In today's digital world, it has become increasingly easy for cybercriminals to impersonate individuals and steal data without detection. As we rely on technology daily, we store numerous types of personal information, including emails, mobile numbers, addresses, financial details, and even company information. The rapid rise in cybersecurity attacks leveraging AI and machine learning has made it even more challenging to trace the source of these attacks.

This blog will discuss phone spoofing, a common tactic cybercriminals use to impersonate government officials by accessing personal information. Infosprint Technologies, a cybersecurity company, recognizes the threat posed by caller ID spoofing and has researched effective ways to protect yourself from these attacks.

What is phone spoofing?

Phone spoofing is a technique fraud uses to communicate with others by using an ID caller deliberately falsifying his identity. Instead of displaying the caller's phone number, the spoof number may be that of a reputable organization, such as a bank, a government agency, or even a person you know, like a friend or relative. The scammer's objective is to fool you into taking the call, which may result in further types of fraudulent conduct.

How does phone spoofing work?

The cybercriminals disguise themselves to gain your trust by impersonating a legitimate source.

Caller ID spoofing operates by tampering with the technology that transmits caller ID data between phone networks. Scammers commonly use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services or specialized software to change the number that appears on your phone's caller ID. Using these technologies, scammers can impersonate local numbers or government agencies, making it more difficult for recipients to tell a fake call from a legitimate one.

For instance, scammers may impersonate police officers and claim that you have committed fraud by simply stating your name and mobile number. This strategy impairs your judgment and pressures you to provide personal information, such as your address, email, Aadhar number, and family details. Once they have this information, they may instruct you to install unnecessary apps on your mobile device, giving them backdoor access to your data. Therefore, users need to be cautious and protect their personal information.

Spoofing 101: Different Ways Cyber Attackers Disguise Themselves

According to the Times of India, over 65% of people receive three spam calls daily. You must differentiate between promotional and spoofing calls to save yourself from cyberattacks. Here are some of the ways scammers use caller ID spoofing:

Neighbor spoofing: 

Scammers often use the same area code as their victims to create a sense of familiarity. As a result, the recipient is more likely to answer the call, assuming it might be from a friend, family member, or a local business or thinking it could be a promotional call. The purpose of neighbor spoofing is to increase the probability of the recipient answering the call.

Government agency spoofing:

Government spoofing aims to intimidate the victim into providing personal details or making payments under the guise of urgent legal consequences. They imitate government officials like police, bank employees, and tax officers.

Bank Spoofing: 

When a fraudster phones, your bank's name and number are displayed on the caller ID. They might ask for personal information, such as your account number, passwords, or verification codes, to "secure" your account because they believe there has been suspicious activity. They deceive victims into divulging private financial information for fraud prevention or account verification.

Customer care Spoofing: 

To obtain confidential information, like passwords or security questions, from unwary people, cybercriminals may impersonate the customer care numbers of reputable businesses.

Voicemail Spoofing: 

Some scammers pose as real businesses in their voicemails, prompting consumers to call back and take care of an "urgent matter," which leads them straight into a scam.

The Dangers of Phone Spoofing in Online Banking and Financial Transactions

Phone spoofing poses a significant danger to online banking and financial transactions. With financial fraud on the rise, cybercriminals use caller ID spoofing as a primary tool to compromise accounts. Here are some of the dangers of phone spoofing:

Fraudulent account access:

One of the most severe threats of phone spoofing in the banking sector is fraudulent access to customers' accounts. Scammers impersonating customers obtain PINs and OTPs from the banks, gain access to customers' accounts, and do illegal transactions without their knowledge.

Identity theft:

Scammers can easily steal your social security number, date of birth, age, and bank details through caller ID spoofing. These details can be used to commit fraudulent activities like taking loans, credit cards, and other illegal activities in the victim's name.

