Introduction
In this article, we will cover what Number Spoofing is, how it can happen, what you can do, and what we can do in these events.
Should you have questions, please reach out to Support.
What Is Number Spoofing?
Number spoofing is where a phone scammer will falsify the calling number to trick a user into picking up or making a call look more legitimate. It’s a global problem, and it’s unfortunately on the rise over the last few years.
Spoofing occurs when a scammer originates calls, usually via “robocalling” technology, with fake caller IDs i.e. the scammers are using technology to originate calls with legitimate Australian numbers included as the caller ID.
Scammers know that people are more likely to pick up the phone to a number that looks legitimate, rather than one that appears as private, blocked, or from overseas.
Scammers may also call you from spoofed numbers that are “adjacent” to yours. It’s a social engineering tactic designed to increase the chances you’ll pick up the phone. It’s a new type of spoofing that uses your so-called ‘number neighbors' against you.
For example, if your number is 0411 222 333, they may call you from 0411 222 334 to increase the chances you’ll pick up. Some people have been called by what looks to be, their own number. If you have experienced this, the scammer has spoofed your number and by chance has called you as a potential victim.
What Happens If You Pick Up A Spoofed Call?
Once the target picks up the phone, an automated message will play, often demanding money and threatening fake consequences if there’s a failure to pay. We’ve noticed phone scammers recently impersonating government departments like Services Australia or Border Force; Amazon; eBay and sometimes even Telstra or NBN Co.
Some call spoofing attacks even connect you to a real person whose job it is to extract cash from you under false pretenses. Whether personalized or automated, the scammers often apply time pressure and the threat of sanctions or penalties if you fail to pay while on the call.
They may also be after other identifying information to use in other fraudulent activities, so it’s important you don’t give out any of your personal information while on a call and if you suspect it is a scam call, hang up immediately.
Call spoofing may use real people’s phone numbers to execute an attack. This can lead to difficult conversations when the victim calls or texts the number back and reaches a legitimate service whose owner has no idea their number is being used in a scam ring.
What Can You Do?
Right now, there is no silver bullet that can fix this issue, but there are ways to mitigate.
iOS Users -
You can use a setting in the Phone app called ‘Silence Unknown Callers’. This effectively ignores phone numbers that aren’t in your Contacts list or Recent Calls log and instead sends them to voicemail, leaving their call attempt in your Recents list.
Here’s how to turn it on:
- Ensure your iOS device is running iOS 13 or later
- Go to Settings
- Tap Phone
- Scroll down and tap Silence Unknown Callers
- Flick the switch to On
Android Users -
You can use a similar setting called Spam and Call Screen. This warns you about callers that may be potential spam callers.
Here’s how to turn it on:
- Ensure your Android device is running Android 6.0 or later
- Open the Phone app
- Tap More Options, then go to Settings
- Tap Spam and Call Screen
- Turn the setting on or off.
Google also recommends turning on a setting in the same app called 'Filter suspected Spam Calls', This prevents scam callers ringing your device, and instead drops it into your call history silently.
There are also a number of third-party apps you can use to help block incoming scam and unknown calls, but there’s no real way to block your number from being used by scammers to perpetrate scams.
For that, you can simply set a voicemail message that says you are aware your number may have been used in this way, so that unknown callers can hear it when they attempt to dial you back.
What Are We Doing To Help?
We have strict controls that help prevent the possibility of caller ID spoofing from arising internally within our own network. This is done by only allowing outbound calls to leave our network from a registered Caller ID of that specific customers account.
However spoofing can still occur with calls that reach our customers when originating from outside of our network, and we are working closely with our upstream carrier providers to manage these calls and how we can mitigate it.
It can be incredibly frustrating and concerning if your number(s) become victim to number spoofing, It would be really helpful if you could report it to us, as we can try and make every effort we can to escalate it to other network providers.
While we can't guarantee a resolution for the inconvenience you have been caused, or restrict it from happening again, we are hopeful that by escalating these instances, the wider network can continue to work together to crack down on the misuse of CLI's.
If you have further concerns, please contact our support team.