# Phone number spoofing **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 19, 2018, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707 "2018-04-19T14:24:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/21 "2018-04-19T15:41:01Z")
Does the bill even provide funding to put out public service announcements to tell people about this new law and how to contact the proper authorities? ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/22 "2018-04-19T15:54:48Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > I have one hard and fast rule that works real well for me. If I don’t recognize the caller, I let it go. If it’s really a legitimate call for me, the person will leave a message. If not, I block the number and delete the call. It’s not a perfect system, but it works pretty well for me. Blocking doesn’t help anything. Doing so means the poor schlub who actually has that number won’t be able to call you. The phone spammer will likely never call you again from that spoofed number either, so you’re not hindering them. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/23 "2018-04-19T16:18:10Z")
> [@Kelevra](#): > > So my question is why is this possible? This has to be an intentional feature of the system. Yes it was an intentional feature, specifically designed for companies with PBX systems. Think of a company you call for customer service, you call one phone # - 800-CALL HER(e) or 800-225-5437. When you call that #, it’s routed to the next available customer service agent. When they call you back (remember, we’re talking hypothetical scenario here; it’s about as plausible as one of **Skald** ’s ;)) they wanted your caller ID to show 800-225-5437 instead of the individual agent’s desk phone #. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/24 "2018-04-19T16:49:42Z")
Here’s the outgoing greeting on my machine. People I know or do business with will show up by name on the caller ID, and I pick up the phone for them. Otherwise, they hear this: > [@](#): > > Most of our calls now come from robots. If you are a human, and you want to talk to the Notts, please leave a message. If you are a robot, your mother was typewriter, and your father was a fishing reel. I know it’s pointless to insult a robot, but it amuses real callers. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/25 "2018-04-19T17:11:39Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > I’m pretty sure that caller ID only supplies the number. It is your phone (or computer) that is linking the number to a name, so yes if they happen to spoof a number stored in your phone, the call will be identified as from that person. On my land line, I do get a display of the caller’s name (regardless of my address book). However, this may be a Canadian thing. Quoth [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caller_ID) (bolding mine): > [@](#): > > In general, CID as transmitted from the origin of the call is only the calling party’s full phone number (including area code, and including international access code and country code if it’s an international call). The calling party name is added by the consumer’s terminating central office if the consumer has subscribed to that service. Calling name delivery is not automatic. A SS7 (or Signalling System 7) TCAP query may be launched by the called party’s central office, in order to retrieve the information for Calling Name delivery to the caller ID equipment at the consumer’s location, if the caller’s name has not already been associated with the calling party’s line at the originating central office. **Canadian systems using CCS7 automatically (but not in all cases) send the calling name with the call set-up and routing information at the time of the call.** > > To look up the name associated with a phone number, the carrier in some instances has to access that information from a third-party database, and some database providers charge a small fee for each access to such databases. This CNAM dip fee is very small – less than a penny per call. AT&T starts their negotiations for CNAM dip fees at about .004 per lookup. Open CNam fees are a bit more expensive: .0048 per lookup. To avoid such charges, some carriers will report the name as “unavailable”, or will report the name as “(city), (state)” based on the phone number, particularly for wireless callers. For toll-free numbers, they may report a string such as TOLLFREE NUMBER if the name is not available in a database. We do get the occasional “You’ve won a cruise” call anyway, but maybe less than other locations because of the Do Not Call list + the language barrier. ---
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/26 "2018-04-19T19:16:33Z")
one legtimate use case: protecting victims of domestic abuse. without ability to hide or spoof caller id, abused spouse can’t contact their children (still living with abuser, for whatever reason) without revealing their location and opening themselves up to harm. Also, companies want to be able to point all callbacks to their customer service line regardless of what number an employee calls from. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/27 "2018-04-19T19:23:05Z")
How will passing a law help? Because criminals just ignore the law anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/28 "2018-04-19T19:33:02Z")
What’s even more stupid is, when I am bored and answer these calls, most every time there is no one there. What’s the point of scam calls if you don’t actually make an effort to scam someone? Lazy scammers think I’m just going to send them money without any effort on their part? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/29 "2018-04-19T19:35:36Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > What’s even more stupid is, when I am bored and answer these calls, most every time there is no one there. What’s the point of scam calls if you don’t actually make an effort to scam someone? Lazy scammers think I’m just going to send them money without any effort on their part? 🙂 Autocaller going down a list of numbers in a row, and checking off those that pick up. List is then sold to telemarketers as valid phone numbers. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/30 "2018-04-19T19:37:47Z")
