Call spoofing

[Sorcha]

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 >

[Christopher_G]

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

[eyesonjason]

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! 

[James_B]

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

[Nicholas22]

Hi

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 !!

[mh_ldn]

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. 

[Raisinagain]

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.

[soapy]

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"! 

[Raisinagain]

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

[chamna]

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

[Marc-TW]

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.