Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Caller ID Spoofing

Most people screen their telephone calls with Caller ID. We answer the calls from the people we want to speak with and avoid others based on the caller id. Don't You?

What if you saw that your bank or credit union was calling you? You would answer the call (unless you weren't paying on a loan). Then the person on the phone from the bank tells you that there was unusual activity on your credit or debit card and needs to verify your number or some other information. Most people wouldn't think twice because they were talking to someone at their bank.

Well start being more cautious about trusting that Caller ID. Why? Because of Caller ID spoofing. There are web sites that charge about $10/hr and
offer the ability to change what someone sees on their caller ID display when they receive a phone call. Simply dial the toll free number and then your PIN. You'll then be prompted to enter the destination number followed by the phone number to appear on caller ID

Any 10 digit number can be used. Not only will the number show up but also the Name registered for that number would automatically appear. And whatever number you enter as the spoof number will show up on the bill of the person you called. They won't ever see your actual phone number!

You also have the ability to change your voice to a Male or Female. If you do choose to change your voice, the person whom you call will hear your transformed voice in real-time. This spoofing service also offers the option to record your conversation, which can later be retrieved by logging-in to the control panel or calling the toll-free access number from any phone.

Is it legal? Yes, because there are some legitimate uses. For example, business professionals such as doctors can return calls using their personal telephones without disclosing phone numbers they prefer to keep private.

However, I believe most are being used in the field of Identity Theft to trick individuals into giving up private information. I received 2 calls this week regarding a credit card being suspended. When I called back the number on the caller id, it was an insurance company in Utah and they had been getting a few calls from other folks as well.

So now we never really know if mom is calling or not. Beware!

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

Shameless plug
the Best Identity Theft Protection available dot com

No comments:

Child Identity Theft Does Happen

Identity Theft Shield Overview