As technology has increased, so have opportunities for fraudsters to take advantage of people. Phone spoofing has been around for years, but it used to be that you had to have some technical knowledge to be able to do it. Now, information is so readily available online that almost anyone has the ability to spoof phone numbers.
What is spoofing?
Spoofing is when someone deliberately changes information transmitted to your caller ID to mask their identity. It could appear that your cousin, brother, or bank is calling you but really, someone from halfway across the country is on the other end.
Why does illegal spoofing occur?
Most often, the person on the other phone is trying to get you to give up personal information or money directly. Because the scammer is calling from a known phone number, they know you are more likely to answer and trust who is on the line. The fraudsters are counting on you to not question things and give up the information they are looking for easily.
Common Phone Scams
Scammers are constantly changing their methods but here are some of the most common phone scams:
- Bank fraud calls
- Your bank or credit union will never call you and ask you for your information through text, phone, or online. If you receive a call requesting account information, online banking access, social security number, or card numbers, do not respond. If you have responded with personal information, call the Contact Center at 303.279.6414 for assistance. You can also log in to Online/Mobile Banking to block your card.
- Threatening calls from the IRS
- A scammer may sound official and even provide a badge number while threatening police involvement. Know that the IRS does not call people. The IRS almost always makes contact via the mail and would never demand payment over the phone.
- Free vacations and prizes
- It can feel really exciting to get on the phone with someone who is telling you that you have won a free prize or vacation but this is a common scam. The caller will attempt to get personal information from you and will ask you to pay a small fee in order to collect the prize. If you are winning something, you should not have to pay for it.
- Technical support calls
- Often, the caller will say they are from a large, well known company and they have detected a problem with your account or computer and ask you to download a software. This software gives the caller access to get into their system remotely that they can use to gather as much private data as they would like.
- Fake charity appeals
- Charity appeals often increase after a tragedy or natural disaster. Never give payment information over the phone and do your own research to find reputable organizations.
How Can I Protect Myself?
You may have guessed, but spoofing is illegal. Kind of. Spoofing is illegal in the United States only when the intent is to scam or cause harm to someone. It is legal in some cases. For example, medical professionals spoof their number to display their office number so as to not reveal their personal phone number. That being said, it is incredibly difficult to persecute those who engage in illegal spoofing because often, they are in other countries or they have protected themselves so well through different technologies that they are hard to locate.
The most impactful thing you can do to keep yourself safe is to be aware and vigilant. If you are feeling unsure of a phone call you have gotten, feel free to hang up. If the call came from someone you supposedly know, go to your contacts and call them back there. If you were contacted by a company, go directly to their website to find their correct contact number to make sure it was a legitimate phone call.
If you fall victim to a scam, swift action is essential to minimize the damage. Here are steps to take:
- Alert your banks and credit institutions: Inform them of the situation to protect your accounts. If you are an On Tap member, call in and speak with someone at 303.279.6414
- Report the crime to local law enforcement: Provide them with as much information as possible.
- File a complaint with the FBI: The FBI investigates and combats cybercrime, including online fraud. File a complaint here: https://www.ic3.gov/
- Report the scam to the FTC: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) collects information about scams to help prevent others from becoming victims. Report the scam here: ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
