Phone spoofing refers to the practice of falsifying the Caller ID information displayed on a call recipient’s phone. Caller ID spoofing is used to conceal callers’ identities and fool called parties into believing such calls originated from reputable entities. Websites that offer reverse phone lookup services can help Michiganders identify spoofed calls. The proliferation of caller ID spoofing in Michigan is because of the growing adoption of VoIP telephony. VoIP providers allow subscribers to choose the preferred names and numbers (Caller IDs) for transmission to call recipients during a phone call. Many third-party applications and websites also offer caller ID spoofing services in Michigan at relatively low costs.
Not all phone spoofing is illegal. There are genuine reasons to engage in Caller ID spoofing. For instance, medical personnel who do not want to share phone contacts with patients can spoof their offices’ numbers while calling them from personal lines. Phone Spoofing also plays a significant role in Michigan phone scams. Fraudsters spoof Caller IDs to lend credibility to their schemes when preying on targets. They know that residents are more likely to answer their phones and divulge personal information if made to believe they are being called by reputable entities. Michiganders are encouraged to lodge complaints of illegal phone spoofing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The following are some phone scams being executed in Michigan using illegal Caller ID spoofing:
Telemarketing Scams
Some phone scammers illegally use spoofed robocalls to increase the chances of Michigan residents answering their calls. Increased phone scam awareness has led to many residents avoiding calls from unknown numbers. This is why fraudsters engage in Caller ID spoofing to mislead targets into believing incoming calls are from familiar businesses or telemarketers. Legitimate telemarketers will not mislead call recipients using phone spoofing. The FCC prohibits telemarketers from engaging in such practices.
Harassment
People use Caller ID spoofing for pranks and to constitute a nuisance against others in Michigan. Some pranks are harmless, while several others are malicious. There are even instances where some people use phone spoofing to ruin great business relationships for personal gains. They do this by spoofing the phone number of someone’s business associate and harass the called party while pretending to be who they are not.
Impersonation scams
Many of the imposter phone scams in Michigan use phone spoofing. Caller ID spoofing makes phone scammers appear legitimate and lend some form of credibility to their schemes. For instance, fraudsters commonly spoof the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) number and contact Michiganders to extort them. Many residents of Michigan have lost their hard-earned money to scammers who use phone spoofing to impersonate familiar entities.
How Do You Know If Your Number Is Being Spoofed?
Getting several phone calls and text messages from different unknown numbers to conversations you did start is a sign that your phone number has been spoofed. You may become inundated by such calls, while some will even abuse you for distracting them. Make sure to report to your phone company when this happens. You can also file an online complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) or call 1 (888) 225-5322 to avoid criminal implications.
Why is Phone Spoofing Illegal?
The Truth in Caller ID Act describes any phone spoofing done with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value as illegal. Violators of this law can pay as high as $10,000 in fines per offense. However, law enforcement agencies and a few others can use Caller ID spoofing for legitimate reasons.
More Michiganders are becoming aware of the damages phone scams can cause and are now ignoring calls from unknown phone numbers. Also, many do not answer calls that do not originate from within their area code to avoid scams. Phone scammers fake Caller IDs and take on the identities of reputable businesses or government agencies. Sometimes, they contact call recipients with their numbers or similar ones to trick them into answering their calls. This is called neighbor spoofing and is usually targeted at obtaining call recipients’ personal information. Phone lookup applications can help Michiganders recognize spoofed calls and avoid scams.
How Can You Identify and Protect Yourself from Illegal Spoofed Calls?
Until you answer a phone call, you might not be able to discern if it is spoofed. It takes extraordinary effort to identify illegally spoofed calls. However, you can find out if a number is spoofed by using a website that offers reverse phone lookup services. Taking the following steps will protect you from illegal phone spoofing:
- End a call immediately if the caller claims to be with a government agency or legitimate business and request your personal information. Never share sensitive data over the phone even if the Caller ID information appears to be from a reputable entity.
- Inquire about call-blocking services from your phone company and subscribe to one if you can afford it. You can also download third-party call-blocking applications to block suspected spoofed numbers.
- Enlist your number on the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce the inundation of unsolicited calls. Phone scammers are heavy users of spoofed robocalls. It increases the chances of having their phone calls answered by their targets.
- Report incidents of illegal phone spoofing to the FCC by lodging complaints online or call 1 (888) 225-5322. You can also file a complaint of an illegally spoofed call online with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Does Michigan Have Anti-Spoofing Laws?
There are currently no anti-spoofing laws in the State of Michigan. However, relevant bodies in the state ensure the enforcement of the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009. The law prohibits any person within the United States to knowingly transmit misleading caller identification information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value. Persons or groups of persons who violate the provisions of this Act will pay cash penalties of up to $10,000 per violation.
The Pallen-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act is another federal anti-spoofing, and it is valid in Michigan. It was signed into public law by President Trump in December 2019. The TRACED Act seeks to mandate telephone service providers to implement a robust Caller ID authentication technology called STIR/SHAKEN protocol. This is an attempt to clamp down on illegal phone spoofing and phone scams. The implementation of this technology will enable Michigan residents to get notifications of every spoofed call on their caller ID information display.
Besides these, there are other anti-spoofing laws at different stages of the legislative process. The Spoofing Prevention Act of 2017 and the Anti-Spoofing Penalties Modernization Act of 2019 are presently being debated in Congress.
What are Common Phone Scams involving Caller ID Spoofing in Michigan?
Caller ID spoofing facilitates most Michigan phone scams. Fraudsters manipulate their phone numbers to display those of trusted and familiar entities to fool their targets into disclosing personal information and sending money. Phone spoofing aids fraudsters in perpetrating the following phone scams in Michigan:
- Telemarketing scams
- IRS scams
- Medicare scams
- Tech support scams
- Jury duty scams
- Charity scams
- Utility scams