Spoofed Calls: How They Work
Did you get calls on your mobile phone displaying numbers that look similar to yours, maybe one-two digits off? Here is the scam exposed, with a great video. Learn how to stop spoofing calls, how to report a phone number that keeps calling, and how to stop getting calls from unknown numbers.
If you've received calls from numbers with the same area code and with the same exact first 3-4 digits like yours, criminals have realized that you are more likely to respond. How does the scam work?
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Watch the video below to see in action the scam exposed:
Here is how a woman named Sally Funkhouser Springob exposed the scam perfectly on Facebook, explaining her weird experience:
“Today my husband and I both received phone calls from phone numbers that were just one number different from ours. I missed one call and later called it back. A guy answered and said he never called me. Hours later this number called again.”
“When we answered them it was an automated recording telling us we qualified for credit cards and/or a program that would lower the interest rate of our current credit cards.”
“Something just didn't add up, so I called AT&T. They said there is a big problem with hackers right now who are able to make calls and make it look like it's coming from an authentic number. It's called “phishing” and “spoofing”. AT&T has been aware of this for a while now. They have tightened their security on EVERY customer's account and law enforcement has been working with them closely to put an end to this.”
“Something she made me aware of is that some hackers are able to make their number show up as “611” which is AT&T customer service. Then they are asking customers to verify their account by giving them their passcode and last four of their social!!!!!!!! PLEASE DONT DO THIS!!”
“The lady I spoke with today said AT&T would NEVER call you to verify your account and ask for that kind of information. SO PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!!! There is also a new form of hacking through text messages, called smishing.”
“The hackers monitor the websites you visit and then send you a text with a deal or special to visit that website. When you click on the link the site may look like an authentic website, but the second you make a purchase… they have your information!!!”
In a different variation of the scam, you might receive calls that come from your own number.
How To Stop Spoofing Calls/ How To Stop Getting Calls From Unknown Numbers
There are a couple of mobile apps that do a pretty good job at stopping spoofed calls these days. Go to the AppStore or GooglePlay Marketplace and download Mr. Number (here are the iPhone and Android apps) and TrueCaller (iPhone and Android). You'll be happy you did it.
How To Report A Phone Number That Keeps Calling:
Warn your friends know about these phone numbers by adding them into the Comments section on this page and by sharing this article. You can also officially report telemarketers to the Federal Communications Commission using the link below:
How To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft and More
If you want to be the first to find out the most notorious scams every week, feel free to subscribe to the Scam Detector newsletter here. You'll receive periodic emails – we promise not to spam. Meanwhile, educate yourself with some other fraud-related articles right under this paragraph, so you can protect yourself in many other aspects and niches. Last but not least, use the Comments section below to expose other scammers.
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I keep getting phone calls from a number and I put it in my phone under scam but no matter how many times I asked them not to call they keep calling from different numbers no matter how many numbers I blocked they always still keep calling and get through I don’t know what to do
It is very easy to slow to nothing the nuisance calls and it costs zero; when an unknown call comes in answer but say nothing, if a live human is there they will speak within a few seconds, (I give them 3) if no one speaks that is a programed call that doesn’t even have to sell you something or make any sound whatsoever; when it detects a live human voice it knows the number is good and sell it to anyone that wants. The key is :the live voice; they are tuned to that frequency, TV, music, radio can not produce that same sound, only your live voice. Don’t fret, the world will not in fact fall off the edge of itself if it is riding on answering every last call like if there is one person left alive that hasn’t been graced with your conversation all hell will break loose. If it is a call you should take the party will call again but know that these drive by callers often call right back again, do not assume it is a legit call, if it is real the person will speak up right away this time. I started this a while back, within a month the calls had dropped off to nearly zero. A coupla days ago I made the mistake thinking I knew what it was about…wrong move, been buried with them since, It will take a week or 2 before they get the memo but I can guarantee they will all but stop. You don’t need ANOTHER app! When you are sure it’s bogus simply block it, you have all the tools right there in your hand already. And since I brought it up those ‘free’ apps are like most things in life; quite a ways from ‘free’. When you download you gave the publisher of said app your phone number, in other words you just volunteered for another endless stream of empty calls and since the publisher in all likelihood has jammed it full of advertising you become a target of that as well.If like most you say you value your privacy unscrew your head, fix the threads and screw it back but this time don’t cross thread it, stop giving info away.
We also get calls on our landline from "local numbers" for airline and hotel scams: "A relative recently (flew with xxxx airline/stayed at xxxx hotel chain) and you now qualify for a free whatever." I report all of these calls to the Canadian Do Not Call Centre; every so often they will report that some call centre in India has been busted so there is some satisfcation.