Remember the old days when kids would prank call their neighbors asking questions like, "Is your refrigerator running? Well, you better go catch it!"
Those calls were annoying but harmless fun and those pranks were low-tech compared to what's out there today.
Phone spoofing is when someone disguises the phone number they are really calling from. Sometimes this technology can be used for a harmless prank or to protect your identity, but in the wrong hands, this feature can be scary.
Companies are coming up with new technologies not only to spoof your number, but also to disguise your voice. One software product, CallerIdFaker, asks you to use the product, tape the call as it happens and then share it on their website.
Cyber Expert Theresa Payton is very concerned about this technology being used by abusive people and criminals to take advantage of their victims.
"This technology has been used to hack high-profile celebrities, tricking them into talking and telling information about themselves," says Theresa. "We are concerned that criminals, including physical abusers and fraudsters, will use this technology as another way to dupe their victims."
TIPS TO STAY SAFE:
1. Watch where you post your home and mobile number.
2. Trust but verify - if a person calls you, even someone you know, pay close attention to cues that might mean they are just reading information about you online and do not really know you. Ask if you can call them back at the number displayed on your phone.
3. Talk to your kids about this feature so they cannot get tricked. Make sure you discourage using it, too.
WEB RESOURCES:
If you think you have been the victim of a crime where they used spoofing software, or any other means via the internet, please contact the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov
How caller id faker rates calls that used their software:
http://calleridfaker.com/public/
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