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Spoofing Card

A communication service that allows you to choose what phone number displays on caller ID when someone receives a call from you

Spoofing card is a communication service that allows you to choose what phone number displays in the caller identification (ID) system when someone receives a call from you. The service is used by people who want to hide their true identity from someone in order to play a prank, commit fraud or do other dubious activities.

To use the spoofing card service, a user purchases an account with the spoofing card company. To place a call, the user can then dial a phone number provided by the company and enter the destination phone number and whatever phone number they wish to appear. The person who is called will receive the phone call and think the caller is calling from the fake phone number.

Spoofing card companies offer additional services, such as recording calls and allowing users to further hide their true identity with the ability to disguise your voice or go directly to someone's voice mail without ringing. Some companies, such as SpoofCard and Bluff My Call, support the spoofing of international phone numbers.

Users should understand the risks. The spoof card companies do not take any liability of customers making illegal use of this technology, such as using it as a tool for identity theft.

Protective Measures

Practices

  • Tell suspicious callers that you will call them back. Hang up and dial directly the phone number that you know to be the correct. Provide information and answer any questions only after you have verified that the callers are who they say they are.

Legal Issues

Legal

Florida  is the only state with regulations under the Caller ID Anti-spoofing Act that prohibits entering false information into a telephone caller identification system with the intent to deceive, defraud, or mislead. Other states, such as Louisiana , could pursue legislation.

A bill was proposed in 2007 called Truth in Caller ID Act to amend the Communications Act of 1934 and could be considered by the senate again. The Act would make it unlawful for any person in the United States, in connection with any telecommunications service or Internet protocol (IP)-enabled voice service, to cause any caller identification service to knowingly transmit misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value, unless such transmission is exempted in connection with: (1) authorized activities of law enforcement agencies; or (2) a court order specifically authorizing the use of caller ID manipulation.

References

Links

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