest all others do the same. These are unsafe times we are living in, so we have no idea if the persons calling intend to harm the people they are phone harassing. Better play it safe and contact the police.

This unsolicited phone number called us, and we are filing a formal complaint against them. We suggest all others do the same. These are unsafe times we are living in, so we have no idea if the persons calling intend to harm the people they are phone harassing.

This same phone number keeps calling me as well and leaving no message. When I call the number back, it comes back as "all circuits are busy now".

I didn't recognize the number but picked up the call and said "Hello". Nothing but silence. Maybe now they know this is a valid cell phone #? Glad I didn't add "This is JIm" cuz then they'd have the name to go with the number if they're recording as well as detecting a pick-up. Nah...they'da got that by going to voicemail. Who knows what they're up to...

Same here! Called, no message, no reason for DEA to call me.

DEA? I don't think so. Ignore these calls they are not on the up and up.