Crank Yankers

Prank calls were quite rampant before phone companies started offering caller ID features. There was even a time during the summer of 87 where we got pranks twice a day on the average.

The telephone was the perfect way of getting in touch with somebody without exposing yourself too much back in the 80s. Although James Bond movies have already shown that wires could be tapped or that calls can be traced, many believed back then that they can pull of nasty phone stunts with impunity.

The present generation of prank callers would definitely think twice or thrice before pulling such a stunt. Many of telephone units being distributed to households today are equipped with caller IDs. Gone are the days when only the CIA or FBI can trace phone calls. Many reverse phone searches are Web-based, so this mode of people search is easily accessible to many.

I wonder what I would’ve done had I found out the name and address of that prank caller who had the audacity to wake us up at 5am. Maybe if we had a caller ID back then, I would've returned the favor by acting as his 3am alarm clock.