Phone spoofing is the practice of manipulating the caller identity shown on a call recipient’s Caller ID information display. The called party sees a name and/or telephone number different from the caller’s identifying information. Phone scammers are particularly notorious for this practice, using it to fool their targets into sharing sensitive data or sending money in Nevada. Phone spoofing facilitates most scams where fraudsters impersonate familiar legitimate businesses and government agencies.
Technological advancements associated with internet-enabled telephone services, in recent years, has led to the proliferation of spam calls and robocalls. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology is a notable example of such. It allows users to choose their preferred names or numbers to be displayed on recipients’ caller ID information display when setting up new accounts. Spam calls rose to 54.6 billion in 2019, representing an increase of 108% over the previous year. The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) even issued alerts to consumers in June of the same year about scammers’ spoofing of its consumer call center number.
However, phone spoofing is not entirely illegal. The FCC’s Truth in the Caller Act of 2009 describes phone spoofing as an illegal act when employed for frauds and other crimes. Debt collection institutions and law enforcement agencies are some of the entities exempted from this federal legislation. Residents are also permitted to stay anonymous by not transmitting any caller ID information on outgoing calls. The violation of this law attracts cash fines. Prison sentences also exist as additional penalties in some states.
Some phone spoofing scams and frauds perpetrated by fraudsters in Nevas are:
Impersonation scams:
Scammers pretend to be representatives of legitimate organizations or government agencies and trick called parties into answering their calls. They accomplish this by spoofing the official numbers of these entities. IRS and law enforcement scams are two prevalent impersonation frauds in Nevada. These scams are often targeted at stealing Nevadans’ identities and money.
Harassment
Pranksters use caller ID spoofing to deliver prank calls for amusement and mischievous purposes. They can manipulate their Caller IDs to display a name like “The White House” to banter with others. In extreme cases, stalkers and domestic abusers have used phone spoofing to harass, abuse, and intimidate their victims. The United States Telecommunications Act, however, recommends specific punishments for individuals who conceal their identities and harass others.
Telemarketing scams
Fraudsters pretend to be legitimate telemarketers and target Nevadans with spoofed robocalls in an attempt to convince them to share sensitive information or send money. They often fool their marks into answering such calls and following automated prompts. Residents who heed scam robocalls instructions are likely to suffer losses of money and confidential financial information. They can file complaints about such calls with the FCC by calling 1 (888) 225-5322.
Why Is Phone Spoofing Illegal?
In the United States, caller ID spoofing is unlawful when used to defraud residents or threaten public safety. The federal legislation that regulates the use of caller identification is the Truth in Caller ID Act. It prohibits any person or groups of persons from intentionally spoofing caller ID information for fraudulent or criminal purposes. Offenders may either face forfeiture penalties or pay civil fines of up to $10,000 for each violation. They may also serve out additional punishments of prison terms in some states upon conviction.
Exemptions, however, exist for this legislation. Law enforcement officers are permitted to spoof their Offices’ phone numbers during criminal investigations if they are making calls from personal lines. Individuals are allowed to preserve their anonymity on outbound calls by blocking their caller ID information.
How Do You Know If Your Number Is Being Spoofed?
Your phone number is likely being spoofed if different unknown numbers inundate you with calls and text messages. The callers may say that you previously called them or missed your telephone calls. Scammers may even call you with your phone number or numbers similar to yours and within your telephone service area. This is called neighbor spoofing and is aimed at getting you to answer your phone. If you find out that your number has been spoofed, absolve yourself of complicity in any scam by filing a complaint online with the FCC. You can also report to them by dialing 1-888-CALL FCC (225-5322).
How Can You Protect Yourself from Illegal Spoofed Calls?
Illegally spoofed calls are often made to appear as calls from legitimate entities and can be hard to identify at first glance. You can, however, search websites that offer reverse phone lookup services to identify spoofed calls. Phone scammers engage in heavy phone spoofing scams to avoid being tracked by law enforcement. You can take the following steps to protect yourself from phone spoofing scams:
- Ignore phone calls of unknown origins. Allow such calls go to your voicemail. If you do answer a call with a legitimate-looking Caller ID but discover it is spoofed, hang up immediately.
- Set up a password on your voicemail account if you operate one with your phone provider. This is because calls from your number can access your voicemail, enabling scammers who spoof your phone number to gain access to it.
- Never provide sensitive financial information like credit card details, social security numbers, or bank account information to persons who call you out of the blues. Such callers often claim to be with the government. End such calls immediately and verify the callers’ claims by calling the phone numbers listed on the websites of government agencies they claim to represent.
- Add your phone number to the National Do Not Call Registry. The Federal Trade Commission prohibits telemarketing firms and other legitimate sales-oriented companies from contacting listed phone numbers using automated calls.
- Activate any call-blocking service offered by your phone company to filter pre-identified suspicious numbers. You will not be notified of such calls when they come through your phone.
- Report spoofed phone calls online to the FCC.
Does Nevada Have Anti-Spoofing Laws?
The State of Nevada does have specific laws against phone spoofing. However, on March 13, 2001, Assemblyman Greg Brower introduced Assembly Bill 337. This bill amended Chapter 598 of Title 52 of the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) titled the Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Section 598.0918 (4), (5). The amendment sought to broaden the definition of deceptive trade practices and expressly prohibit phone spoofing for solicitations. It states that:
- No caller should deliberately block or mislead any caller identification service used by the call recipient’s phone.
- No telemarketer should hide their actual business name and telephone number from being determined by the recipient’s caller ID service.
The bill was approved by Gov. Kenny Guinn on May 22, 2001, and became public law on July 1, 2001.
In the United States, the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009 makes it unlawful for caller ID information to be intentionally manipulated for fraud. Law enforcement agencies are exempted from the provisions of this Act. It also permits individual callers to remain anonymous by not transmitting any caller identification information. The penalties for violation of this Act range from $10,000 to $1,000,000 fines.
The FCC has set June 2021 as the deadline for all telephone service providers to implement the STIR/SHAKEN protocols on their networks. These protocols, if implemented, will help to combat phone spoofing by authenticating the origin of telephone calls.
What are Common Phone Scams involving Caller ID Spoofing in Nevada?
Scammers are better able to mask their real identities and impersonate real businesses using Caller ID spoofing. They can easily deceive Nevada residents into believing their calls are safe to answer, hence increasing their chances of extorting them. Nevadans can either submit reports of phone spoofing scams to the FTC online or to the FCC by calling 1-888-CALL FCC (225-5322).
The following phone spoofing scams are regularly being reported by Nevadans:
- COVID-19 scams
- IRS scams
- Social security scams
- Vehicle warrant scams
- Telemarketing scams
- Charity scams
- Medicare scams