WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Spoof phone calls are becoming more and more common. It happens when someone changes their caller ID to a different number, trying to trick you into answering.
It's a tactic telemarketers and scammers use, and they're getting sneakier and sneakier – many even using a familiar number or area code, or even, your phone number!
The FCC's "Under The Truth In Caller ID Act" states spoof calls are not illegal, unless you're trying to scam or harm someone. But no matter whether it's coming from a legitimate business, a telemarketer, or a scammer - it's frustrating.
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About two weeks ago, Angela Cockrell says dozens of people started calling her, and reporting they had a missed call from her number, even though she never called them. Instead, it was a stranger who used her number.
She answered a call, and the woman on the other end, frustrated.
“I said, I'm sorry you have the wrong number,” explained Cockrell, “She was like, no, you called me. How else would I have this number? And I was like, I promise I have not made a single call today. She said how would I have this number? And we kept going back-and-forth and finally I was like… I don't know what happened, I’m sorry.”
After a little bit of research, Cockrell found that someone was using her number to make spoof calls, but she's got no clue who's doing it.
“If you can't trace it, what can you really do about it?” she asked.
The Better Business Bureau has some advice for this particular situation.
“Change your voicemail and say hey, I'm a victim here too. I've had my number spoofed, I am not the one that was calling you. I am very sorry that you were receiving numbers for me, but I'm not the one calling you,” suggests Lechelle Yates with the BBB of Central North Carolina.
There are a few options, if scammers are using your phone number to make spoof calls. First, forward your calls to a fax machine or burner phone. Second, change your number. Third, as the BBB mentioned, change your voicemail to let callers know you're a victim - not the scammer - and then wait it out.
The BBB says phone carriers recommend you report that your number has been spoofed to the FCC, but say there's not all that much they can do, other than take the report.
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