For my VoIP provider there’s an entry for what number I want to show up in the caller ID. So I could put anything there. These robocallers do VoIP at their end. So it’s no problem for them. Note that they have to have a gateway teleco going from the Internet to the phone network. Legit telecos don’t like robocallers like this and don’t do business with them. Which is a teeny, tiny annoyance to telemarketers. They just use one of the many other companies that look the other way in return for some dough. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/31 "2018-04-19T20:10:10Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > What’s even more stupid is, when I am bored and answer these calls, most every time there is no one there. What’s the point of scam calls if you don’t actually make an effort to scam someone? Lazy scammers think I’m just going to send them money without any effort on their part? 🙂 They have a limited number of people to pick up when someone answers. If no one is available you get dead air. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/32 "2018-04-19T20:15:56Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > It’s the internet. It’s world-wide. Good luck enforcing a US telecom law in Bangalore or Saigon or Minsk. Whoosh. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/33 "2018-04-19T20:17:05Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > If spoofing the number is illegal, how do I go about getting these people arrested? I get three or four calls every day that have the area code and first three digits matching mine. All of them are spoofed. What can I do to get them in trouble or OFF MY PHONE? Get NoMoRobo (free for landlines) which kills most of them after one ring. For ones that get through let voice mail or an answering machine pick it up. Real people will leave a message. If you do pick up, I’ve found that not saying anything fools the calling software into thinking no one is there. I suspect if you say something it will either transfer the call to a person or play the spam message. It seems to recognize answering machines and hangs up at the beep. For cellphones there is an app (for Android at least) which crowd sources reporting of numbers from spam callers, and blocks them if enough people report the same number. For some reason I get almost no calls on my phone but my wife gets a ton and this works great. We get 10 - 15 calls a day but have to deal with none of them. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/34 "2018-04-19T20:48:37Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Blocking doesn’t help anything. Doing so means the poor schlub who actually has that number won’t be able to call you. The phone spammer will likely never call you again from that spoofed number either, so you’re not hindering them. I get a shit-ton of calls about student loan forgiveness and my fictitious application for health care. Of which there are many apparently. 95% come in with the same area code and prefix I have. Usually I’ll call the number back and let the person know they’re number is being spoofed and to call the provider to let them know. Maybe if enough people call the providers they’ll put pressure in the FCC or someone to curtail it. Though, as pointed out, US law isn’t going to stop scammers in foreign countries. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/35 "2018-04-19T23:25:10Z")
I think part of the reason is that family plans often use the same area code + 3 digits for everyone on the plan. At least Verizon and (I think) T Mobile. Also, some of these calls may be real people who were called by **your** spoofed number, and are calling back to see who the heck called them. I used an Android app to block all of them for awhile but it required it to be always in my notifications so I don’t use it anymore and just put up with these. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/36 "2018-04-19T23:54:18Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > I get a shit-ton of calls about student loan forgiveness and my fictitious application for health care. Of which there are many apparently. 95% come in with the same area code and prefix I have. Usually I’ll call the number back and let the person know they’re number is being spoofed and to call the provider to let them know. Maybe if enough people call the providers they’ll put pressure in the FCC or someone to curtail it. Though, as pointed out, US law isn’t going to stop scammers in foreign countries. I suspect the provider could easily see large numbers of calls coming one after another from supposedly residential numbers. But there is nothing they can do about it except block calls from that number, which would also block legitimate calls. Since the person with the number can’t do anything about it, calling it just adds one more useless call to the pot. Since I can see the numbers of the calls NoMoRobo blocks, I can tell that a lot of different spoofed numbers close to me are used. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/37 "2018-04-19T23:56:46Z")
This is one nice thing about living in a different state than I was when I got my first cellphone. If I get a call from 406 (Montana), it’s either the alumni office, a wrong number, or a scammer. If I get a call from 216, 440, or 330 (Cleveland and the surrounding area), it’s probably legit. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/38 "2018-04-20T00:00:21Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > This is one nice thing about living in a different state than I was when I got my first cellphone. If I get a call from 406 (Montana), it’s either the alumni office, a wrong number, or a scammer. If I get a call from 216, 440, or 330 (Cleveland and the surrounding area), it’s probably legit. Yes, this is the primary reason why I keep an area code I haven’t lived in for 10 years. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/39 "2018-04-20T00:26:14Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > I suspect the provider could easily see large numbers of calls coming one after another from supposedly residential numbers. But there is nothing they can do about it except block calls from that number, which would also block legitimate calls. > > Since the person with the number can’t do anything about it, calling it just adds one more useless call to the pot. Since I can see the numbers of the calls NoMoRobo blocks, I can tell that a lot of different spoofed numbers close to me are used. Yes, calling the number back wouldn’t help much. I was just thinking if providers had enough complaints they might try to get something done about it. I know that if someone called me because my number showed up trying to complete a bullshit health insurance application, I’d be on the phone with T-Mobile and would be on the call for quite awhile. Let’s keep in mind how much telecommunication companies spend on lobbying for any number of reasons. I’m sure they could find the scratch to get something done. The more I think about it the more I think they can do something. I get that there are apps and programs and there’s no way to practically prevent foreign sources from doing anything. But these companies know at least a little about technology. For instance, I have T-Mobile. Why do I get daily calls for health insurance and student loan help I’ve never asked for from the same area code and prefix as my phone? They assigned the number, they have no control over it? For instance, let’s say a T-Mobile customer calls me. Same area code and prefix. I refuse to believe T-Mobile can’t have some autobot in the matrix that would know if it’s a T-Mobile number or a spoof. Yeah, I know it seems a little Big Brother but fuck, I’m tired of these calls! And what the fuck good is the Do Not Call registry anyway!!!:mad: ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707/40 "2018-04-20T00:52:10Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > And what the fuck good is the Do Not Call registry anyway!!!:mad: The Do Not Call registry is working just as it was designed. Legitimate businesses respect it and don’t call. That way you know any other calls you get are scams. It never pretended to be able to block all telemarketers and scammers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-number-spoofing/812707.md?page=3)