Caller ID spoofing is a method that allows callers to change their Caller ID to any number they want, including numbers from trustworthy companies, numbers from your area code, and even your own number. Caller ID spoofing is usually used by crooked persons to harass or defraud Utah residents.
With the rapid growth and impact of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, using phone spoofing technology with internet calls has become even more attractive for ill-intentioned persons out to steal money or obtain sensitive information from unsuspecting individuals. Scammers leverage on VoIP to call thousands of people in a day through an internet connection. These persons can use illegally acquired phone numbers, which are fed into the VoIP software during configuration. Hence, the caller ID showing on the phone display of the call recipient could be any number chosen by the caller and not the actual phone number of the caller.
Although there are positive uses of caller ID spoofing, such as doctor-patient confidentiality scenarios, and in law enforcement investigations, it is generally considered illegal when used to obtain anything of value. It is especially appealing to scammers because it allows them to stay off the radar while perpetrating illicit activities. While not impossible, it is typically an uphill task to trace spoofed calls and unmask the identities of the scammers who use the technology for illegal acts.
Some of the common crimes perpetrated through caller ID spoofing are listed below.
Telemarketing Scams
Telemarketing scams usually involve robocalls which are used to deliver prerecorded messages. After falsifying the caller ID to look like that the target can trust, the target hears a pre-recorded message immediately after answering the call. The message may instruct the target to follow certain prompts to speak with a live agent. The agent who is the scammer then tries to sell fake products or services to targets to obtain money from them fraudulently
Harassment
With spoofing technology, an individual mimics a known number or name which is displayed on the telephone display of the target, mainly to get the target to answer the call. Once the target answers the call, the individual at the other end may play dirty pranks or verbally insult the recipient.
Imposter Scams
Here, the caller spoofs the receiver's caller ID display to display caller information from a reputable organization or government agency. The scammer believes that the target is more likely to answer a call coming from trustworthy agencies or businesses. For instance, a scammer may spoof the recipient's caller ID to display caller information from a law enforcement agency. The target is then threatened with fines, arrest, or jail time if money is not wired to a dubious account. Imposter scammers may also scare you into divulging sensitive personal information such as passwords or credit card information.
Why Is Phone Spoofing Illegal?
In line with the Truth in Caller ID Act, phone spoofing is illegal anywhere in the United States. The Act states that no person in the United States, nor any person outside the United States if the recipient is in the United States, shall, with the intent to defraud, cause harm or wrongfully obtain anything of value, knowingly cause, directly, or indirectly, any caller identification service to transmit or display misleading or inaccurate caller identification information in connection with any voice service or text messaging service. Anyone who illegally spoofs a caller ID faces up to a penalty of $10,000 for each violation under the Truth in Caller ID Act. Note that spoofing is not always illegal.
How Do You Know If Your Number Is Being Spoofed?
Spoofed numbers are usually inundated with lots of text messages or calls without request. So if you notice that you are receiving responses (calls or text) to conversations you did not initiate, odds are that your phone number has been spoofed and possibly used in an illicit act. If your phone number has been spoofed, you may also get calls from people saying your number has been showing up on their caller ID. To reduce the number of unsolicited responses, consider placing a message on your voicemail informing callers that your number is being spoofed. To avoid possible penalties related to stolen identity, contact the FCC on 1-888-CALL FCC (225-5322) or file a complaint with the Commission online.
How Can You Identify and Protect Yourself from Illegal Spoofed Calls?
It is quite difficult to tell straight away that an incoming call is spoofed. Scammers also switch numbers frequently; hence, even if you refuse to answer calls from a particular number because you have confirmed it to be a spoofed number, chances are that another scammer will contact you again with a different phone number. To identify and protect yourself from illegal spoofed calls, follow these guidelines:
- Do not answer calls from caller IDs not known to you. If you do, hang up immediately.
- Hang up on robocalls. If you answer a call and hear a prerecorded message asking you to hit a button for any reason, drop the call immediately
- Never give out personal identifying information such as social security numbers, passwords, or account numbers in response to suspicious unexpected calls
- Do not give in to pressure from a caller in response to any financial request or personal information.
- Add your number to the National Do Not Call Registry
- Install a call-blocking application on your phone that will block scam and spoofed calls.
- Report spoofed calls to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the Federal Trade Commission, FTC. You may also reach the FTC on 1 (888) 382-1222 and the FCC on 1 (888) 225-5322.
Does Utah Have Anti-Spoofing Laws?
Although the state does not have a specific anti-spoofing bill, Utah is among the 42 states in America calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take further actions to stop the proliferation of caller-ID spoofing and illegal robocalls. Nonetheless, the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009, makes it illegal for anyone within the United States, in connection with any telecommunications or VoIP service provider, to make a caller identification service deliberately transmit misleading or false caller identification information with an intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value. Under the Act, penalties range between $10,000 and $1,000,000 per violation. The Act makes exceptions for certain law enforcement purposes.
The FCC is leading an industry adoption of the STIR/SHAKEN protocol which will greatly enhance caller ID authentication for telephone communications. STIR/SHAKEN are acronyms for Secure Telephone Identity Revisited (STIR) and Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information Using toKENs (SHAKEN) standards. The FCC had directed all voice service providers in the United States to implement the protocol by June 2021. Upon implementation, the SHAKEN/STIR protocol will enable call recipients to verify the legitimacy of caller IDs that appear on their caller ID display.
What are Common Phone Scams involving Caller ID Spoofing in Utah?
Scammers will use any trick or technology possible to get their targets to part with money or valuable items. Caller ID spoofing is a technology that has increased the odds that targets will answer spoofed calls. Some dubious scammers go as far as conducting online research on their target to sound more credible.
The most common phone scams involving spoofing experienced by Utah residents are:
- Law enforcement impersonation scams
- Telemarketing scams
- Tech support scams
- Utility bill scams
- Banking scams
- Medical alert scams
- Grandparent scams
- Charity scams