Thanks to the Internet, word continues to spread that unsolicited calls from area code 876 (Jamaica) are suspicious and likely fraudulent. In response to this growing awareness, perpetrators of Advance Fee fraud are starting to hide the origin of their phone calls.
Because most recipients are leery of anonymous calls, the camouflage of choice for overseas con artists are fake domestic phone numbers, which can easily be substituted for international digits using VOIP (internet-based phone) technology. This deliberate falsification of phone numbers is known as Caller ID Spoofing ("spoofing" for short) and has become even easier, thanks to services like Telespoof, SpoofCard, and PhoneGangster.
In some cases, the fake number is just a diversion. In other instances, bogus numbers are part of a larger scheme to make the target believe that the crooks are calling from a legitimate entity (such as a bank or government agency like the IRS), or a specific locale.
Because most recipients are leery of anonymous calls, the camouflage of choice for overseas con artists are fake domestic phone numbers, which can easily be substituted for international digits using VOIP (internet-based phone) technology. This deliberate falsification of phone numbers is known as Caller ID Spoofing ("spoofing" for short) and has become even easier, thanks to services like Telespoof, SpoofCard, and PhoneGangster.
In some cases, the fake number is just a diversion. In other instances, bogus numbers are part of a larger scheme to make the target believe that the crooks are calling from a legitimate entity (such as a bank or government agency like the IRS), or a specific locale.
A classic example of Caller ID Spoofing is the Gold Rush Sweepstakes, a phony enterprise for which scammers provide a number with a 702 (Las Vegas) area code. Unbeknownst to many victims, dials to these numbers are being rerouted to Jamaica by call forwarding services.
In another popular ruse - known as a Recovery Scam - the perpetrator spoofs past victims with a 202 (Washington D.C.) area code, to convince them they are FBI agents out to help them recover their lost money. In some cases, this is done to keep the victim from telling friends or family members that they have been scammed. In other instances, the would-be Fed tries to get the victim to pay a fee in advance, for his assistance.
The bottom line is: Anybody can make it look like they are calling from anywhere.
Helpful as it can sometimes be, don't be fooled by Caller ID.
If you're under the age of 21, you might be wondering how to spot a fake California id. Luckily, there are a number of ways to tell the difference between a genuine fake and a phony one. If you are curious to know more about cheap fake ids, click here.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete