Date Posted:Thursday, January 23rd, 2020
Dover – The Delaware State Police are issuing the following advisory in response to a recent phone scam trendinvolving a “spoofed phone number”.
The Delaware State Police have recently been made aware of multiple incidents in which individuals have received phone calls from a Delaware State Police issued number. Only the number appears on the caller ID, and if that number is looked up, it shows that it is a valid Delaware State Police phone number.
Caller ID spoofing is when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity as well as appearing as an official organization or entity. Spoofing is often used as part of an attempt to trick someone into giving away valuable personal information so it can be used in fraudulent activity or sold illegally
During these most recent calls the recipient is told that a family member has been in an accident and needs money wired to them due to being injured, for payment of a traffic ticket or for bail. The scammers can be very convincing playing on the emotional vulnerability of the victim.
The Delaware State Police will never request payment for fines, traffic tickets or bail. All these transactions are conducted by the respective court systems and never over the phone. Electronic payments are also never requested via phonefor court matters.
If someone is calling regarding a family member, do not offer any personal information about yourself or the family member. Immediately attempt to contact the family to verify their status on your own. Indicators of scam calls are threats, orders to not hang up and other statements about immediacy.
The Federal Communications Commissions has provided the following tips to avoid spoofing scams:
You may not be able to tell right away if an incoming call is spoofed. Be extremely careful about responding to any request for personal identifying information.
- Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers. If you answer such a call, hang up immediately.
- If you answer the phone and the caller – or a recording – asks you to hit a button to stop getting the calls, you should just hang up.Scammers often use this trick to identify potential targets.
- Do not respond to any questions, especially those that can be answered with “Yes” or “No.”
- Never give out personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother’s maiden names, passwords or other identifying information in response to unexpected calls or if you are at all suspicious.
- If you get an inquiry from someone who says they represent a company or a government agency, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement, in the phone book, or on the company’s or government agency’s website to verify the authenticity of the request. You will usually get a written statement in the mail before you get a phone call from a legitimate source, particularly if the caller is asking for a payment.
- Use caution if you are being pressured for information immediately.
- If you have a voice mail account with your phone service, be sure to set a password for it. Some voicemail services are preset to allow access if you call in from your own phone number. A hacker could spoof your home phone number and gain access to your voice mail if you do not set a password.
- Talk to your phone company about call blocking tools they may have and check into apps that you can download to your mobile device to block unwanted calls. Information on available robocall blocking tools is available at fcc.gov/robocalls.
https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/robocalls-analysis/
This information was provided through the Federal Communications Commissionswebsite located at:
https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/spoofing-and-caller-id
Many of these scams are difficult to investigate. They will target persons of all age groups. The Delaware State Police is asking citizens to remember the tips previously mentioned in order to not become a victim of one of these scam artists.
If you suspect you have been a victim of this scam, please contact your local law enforcement agency. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware crime stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333 or via the internet at http://www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com
You can follow the Delaware State Police by clicking on:
Delaware State Police Official Web Site
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Please tell us how we’re doing via ourCitizen Satisfaction Survey.
Presented by Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Melissa Jaffe
Released: 012320 0953
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FAQs
Caller ID spoofing has been available for years to people with a specialized digital connection to the telephone company, called an ISDN PRI circuit. Collection agencies, law-enforcement officials, and private investigators have used the practice, with varying degrees of legality.
Is there a way to tell if a phone number is spoofed? ›
Unfamiliar number: If you recognize the caller ID display name but not the associated phone number, it may be a spoofed call. Pre-recorded messages: In some cases, caller ID spoofing may be used for robocalls. In these calls, you may be asked yes or no questions or to press a specific number for further instructions.
How does a scammer spoof a phone number? ›
One of the most prevalent ways of spoofing is through VoIP. VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and is basically a phone service delivered via the Internet. If your internet connection is of decent quality, then your phone service can be delivered through the internet rather than your phone carrier.
Can I stop my phone number from being spoofed? ›
Install a spam call blocking or spoofing protection app
You can also use a third-party call blocking app to help block robocalls, text spam, scam calls, and more. Popular options include: Nomorobo blocks robocalls, and also screens possible scammers. Truecaller blocks spam calls and can reveal spoofed numbers.
How to tell if a police call is real? ›
Then, on your own, look up the number of the company or agency through an independent source, such as the official website, and call that number. Verify whether or not they tried to contact you. Also, ask a friend, teacher, relative or police officer what they think.
What happens if you call back a spoofed number? ›
When you call back a spam number, you're playing directly into the scammer's hands. You could expose sensitive data on the call or make yourself a target for further scam attempts.
Can you unmask a spoofed number? ›
Spoofed calls appear the same as any other regular call you might receive, making them impossible to unmask. For that reason, we're unable to determine if a call is spoofed or not.
Can you trace back a spoofed number? ›
If you want to know how to trace a spoofed call, you usually need to get law enforcement involved. In other cases, tracing a spoofed phone number can be done using your telephone company. Telephone companies can sometimes trace spoof calls back to where they came from.
Can someone text you from a spoofed number? ›
Yes, someone can send spoof text messages using your number. Scammers usually do this when they want to text their targets from a local number. A scammer could also target someone you know and try to trick them by spoofing your phone number.
Can spoofed numbers be blocked? ›
That's because scammers can use technology to fake the name or number on your caller ID. Even when your caller ID shows a local number, it could be a scammer calling from anywhere in the world. The good news? You can block a lot of these calls with mobile apps, internet services, or call blocking devices.
There has been a recent increase in reports of 'number spoofing'. This is when scammers change their caller ID to disguise their identity from the person they are calling. Many phone handsets now let you see the number of the person calling before you answer.
What are some scammer phone numbers? ›
What Are the Most Common Numbers Used by Scammers?
- (865) 630-4266: Scammers use this number to tell victims that their Wells Fargo accounts have been locked. ...
- (469) 709-7630: This number is associated with a package delivery scam.
Additionally, police can work with telecom providers to obtain call detail records (CDRs) and subscriber information associated with the spoofed number. By analyzing this data, authorities can identify the individual or group behind the SMS spoofing and take appropriate legal action.
Should I be worried if someone is spoofing my number? ›
If this happens to you, it's a good idea to report it to the FTC and FCC. They may not be able to immediately help you, but your report could help them build a larger case about bad actors, making millions of dollars using spoofed numbers.
Can you find out who spoofed you? ›
It may be possible to track down a spoofer by convincing a phone carrier and law enforcement to begin an investigation but this can be incredibly time consuming and still isn't guaranteed to get the result you require.
Can a spoofed phone number be traced? ›
It can be difficult to trace spoofed calls; however, if you do it three times, then there are some options, including working with law enforcement. The Call Trace feature is available in most areas and is pre-installed on your phone line.
Can the police track a fake phone number? ›
YA lawyer or law enforcement can subpoena the ISP through a court order to retrieve customer information that is linked to an IP address, which helps you to identify the person by tracing his or her's exact location.
Are spoofed numbers illegal? ›
When is spoofing illegal? Under the Truth in Caller ID Act, FCC rules prohibit anyone from transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud, cause harm or wrongly obtain anything of value. Anyone who is illegally spoofing can face penalties of up to $10,000 for each violation.
Can police identify unknown numbers? ›
If you're receiving threatening or obscene calls, you can trace the source and get help from local law enforcement, even for calls coming from private and blocked phone numbers.
