Throw enough hooks in the water and eventually you’ll catch a fish
Phone Scam
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Throw enough hooks in the water and eventually you’ll catch a fish
Spoofing is illegal when it's used to defraud, but there are legitimate uses for changing the displayed Caller ID number. A bank customer service center for instance, could display an 800 number for call backs rather than an individual operator's direct number so the call can be handled by the next available agent. The same can apply to large companies that want incoming calls to go to a menu rather than to an individual that may not be available.
There is a number identification system that can't be spoofed and even overrides Caller ID blocking. It's called "Automatic Number Identification" (ANI), and is quite expensive to subscribe to. It's typically used by companies that want to identify the caller so the call can be routed to the correct department, region, etc.
I don't think the public is aware that the phone companies actually provide the means for scammers to easily do this (number spoofing). I run an IT/Telecom department for a small, private business, and we use PRIs for our phone lines. My PBX provides the number shown on the callee's caller ID device. I can make it read any number I choose, and have for demonstration purposes. The name associated with the number is provided by the callee's phone carrier. I should not be able to do this yet I can and have been able to for years. I believe it can be prevented but there doesn't seem to be the impetus to do so, for whatever reason ($$$$$).
Just received this same call. Asked me to confirm my receiver model type. Knew my name and address.
Hung up, then received another call about 5 minutes later (different caller ID) about some refinance credit card offer.
Coincidence??
Hung up, then received another call about 5 minutes later (different caller ID) about some refinance credit card offer.
Coincidence??
Using a custom Caller ID number display is a common feature legitimately used by many companies that want a central call back number displayed instead the individual calling numbers. Yes, it can be abused, just as many other legitimate tools are abused for illegal purposes.
Our business was told, in no uncertain terms, that we could not use a custom caller ID number and that it was considered "spoofing" and "illegal." Of course, that was Comcast who was saying this, so take that for what it's worth.
It's a common feature on most PBX type systems. If Comcast chooses not to support those systems, that's they're business, but there's nothing illegal about the feature in itself, only in how it's used.
ATT is trying hard to force businesses off of their landline systems, so PBX's days are numbered. VoIP is the future.
Yep, and any VOIP system that a business will consider provides the same/more capabilities than a PBX does.
Unless the carrier doesn’t allow custom caller ID numbers
All that has to happen is make it illegal to spoof a number that you don't "own" or have registered. Would satisfy the legitimate business needs as well as limit fraud.
Businesses do this so commonly, central call back number, I can’t imagine any carrier trying to block it.
Sent from my iPhone using the SatelliteGuys app!
Sent from my iPhone using the SatelliteGuys app!
That would strike me as a good reason to use a different VOIP provider, just using Comcast for Internet if it's best available.
I have received emails alleging to be from my state Republican party saying they are trying to raise money form all registered republicans in my area. The problem is that the state of Virginia does not have party registration and the link to send money looks fake.
I am sure somebody falls for his.
I am sure somebody falls for his.
Well I learned something new today. This thread inspired me to call Comcast and see if anything has changed regarding "number masking" (their terminology). They agreed to do it. Apparently our main business line was a remote call forward number (RCF) stored in the cloud at Level 3. They are porting that number to our account and then it can be used to mask our other business phone lines.
Also, as dare2be suggested, they only allow number masking for phone lines registered to the business address. I even have to sign a "letter of agency" proving it's our number, including scanning a copy of a bill showing we own the number. Perhaps this cuts down on the spoofing.
Also, as dare2be suggested, they only allow number masking for phone lines registered to the business address. I even have to sign a "letter of agency" proving it's our number, including scanning a copy of a bill showing we own the number. Perhaps this cuts down on the spoofing.
You got that right. I recently switched back to Comcast and received several calls from them about my install I didn’t answer because there was no ID.
Here's what the FCC says about "spoofing" and the legality of it:
"Under the Truth in Caller ID Act, FCC rules prohibit any person or entity from transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongly obtain anything of value. If no harm is intended or caused, spoofing is not illegal."
Spoofing and Caller ID
And if you want to see how easy it is to spoof the Caller ID number shown by your own phone calls, check out these two links:
Spoof Calls & Change Your Caller ID
WWW.SPOOFTEL.COM - Caller ID Spoofing - SMS made easy - Home Page
"Under the Truth in Caller ID Act, FCC rules prohibit any person or entity from transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongly obtain anything of value. If no harm is intended or caused, spoofing is not illegal."
Spoofing and Caller ID
And if you want to see how easy it is to spoof the Caller ID number shown by your own phone calls, check out these two links:
Spoof Calls & Change Your Caller ID
WWW.SPOOFTEL.COM - Caller ID Spoofing - SMS made easy - Home Page
What a horribly vague statement. Keep it open-ended so that it's practically useless.
The spoofing is necessary on large phone systems like the one I use in my office as we have many incoming and outgoing lines and it’s important to have 1 outgoing caller ID so we can route calls when customers callback.
The issue with spoofing is it can be ANY number, where as it should only be numbers the customer actually owns.
The reason why they don’t do this is, that for example I have numbers from 3-4 phone carriers in my office. A telephone number I might have with carrier 1 may actually dial out on carrier 4.
As far as ANI. You can still spoof the number calling a line with this enabled.
The only thing the ANI service does is 99.5% of the time will display a callers caller ID, even if the caller dialed *67 or has their phone set to always block the number.
I have this service both on my toll free numbers and local numbers I have in various area codes.
The .5 or less that I do see blocked are usually telemarketers or scammers from India or Pakistan. I don’t think it’s on purpose, rather the call gets passed through so many route points or switches the caller ID data gets lost.
But ANI is cheap and comes with my phone service. But ask a CSR at the phone company they have no clue what it is.