Phishing and vishing attacks:

Phone spoofing increases phishing, a type of cyberattack in which scammers deceive victims into divulging private information. Voice phishing, also known as vishing, is when con artists phone and pose as representatives of trustworthy companies, such as banks. While posing as a reliable source, they might ask victims to confirm account information, log onto phony websites, or supply essential security data.

Scams involving social engineering

One of the main facilitators of social engineering schemes, in which criminals employ deceit to trick victims into disclosing private information, is caller ID spoofing. Criminals may pose as financial counselors or customer support agents to trick their victims into sending money, investing in fraudulent schemes, or disclosing security credentials.

Compromise in Business

Phone spoofing can result in Business Email Compromise (BEC) in the business environment, where hackers impersonate CEOs' phone numbers and persuade staff members to do illicit financial transactions. Large sums of money are frequently transferred to foreign accounts, making them challenging to track down and retrieve.

Real-life scenarios of phone spoofing

Several high-profile incidents have highlighted the seriousness of caller Id spoofing in financial fraud. In one case, a bank customer received a call that seemed to be from the bank's official number. The caller asked for urgent confirmation of the victim's personal information and bank account login credentials, warning them that their account was in danger. The scammer took hundreds of dollars out of the account shortly after the call.

In a different instance, a victim was targeted by a phone call that appeared to be from the help center of a well-known computer company. The con artist offered to assist the victim in securing their compromised bank account. The victim unintentionally gave the scammer remote access to their computer, which allowed them to access their bank account.

How to protect yourself from phone spoofing

Given the growing dangers of phone spoofing, Knowing how to defend oneself is essential to avoiding becoming A Victim. Below are steps to protect personal and financial data from caller ID spoofing scams.

Be wary of any unsolicited calls.

You should be cautious. Caller ID may Show a source you trust. Still, take the time to scrutinize an uninvited call, especially if it's asking for personal details. Scammers are experts in this. They construct a fake sense of rush to coerce you into quick resolutions. If you ever receive a strange call, make sure to hang up. Then, use the official phone number of the institution to call back.

Never disclose personal information.

Account numbers, social security numbers, passwords, and OTPs should not be shared. However, there is an exception. If you make the phone call and are sure you are talking to a legitimate representative, share it. Financial institutions usually do not Request this kind of Information through uninvited calls.

Enable multi-factor Authentication (MFA)

Use MFA for online banking and other sensitive accounts. Even if scammers gain access to your username or password, they won’t Be able to log in without the second authentication factor, which can be a one-time code you receive via email or phone.

Report incident

If you suspect you are the recipient of a spoofed phone call or have Been swindled by one, inform your phone Carrier, the company that was impersonated, and the bank if financial Details were exchanged. Moreover, consider bringing the scam to the attention of consumer protection agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the US or similar organizations in other countries.

Spoof detection

Specific applications and services can help block or distinguish spoofed calls. Numerous phone carriers offer services that block calls, which can help prevent unwanted Calls From coming to your device. Some apps can even alert you if a call appears suspicious or comes from a known scam number.

For American citizens

The National Do Not Call Registry discourages Unsolicited Sales calls. Though this measure may not Prevent all spoofing endeavors, it helps restrict unwanted calls from telemarketers and various other sources.

Frequent Review

A daily check of your financial accounts is crucial. It can assist in detecting illicit Transactions early. Set up account alerts to Inform you of Unusual activity. Also, make it work for large withdrawals. It can Help You respond quickly in case of fraud.

Stay vigilant of phone spoofing

In our digital age, phone spoofing is becoming an increasingly serious concern, especially regarding online banking and financial activities. Scammers are constantly devising new and advanced ways to trick people, so people and companies must be on guard.

You can better protect yourself if you know what caller id spoofing is, how it operates, and the risks it poses, particularly in online banking. You may lower your chance of being a victim of the schemes by taking proactive steps like turning on multi-factor authentication, reporting suspicious activity, and employing call-blocking programs.

The best way to protect oneself from the increasing danger of phone spoofing is to remain vigilant and aware.