Who's calling? Scammers using caller ID spoofing

Illegal telemarketing calls have our phones ringing more than ever, costing victims of scammers $429 million last year, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Scammers often use legal “robocall” technology unlawfully as a way to dial thousands of numbers at a time, looking for someone to pick up the phone so they can scam them out of their money or identity. A common tactic is “caller ID spoofing,” which makes the call look like it’s coming from a trusted source like your bank or a neighbor.

While a large majority of Americans suspect that most of the automated telephone messages – or “robocalls” – that they receive are attempts at scams, few are taking actions to protect themselves, according to results of a new survey from the AARP Fraud Watch Network.

The survey also found that people are more likely to be victimized by scam calls involving threatened losses – “You owe unpaid taxes” or “You are facing jail time for missing jury duty” – than those promising rewards – “You’ve won the lottery” or “You qualify for a free vacation.”

There isn’t a way to prevent all unwanted calls, but here are some tips to reduce them to help protect yourself from scams:

• Avoid answering calls from unknown numbers, but if you answer what sounds like a potential scam, hang up immediately. If a recorded message asks you to push a button to stop receiving calls, do not do so as it is likely a trick to identify potential targets. Just hang up.

• Avoid answering any personal questions asked by a stranger on the phone, especially if you’re being asked to share account numbers, your Social Security number, or your mother’s maiden name, for example.

• If you receive a call from someone who says they represent a company or government agency, hang up and call the entity back— either at the number on your account statement, in the phone book, or on an official website.

• Register your number on the national Do Not Call Registry at DoNotCall.gov. Only about half of the survey respondents said they have done so. Registering your number will not stop fraudulent calls, but it will make them easier to recognize since most legitimate telemarketers do not call numbers on the registry. 

For information about other scams, sign up for the AARP Fraud Watch Network at http://www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork. You’ll receive free email alerts with tips and resources to help you spot and avoid identity theft and fraud.