Caller ID spoofing, commonly known as number spoofing, is a technique scammers use to fake phone numbers, making it seem like they are calling from a familiar number in your contacts list, or a local number. This increases the chances of the call being answered, leading to a rise in these types of scams.
When you get a call on your mobile phone, the caller might be masking their true number with one that looks familiar, potentially even a number from someone you know. This makes it nearly impossible to discern the caller’s true location, which could be anywhere in the world. Many spam calls are likely utilizing spoofed numbers to execute their fraudulent schemes.
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has made these scams even more sophisticated (1). With voice cloning technology, scammers can now mimic the voice of someone you know, trust, or love, making it more challenging to identify a fake call. This new level of deception requires us to be more vigilant, why? – because a human voice can express emotion, empathy, and urgency far more effectively than texts or emails. When someone hears a voice, it naturally feels more personal and believable. Hackers exploit this psychological advantage to earn their victim’s trust and accomplish their malicious objectives.
While there are no foolproof solutions to completely prevent AI-based phone scams, you can take steps to protect yourself:
- Be Skeptical: If someone you know calls and starts asking for personal information or money, be cautious.
- Verify Identity: Ask the caller questions that only the real person would know. If they can’t answer correctly, hang up immediately.
While AI call spoofing is hard to block entirely, you can reduce the number of unknown callers, especially from telemarketers, by using built-in phone features.
iPhones
Starting with iOS 13, you can use the Silence Unknown Callers feature to block calls from unfamiliar numbers. Here’s how to set it up:
- Open Settings: Go to Settings on your iPhone.
- Navigate to Phone Settings: Tap on Phone.
- Enable Silence Unknown Callers: Scroll down, find Silence Unknown Callers, and toggle the switch to turn it on.
This feature minimizes and silences calls from numbers not in your contacts or with whom you haven’t communicated before. These calls will be sent to voicemail and appear in your recent calls list. Calls from people in your contacts, recent calls, or suggested by Siri will continue to ring as usual.
Important Note: Ensure all important contacts are saved before enabling this feature to avoid missing crucial calls. While silenced calls will go to voicemail and appear in recent calls, you won’t get a notification when the call comes in.
Android Phones
To silence unknown callers on Android phones, follow these steps:
- Open the Phone App: Launch the Phone app on your Android device.
- Access Settings: Tap the three-dot menu icon (usually in the upper right corner) and select Settings.
- Navigate to Call Settings: Look for Call settings or Calls.
- Block or Silence Unknown Callers: Depending on your phone model and Android version, find and tap on Block numbers or Silence unknown callers.
- Enable the Feature: Toggle the switch next to Block unknown callers or Silence unknown callers.
The exact wording and steps may vary by manufacturer and Android version. If you can’t find the option, check your phone’s user manual or support site for specific instructions.
One more step that we can all take to help minimize telemarketers, register our home numbers and our mobile numbers with a national “Do not Call List”:
CANADA: https://lnnte-dncl.gc.ca/en
UNITED STATES: https://www.donotcall.gov/
By following these steps and staying vigilant, you can better protect yourself from the increasing threat of phone scams and unknown callers. Knowledge and the understanding and application of that knowledge is power.
Digital Food For Thought
The White Hatter
Associated article:
Reference:
1/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/ai-vocal-cloning-grandparent-scam-1.6777106
