Caller ID is pretty standard on cell phones these days, and many people pay to have the service on their home phones. We’ve gotten in a habit of “phone screening” based on whose number appears, and it’s a great convenience. One of the added benefits of Caller ID is avoiding the call if we see “Out of Area,” “Caller Unknown” or other non-descript information. Usually, these mean a telemarketer is calling. But a new service is on the market that allows telemarketers to circumvent your Caller ID and disguise themselves as someone you know. In other words, you subscribe to the service and you punch in the Caller ID number that you would like to appear on the recipient’s phone. Businesses will likely pay the fee and call you by pretending to be someone else. Bill collectors and solicitors are likely to take advantage of this. Sound illegal? It should be in Clark’s opinion. It’s a perversion of the purpose of Caller ID and of the law that says collection agencies must identify themselves when they call you. We’ll keep you posted on what happens.