Phone spoofing, or caller ID spoofing, is a telecommunications process that allows a person making a phone call to disguise their caller ID information intentionally. This is done so that the receiver does not know the actual source of the call.
Caller ID spoofing can be done for legitimate reasons. Examples of the legitimate uses of caller ID spoofing include:
- It is used by doctors and other professionals who wish to maintain their privacy when making official calls from home.
- Law enforcement officials use it to track down criminals on the run.
- Debt collectors use it when trying to collect their debts from debtors.
- It is used by whistleblowers that want to maintain their anonymity.
With telecommunications technology like VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) becoming readily available to consumers, it has become easier for people to spoof their caller IDs. Unfortunately, this has also made caller ID spoofing a go-to technique for phone scammers and other nefarious individuals. These individuals use caller ID spoofing for many illegal reasons, which include:
- Fraud: Caller ID spoofing is used illegally by fraudsters to extort money from unsuspecting Idahoans or trick them into revealing sensitive information.
- Prank Calling: Caller ID spoofing is used by people that carry out what they believe to be harmless prank calls. However, some of these prank calls are illegal. An example is swatting, which involves the prankster placing a call to an emergency number and claiming that a life or death emergency is occurring at a particular location.
- Harassment: Nefarious individuals use caller ID spoofing to stalk and harass unsuspecting Idahoans. Sometimes the caller may spoof their phone numbers to make it look like the call is being made by a law enforcement official. This is usually done to threaten the receiver.
In Idaho, the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Attorney General is responsible for protecting Idahoans from fraudulent practices. Members of the public can file complaints to this office concerning caller ID spoofing scams and other deceptive business practices.
Why Is Phone Spoofing Illegal?
Although caller ID spoofing has legitimate uses, it is also used to carry out several criminal activities that result in unsuspecting Idahoans losing money and personal information. In light of this, the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009 was enacted. This act makes it illegal to use caller ID spoofing in the United States under the following circumstances:
- If it is used to obtain anything of value from a person
- If it is used to defraud a person
- If it is used with the intention of causing harm to a person
Note that this act makes exceptions for people with specific court orders authorizing the use of caller ID spoofing and law enforcement officials carrying out their legal duties. Also, there is a two-year statute of limitations for violations of this act.
In Idaho, the state’s Attorney General is authorized to enforce the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009. Individuals charged with violating the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009 can be fined up to $10,000 per violation if they are found guilty.
How Do You Know If Your Number Is Being Spoofed?
Caller ID spoofing allows phone scammers to deceive Idahoans by changing their phone numbers. Usually, this means that the scammer selects a number that is already being used by another person. Unfortunately, there is no foolproof way of knowing if your number has been spoofed. However, if you start receiving numerous calls and messages from unknown numbers out of the blue, then it is probable that a scammer has spoofed your number. These unknown callers often ask you questions about products and services you have no idea about, or they call you and warn you to stop contacting them.
Having your number spoofed can be stressful, especially when you have to keep on explaining to unknown callers that you are the victim of a phone number spoofing. If this happens, there are steps you can take to reduce the fall-out:
- Record a new voicemail message for your phone. This message should play whenever you receive a phone call, and it should inform callers that they were probably contacted by a scammer using your number.
- Submit a complaint concerning your spoofed number to the Federal Communications Commission
- Block all calls and messages from numbers that you do not have saved in your phonebook.
How Can You Protect Yourself from Illegal Spoofed Calls?
You can take several proactive steps to avoid becoming a victim of a phone scam done through illegal caller ID spoofing. Some of these steps are:
- Add your number to the National Do Not Call Registry. This reduces the number of unsolicited phone calls that you receive.
- Do not answer calls from unknown numbers.
- Always remember that the information displayed on your phone’s caller ID may be falsified.
- Download phone lookup and reverse phone lookup apps. Some of these apps also flag calls that are made from suspicious numbers.
- Always hang up if a caller insists that the situation is urgent or if the caller tries to threaten you into making a decision.
- Never disclose financial information over the phone unless the caller is a person you know and trust.
- Block any number that you suspect or confirm is being used by a scammer.
Does Idaho Have Anti-Spoofing Laws?
Idaho does not currently have a state anti-spoofing law. In 2009, Senate Bill No. 1051 proposed an anti-spoofing act that would criminalize the intentional insertion of false information into a caller ID system to mislead, defraud, and deceive the person that receives the call, but this bill was not passed.
However, Idaho enforces the federal anti-spoofing law, which is the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009, through the Office of the Idaho Attorney General. Guilty offenders can be fined up to $10,000 per violation as long as they are charged not later than two years after the violation occurred.
What Are Common Phone Scams Involving Caller ID Spoofing in Idaho?
Caller ID spoofing has both legal and illegal uses. Due to the ease with which a phone number can be spoofed, scam artists have incorporated caller ID spoofing into their routines to defraud unsuspecting Idahoans. Common phone scams that incorporate caller ID spoofing in the state of Idaho are:
- Impostor scams
- IT support scams
- Employment scams
Scams and other forms of deceptive practices in Idaho should be reported to the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Idaho Attorney General.