A 2 Wants to Know viewer called with a question related to spoofing. Mr. Ingle asked "how is it the scam calls are getting local phone numbers to get us to answer the phone?"
Here's how it works: You get a call. The phone says it's its one person, but it may not be their number. The caller can falsify the information on your caller i.d. so you can't tell who they are or where they're calling from!
When they make them look like local numbers, that's called neighbor spoofing. If they can make their phone number look like yours, you're more likely to pick up the phone.
Another viewer, Mary, called with a similar question. She asked, "Is there a federal agency you can call whenever you get a scam call?"
The answer is yes- The Federal Communications Commission. Call them for all call-related problems like spoofing, robocalls and robotexts!
They offer some advice if you think you're being spoofed or scammed.
- Never give your personal information. That includes account numbers, your social security number or passwords.
- If someone calls pressuring you for information - be careful.
- If someone calls claiming to be from a government agency or business - hang up and call that agency directly to find out.
- If you get a call you think is a scam or spoofing call, report it to the FCC directly by clicking here.