Hiya Global Threat Report says that “In the first half of 2024, there were 19 billion suspected spam calls, or 107 million uninvited calls every day on average.”
Source: Hiya
The chart shows that 7% of them were fraud, 22% were nuisances, and 71% were other calls. Today, our concern is not who did this and why, but we are here to understand how these spam calls occur and what’s the process behind it. A process of spoofing a phone number gives support to such activities; it can be legitimate or illegitimate.
How to spoof a phone number and how it works is what we are here to discuss. Let’s walk through a detailed spoofing guide.
How Does Phone Number Spoofing Work?
Phone number spoofing tricks caller ID data to display an altered number or caller ID. When you call someone, your caller ID and area code will show, and people won’t pick up the unfamiliar area code calls, so they spoof numbers to entice people to pick up their call once. Spoof numbers allow you to not display caller ID information (sometimes this comes up as “unknown” on caller IDs). Spoofing tools or apps can modify this data to change the number that appears on the recipient’s phone, giving the impression that the call is from a different source. They can also display your area code and caller ID.
Legitimate and Illegitimate Uses of Phone Spoofing
Spoofing doesn’t mean you can just use it for black or gray areas; it is also used by authorized personnel.
Let’s discover more!
Legitimate Uses
- Several businesses adopt spoofing to display the same sole number on clients’ caller IDs even if they are operating from the main office or customer service phone line.
- Individuals and organizations also spoof phone numbers for privacy issues. They alter a fake number with their real one.
- Law enforcement agencies also use spoofing for investigations or to gather information.
Illegitimate Uses
- Scammers love spoofing as they alter their identity with legitimate sources.
- Harassers and pranksters use spoofing for calls, making it harder for the recipient to identify the true caller.
- Spoofed numbers are also used in phishing attempts, where the caller impersonates a trusted contact to extract sensitive information from the recipient.
How to Spoof a Phone Number
You can spoof a phone number by performing the following usual actions:
- After paying for the service, a PIN is generated.
- Enter the number that the service has provided.
- Then, enter the PIN you received.
- Enter the caller ID you want to display and the desired outgoing call number.
Here, we have the methods you can use for spoofing a number, but follow the guide if it is legal in your country.
1. Using Spoofing Apps
You can use mobile applications for phone number spoofing. The famous spoofing app SpoofCard enables texting and calling from a different number. To spoof more effectively, you can also alter your voice. Another well-known app that provides caller ID spoofing is Bluff My Call. You can buy credits, download these apps, and enter the number you want to appear on the recipient’s phone. Typically, these apps route calls via a third-party provider that modifies the caller ID.
2. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Services
Voice Internet Protocol (VoIP) is an Internet-based phone service that is another way to spoof numbers. It bypasses the traditional phone service and allows users to make calls from any device with an internet connection and choose the number that appears on the recipient’s caller ID. Some VoIP providers even offer spoofing as a built-in feature, letting users set up and change numbers with ease.
3. Online Spoofing Services
Users can enter their real number, the target number, and the number they want to display on some websites that offer caller ID spoofing services. These services usually don’t require any software installation and charge a nominal cost for each use.
4. Orange Box
Orange boxing is another spoofing technique. With this approach, the audio signal is created by software and connected with the phone line during the call. In this way, you trick the recipient into believing that someone is calling from the spoof number even when there isn’t; it means you fake it. A second accomplice is used in the scam to pose as the secondary caller on the line.
Is Phone Number Spoofing Legal?
Legality depends on your location. In general, phone number spoofing is acceptable in many cases, such as for privacy or legitimate business purposes. However, in many locations, it is illegal to use it to harm, deceive, or defraud another person. For example, the Truth in Caller ID Act of the United States prohibits spoofing with the intent to damage or mislead. Violations might result in severe penalties and other legal consequences.
Spoofing is not scamming, but you need to be very alert while following a guide on “how to spoof a phone number,” even if you are reading it for any legitimate cause. Always go through your country’s laws before jumping into any suspicious activity.
Play safe, stay safe!
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