Number Spoofing
June 17, 2022 11:54 AM Subscribe
For about two weeks now, at least once or twice a day I get a call or a text saying some version of, "Yeah, I got a call from this number. Who is this? What do you want?" or I get an automated response in the form of a text that says, "Sorry, I can't talk right now." I have never contacted these numbers in any form.
Someone is obviously (to me) spoofing my number. It is not such a burden that I cannot live with it. However, I have had this Google Voice number since the Grand Central days and it would be a large inconvenience if I had to change it. Should I just ride it out or are there steps I can take to stop it or to take to preserve the integrity of my number? If this happened to you, what did you do about it or what was the eventual outcome? If I ignore it, will it go away eventually?
Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated. This is a Google Voice number being spoofed. My carrier (TMUS) is not involved. Is there a setting in GV I can change that will help? Is there a way to notify Google Voice about it and even if I could, would they be able to do anything about it (or would they even care)?
Someone is obviously (to me) spoofing my number. It is not such a burden that I cannot live with it. However, I have had this Google Voice number since the Grand Central days and it would be a large inconvenience if I had to change it. Should I just ride it out or are there steps I can take to stop it or to take to preserve the integrity of my number? If this happened to you, what did you do about it or what was the eventual outcome? If I ignore it, will it go away eventually?
Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated. This is a Google Voice number being spoofed. My carrier (TMUS) is not involved. Is there a setting in GV I can change that will help? Is there a way to notify Google Voice about it and even if I could, would they be able to do anything about it (or would they even care)?
https://www.vice.com/en/article/m7e59n/what-to-do-if-you-get-a-wrong-number-text-from-a-blonde-named-amanda-phone-scam
offers this advice:
So what do I do?
Basically, if you even responded in the first place, stop. Report and block this specific number—if you’ve already responded, the scammers on the other end of the exchange know your number is valid, so it’s the best way to avoid future contact. And if you get wonky, weird texts with suspicious links on a regular basis, look into how your mobile carrier filters out spam calls and texts, or consider paying for an app like Nomorobo or Robokiller that can do the heavy lift of blocking unknown numbers and robotexts—this article from PC Magazine has great suggestions to that effect.
And no matter what, go ahead and delete the thread
posted by adekllny at 12:27 PM on June 17, 2022
offers this advice:
So what do I do?
Basically, if you even responded in the first place, stop. Report and block this specific number—if you’ve already responded, the scammers on the other end of the exchange know your number is valid, so it’s the best way to avoid future contact. And if you get wonky, weird texts with suspicious links on a regular basis, look into how your mobile carrier filters out spam calls and texts, or consider paying for an app like Nomorobo or Robokiller that can do the heavy lift of blocking unknown numbers and robotexts—this article from PC Magazine has great suggestions to that effect.
And no matter what, go ahead and delete the thread
posted by adekllny at 12:27 PM on June 17, 2022
It doesn't sound like that scam, though. I've gotten callbacks like that--"I just got a call from this number." I reply that I didn't call them and they say "then someone is spoofing your number." It's only happened to me once but I'd also be interested to know if there's an appropriate action for me to take if it happens again.
posted by gideonfrog at 12:34 PM on June 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by gideonfrog at 12:34 PM on June 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I have never interacted or responded to any of these call backs or texts.
I do not think it is the Amanda blond scam or any derivation of it. I believe it is as I said, someone spoofing my number for some reason.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:42 PM on June 17, 2022
I do not think it is the Amanda blond scam or any derivation of it. I believe it is as I said, someone spoofing my number for some reason.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:42 PM on June 17, 2022
Caller ID spoofing has gotten rampant with scammers trying to get people who screen calls to pick up. People (were) more likely to pick up when the area code and prefix match the number they are calling.
There's nothing you can do about it, but it's also unlikely you're being targeted.
It's just a complete failure of the telecom industry to secure their platform.
If you can, turn off your ringer for unknown callers and assume if it's important they will leave a VM or text. If you don't have that luxury, I am sorry and have no advice.
posted by stobor at 12:45 PM on June 17, 2022 [9 favorites]
There's nothing you can do about it, but it's also unlikely you're being targeted.
It's just a complete failure of the telecom industry to secure their platform.
If you can, turn off your ringer for unknown callers and assume if it's important they will leave a VM or text. If you don't have that luxury, I am sorry and have no advice.
posted by stobor at 12:45 PM on June 17, 2022 [9 favorites]
It's depressingly common for spam calling outfits to spoof random local numbers these days. It's been going on for a decade or more but it's gotten worse in recent years. Happily, the recent implementation of attestation requirements for VoIP carriers should lead to progressively fewer of these types of call being completed as time goes on and the various carriers become increasingly strict about not delivering calls originating from a source other than the one that provides the number.
posted by wierdo at 12:46 PM on June 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by wierdo at 12:46 PM on June 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
Yeah, random spammers will call everybody with a (202) 555-XXXX phone number with caller ID saying that they are calling from (202) 555-YYYY, because that seems like it's local to you and you're likely to pick up.
They're not spoofing any one number in particular, it's a many-to-many thing where XXXX and YYYY can be any four digits. As a result, there's a subset of people who don't pick up and answer and don't recognize this is a common scam who either decline the call with a text or try and call back the fake number and find out what is happening. Yet another reason why free phone calls, free emails and free social media messages were a mistake.
posted by Superilla at 1:42 PM on June 17, 2022
They're not spoofing any one number in particular, it's a many-to-many thing where XXXX and YYYY can be any four digits. As a result, there's a subset of people who don't pick up and answer and don't recognize this is a common scam who either decline the call with a text or try and call back the fake number and find out what is happening. Yet another reason why free phone calls, free emails and free social media messages were a mistake.
posted by Superilla at 1:42 PM on June 17, 2022
This happened to me, and it took about two weeks for the scammers to use a different phone number, during which time I received several thousand auto-response texts, so stay on top of your deletions or it could become a real hassle.
posted by aramaic at 1:42 PM on June 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by aramaic at 1:42 PM on June 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Not to thread sit, but the call backs and texts I am receiving are NOT local area codes and not the same as mine. It is odd.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 1:43 PM on June 17, 2022
posted by JohnnyGunn at 1:43 PM on June 17, 2022
I agree that it's weird that it's been happening so regularly in this recent time window. It does seem like something more than the randomized spoofing that I think we're all familar with. However, I don't have any more insight than that.
posted by polecat at 2:41 PM on June 17, 2022
posted by polecat at 2:41 PM on June 17, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
If you interact with this number, you'll end up being asked for personal information or photos that can be used to blackmail you.
Also, always be on the lookout for random texters who use commas in place of periods. No idea why they always give the game away like that, but an ellipsis made of commas is a sure-fire sign you're dealing with a scammer.
posted by yellowcandy at 12:10 PM on June 17, 2022 [2 favorites]