topic Re: Call spoofing in Security

Call spoofing

Sorcha — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 13:41:11 GMT

Another type of scam which is on the increase is ‘call spoofing’. We thought it would be useful to explain what it is, so you can better protect yourself from bad actors who employ this sneaky tactic.

What is call Spoofing?

If you have caller ID switched on, it will show the number of whoever is calling you so you can decide whether to answer it or not. Very handy if you prefer to only answer calls from numbers you recognise. You may sometimes see caller ID referred to as Caller Line Identity (CLI).

Call spoofing is when the caller ID is changed to mimic another number or destination.

Why ‘spoof’ a telephone number?

Sometimes there's good reason to change the caller ID, for example, many large companies (Banks, Utility, Telecoms, Government) will do this to display an 0800 number as opposed to a local number when calling their customers. This means if you need to call them back the number is usually free to call, it also means you can check the company’s website or your latest bill, to verify their telephone number.

Unfortunately, nuisance callers and criminals use call spoofing to hide their identity and make it look like they are legitimate callers from companies you may have a relationship with. More often than not these people are out to steal your login details and/or your financial information.

Spoofed calls are not just targeting UK residents, these calls originate from all over the world. This is a worldwide problem. Both the UK and international regulators are working with the telecoms industry to solve this problem.

What can you do to prevent becoming a victim of call spoofing?

Be vigilant, never give out personal information in response to an incoming call, particularly if the caller asks you to carry out an action which might have financial consequences or seeking to confirm login or account details.

Do not rely upon Caller ID as your sole means of identification. If someone rings you asking for this information, don't provide it. Instead, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement, or contact the company through their website.

If you want to report the call to EE Just text 'call' to 7726 followed by a space, then the number that called you, we use the data collected to help protect all of our customers.

Visit our Spam and phishing article to find out how to stay safe.

Find out more about currently circulating scams >

Re: Call spoofing

soapy — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 13:26:21 GMT

Would it be possible to have a service, even if paid for, which simply drops any call with a CLI that is fake/unregistered? I get about 3 a day currently, they are never the same number so blocking is ineffective and pointless. Answering gets a faint beep and 3 seconds of silence before disconnecting.

A simple lookup would be enough, just check it is a real phone call!

Re: Call spoofing

XRaySpeX — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 14:14:09 GMT

@soapy : If you have a landline buy a Call Blocker handset that will either:

Only pass thro' calls on your permitted nos list, or
Otherwise force the caller to leave a msg declaring who they are before you can answer it or reject it.

Re: Call spoofing

Harrism20 — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 21:55:51 GMT

What should I do if I believe my mobile number has been spoofed?

Re: Call spoofing

XRaySpeX — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 21:58:15 GMT

@Harrism20 : What evidence do you have that it's been spoofed?

Re: Call spoofing

Past-it — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 20:21:59 GMT

Thanks, very useful

Re: Call spoofing

jbreezy — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 08:16:43 GMT

@XRaySpeX
My number is also being spoofed but to call random people. Got a text from an unknown number saying that I’d called them and he even showed me his recent calls with my number on it, but my recent calls is empty for the same period.

Feel it must be some form of identity theft but no idea what for or what to do about it?

Re: Call spoofing

jbreezy — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 09:09:32 GMT

Just spoken to a friend about this and he also knows someone who had the exact same thing happen to them not even a week ago. Must be a an automated scam going through a list of numbers, but I wonder what happens when someone actually answers one of those calls

Re: Call spoofing

XRaySpeX — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 09:16:08 GMT

@jbreezy : They are attempted to be scammed. Whether it is successful depends on how much on-the-ball they are. The fake or spoofed calling no does not come into it.

Re: Call spoofing

DaveWWW — Wed, 05 May 2021 13:41:35 GMT

I have had people call my mobile asking why I have rang them - which I haven't: but they *did* have missed calls from my number. Fear my number is being to spoof a call centre number etc?

Can EE do anything?

