Ignore unrecognized telephone numbers as they could be spoofed.
What is telephone spoofing?
Telephone spoofing is a technique used by scammers to make their calls appear as though they are coming from a different phone number than the one they are actually calling from. This is done in order to deceive the person who is receiving the call into thinking that it is coming from a trusted source, such as a bank or a government agency.
There are many different ways that scammers can accomplish telephone spoofing. One common method is known as “neighbor spoofing,” in which the scammer makes the call appear as though it is coming from a phone number with the same area code and prefix as the recipient’s number. This can make the call seem more legitimate, as the recipient may assume that it is a local call.
Another method that scammers use is known as “spoofing a well-known number.” In this case, the scammer will make the call appear as though it is coming from a well-known and trusted organization, such as a bank or a government agency. This can make the recipient more likely to answer the call, as they may believe that it is important.
Telephone spoofing can have serious consequences for the people who are targeted by scammers. In many cases, scammers will use spoofed phone numbers in order to try to steal personal information, such as social security numbers or bank account numbers. They may also try to convince the recipient to give them money, either by pretending to be a representative of a legitimate organization or by using a high-pressure sales pitch.
There are several steps that people can take in order to protect themselves from telephone spoofing. One of the most important is to never give out personal information over the phone unless you are absolutely certain that the person on the other end of the line is who they say they are. If you are unsure, it is always a good idea to hang up and call the organization directly using a phone number that you know is legitimate.
Another way to protect yourself is to use a call-blocking app or service. Many phone companies now offer call blocking as a feature, and there are also many third-party apps available that can help to identify and block spoofed calls.
In addition, it is important to be aware of the signs of a telephone scam. If you receive a call that seems too good to be true, or if the person on the other end of the line is asking for personal information that they should not have access to, it is likely a scam. Trust your instincts, and never be afraid to hang up and investigate the call further.
Overall, telephone spoofing is a serious problem that can have far-reaching consequences for the people who are targeted by scammers. By taking steps to protect yourself, such as being cautious about giving out personal information and using call-blocking services, you can help to reduce the risk of falling victim to these scams.
How I overcome scammers
Although it may affect my business I have decided to put my phone on silent calls on the Apple settings. I have also put my phone on do not disturb and only allow calls from my favorite list to come through.
As for my contact forms, I have disabled them as I was inundated with spam mail. This way anyone that has my email already can contact me otherwise they have to contact me through Facebook or LinkedIn.
When I receive a spoofed call it comes as a missed call. I obviously block them and put them in a contact list called (“parasites” 1, 2, 3, etc).
I get these calls every day and the ones which are blocked do not come up at all. It infuriates me that people go to these lengths to make money, by ripping people off. I have had on odd occasions spoken to some of them when I have forgotten to put my settings on and they become aggressive. It is usually the cryptocurrency and trading ones that continue to bombard you with questions if you say you are not interested in counteracting with a question “why are you not interested?”.
For the sake of my mental health, no one can get through to me unless I let them!
More needs to be done to teach people that these entities may spoof real numbers. The best way of knowing if a call is spoofed is not to answer it and then phone it back where there will be a voice message “this number is not recognized” or words to that effect.
Granted it is annoying, but it is better to be safe than sorry and just have incoming calls from your favorite lists coming through.
Useful Links
Phone companies ‘must do more’ to stop fraud calls – BBC News
What is Phone Number Spoofing | Phone Scam (kaspersky.co.uk)
Action Fraud
https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/how-stop-unwanted-calls
https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/caller-id-spoofing-infographic
#spam #scam #spoofing #spoofcalls #fraud #phoneblocking #onlineforms #emailaddresses #cybercrime
