For a while now I have been getting
calls from numbers that are very similar to mine in that they have
the same area code and even have the next 3 numbers the same. I
usually do not answer calls I am not expecting from numbers I do not
recognize so I just let them ring.
I noticed I kept getting calls like
this but the last 4 digits were always different which I thought was
odd. Was it a telemarketer company calling from several different
phones in the same call center? Maybe a big business that uses a lot of different phone lines? I even overheard a neighbor talking
about how they were having the same issue with similar numbers
calling them.
I decided to do a little research and
it turns out many others are experiencing the same thing and it is
something called Caller ID Spoofing. This is where the caller is
faking a number that is similar to yours but they are actually
calling from a different number. I'm not exactly sure how it works,
but apparently there are ways to enable the caller to make it look
like they are calling from a different number.
This may be done to make the recipient
think it is a local call so they are more likely to answer. Reports
are that it is done by telemarketers or people trying to scam you
into giving out your personal information, or they are robo-calls
calling a bunch of numbers to see who will pick up.
The FCC has an article here with more
information about Caller ID Spoofing. They say it is illegal if the
company has intent to defraud or cause harm, but if no harm is
intended then it is ok. They also have an option to report spoofing by
filing a claim on their website. As far as I know there is not really
a way to stop it other than just not picking up if you receive a call
like this.
It's a shame there is not more
regulation or efforts being made to stop this sort of thing. With the
ability to change how a number is displayed, it makes it so you
really can't trust any number that calls you. Because of this, we
must be very careful about answering unknown calls especially if they
ask for personal information. If you are unsure about the
authenticity of a caller, end the call and call back at the number
you know is correct.
All I can say is I agree. It is August 18, 2017 and I get about 10 to 14 calls a week where the first 6 digits are the same as mine. I just received a call from a number where the first 6 digits were the same, but I thought I recognized that last 4... turned out it was not a sales call but it was someone who received a sales call using MY NUMBER. So the caller was calling back to find out the name of the company because the sales person was rude. What do we have to do to stop this crap from happening?
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your annoyance. I get the same, about 10-15 calls per week, from various numbers with the same 6 numbers as mine. I usually block numbers I get telemarketing calls from but it's becoming too many to block! I wish there was a way to only get calls from legit, registered businesses along with people in my contact. Something along those lines...
DeleteSame here. It happens on my cell phone and my landline phone, with just a town name attached -- no person or business. It is annoying but blocking one number will do no good because the last 4 digits are always different. I wish the FCC would stop these criminals. Looks like they should have the technology to do so.
Deleteit just happened to me too. Someone called me and said "Someone just called me from this number", and I said 'well I didn't"
DeleteIt happens to be every day atleast once. and yesterday...the call came from my number. That was freaky. I was wondering how I was calling myself.
DeleteI just received 40 calls from numbers with the same first 6 digits as my number, all within the span of 25 minutes. Verizon can't do anything to block numbers by the first 6 digits.
ReplyDeleteVerizon can and use to let me block the 1st 6 digits with the SG5. The phone died and I got the SG8+ and now that feature has gone away. WHY??? MONEY??? It was a very useful way to stop these spam calls and really was a great feature. I use to be able to block area codes. That too has gone by the way side. The phone companies and cell phone companies are not going to help stop scammers because they lose money on incomplete calls. We are on our own.
ReplyDeleteThe iPhone app called Hiya just came out with an update I noticed. It can now block spoofed calls.. under settings it used to only allow you to alert you but now they added the option to block them too.. i get no spam anymore while before at least 15 calls per day...
ReplyDeleteYep, try Hiya and it will mark these calls that have same first 6 digits, you have the option to block them & send to voicemail.
DeleteThat's great news! I hope Hiya has the capability to allow me to specify some numbers that match the first six numbers of my number to go through.
ReplyDeleteI answered a few and the person on the other side said I called them. I was like no my phone rang and I picked up. She said my phone rang and she picked up. I don't understand the point of this. I stopped answering but I get people leaving me messages cussing me out about why I'm calling. This is crazy
ReplyDeleteJust google the number to see who it belongs to. If you don't recognize it, block that number!
ReplyDeleteOMG this happening every day to my cell AND land lines. The governments Do Not Call list clearly doesn't work anymore.
ReplyDeleteYou can’t just “google” the number because they’re faking the caller ID, so the number you look up may be a real person but they’re not the one who actually called you.
ReplyDeleteVerizon Can block anything... if they choose to! Just give customers the Option to block any and all incoming calls from the same area code with the same prefix .. and Verizon could add in the option not to block any incoming calls from the same first 6 numbers, that you the customer designates! Verizon has made a choice not to allows us to get rid of these annoying calls, why that is, I do not know! Just wait until a few politicians who sit on the FCC start to get spoofed... then Verizon, gearing an adverse court decision will finally give its customers the ability to block!
ReplyDelete