Re: Call spoofing

Christopher_G — Wed, 05 May 2021 16:31:04 GMT

Hi @DaveWWW

Welcome to the community.

I'm sorry to hear that this has happened with your number. Ofcom are working to try and find a solution to this. You can see more information on their number spoofing help page.

Chris

Re: Call spoofing

eyesonjason — Thu, 13 May 2021 10:31:46 GMT

I'm going to ask here as my comment on another thread was either overlooked, or EE don't have an answer.

In another thread we are told to report the number calling us that is similar to your support number.

This worries me as if people are receiving calls from my number and all report, the only thing EE has is my number connected to these spoofed calls - so worry I'm going to be penalised for someone spoofing my number. Likewise, be told to report those calling us saying that we have just called them means we are reporting other innocent people that are being targeted by spoofed numbers.

Can anyone at EE offer information as to what will happen if our numbers are constantly reported whilst actually being a victim of the spoofing? Do you have ways to know if that telephone number actually made the call or if the other person received a number that had been spoofed?

Given this is now happening more and more frequently, I'm concerned I'm going to face action from EE when I've done nothing wrong!

Re: Call spoofing

James_B — Thu, 13 May 2021 10:43:50 GMT

Hi @eyesonjason,

Don't worry, no action would be taken against the owner of a genuine mobile number that has been used in a number spoofing scam.

James

Re: Call spoofing

Nicholas22 — Thu, 27 May 2021 12:04:51 GMT

A number of years ago - I went on holiday to the Maldives - took my mobile in case of emergencies back home and only used it to text home 2 or 3 times. When I got home - no texts were registered on my bill but around 30 calls which I DID NOT make were. Got in touch with the phone company at the time - so long ago cannot remember which one - and they told me there is nothing I can do - as I MUST HAVE made the calls. Luckily the calls only totaled around £40 - but could so easily have been £400 or £4000.....

What happened there ???

I even called one number and spoke to a guy from Nigeria - currently in London who did not have a clue what I was on about !! BEWARE !!!

Hope this does not happen again !!

Re: Call spoofing

mh_ldn — Fri, 28 May 2021 17:11:02 GMT

This is also happening to me. I receive calls from people who are "returning my call" which I haven't made. Just ignoring them now, few have left voice messages. Receiving a couple per day.

Re: Call spoofing

Raisinagain — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 08:59:42 GMT

Can something be done about it though! We have one of our phones receiving up to 5 calls an hour. It's madening and so far the only way to stop this from happening is to shut the account. Yes we can report, and are doing so, but as the numbers are spoofed, we never get the same number twice. It seems to me the technology being used against us needs to change, and do it fast. We're savy enough not to be spoofed, but many are more vunerable to this crime and EE and all the rest of the Telecoms companies must be held accountable.

Re: Call spoofing

soapy — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 09:42:21 GMT

The problem is, action *is* taken against the people who have their number spoofed, because the people spammed by the faked number call back!

So you end up with a DDoS attack on some poor person who has no idea why hundreds of people are suddenly "calling them back"!

Re: Call spoofing

Raisinagain — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 13:28:25 GMT

The problem is the tech. If a bank, or any company had a system that allowed fraudsters to spoof you, it would be shut down. Whatever the problem of allowing number spoofing solved, its not working and they just have to come up with a better solutionIanSent from my phone

Re: Call spoofing

chamna — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 10:21:55 GMT

Same happening to me. I have 2-3 nuisance calls per day mostly from numbers just a few digits different from mine. I am now reporting every single one and blocking every single one but it's crazy that this is the solution from EE. I have about 50 blocked numbers and every week new ones to add

Re: Call spoofing

Marc-TW — Sun, 04 Jul 2021 19:11:55 GMT

I have had someone calling me this weekend saying I called them. I told them I didn't and they said something strange must be going on and hung up. I blocked their number for both calls and texts just in case. I've just noticed they've been trying to message me all weekend but as I blocked them I am not receiving them. I'm not going to unblock them to see what the messages say as I assume it's more of them complaining. It would be great if there was some way of stopping this.