Your phone rings. You recognize the number, but when you pick up, it’s someone else. What’s the deal?
Scammers are using fake caller ID information to trick you into thinking they are someone local, someone you trust – like a government agency or police department, or a company you do business with – like your bank or cable provider. The practice is called caller ID spoofing, and scammers don’t care whose phone number they use. One scammer recently used the phone number of an FTC employee.
Don’t rely on caller ID to verify who’s calling. It can be nearly impossible to tell whether the caller ID information is real. Here are a few tips for handling these calls:
- If you get a strange call from the government, hang up. If you want to check it out, visit the official (.gov) website for contact information. Government employees won’t call out of the blue to demand money or account information.
- Don’t give out — or confirm — your personal or financial information to someone who calls.
- Don’t wire money or send money using a reloadable card. In fact, never pay someone who calls out of the blue, even if the name or number on the caller ID looks legit.
- Feeling pressured to act immediately? Hang up. That’s a sure sign of a scam.
Want more tips for avoiding scams? Check out 10 Ways to Avoid Fraud.
If you’ve received a call from a scammer, with or without fake caller ID information, report it to the FTC and the FCC.
656 Comments
In reply to I've had fake calls call me by mmsorok (not verified)
In reply to My neighbor has had her own by BertC (not verified)
In reply to They can spoof landline #s as by AZRat (not verified)
In reply to HOW CAN WE KNOW IF WE HAVE by SHIRLEY (not verified)
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In reply to HOW CAN WE KNOW IF WE HAVE by SHIRLEY (not verified)
In reply to HOW CAN WE KNOW IF WE HAVE by SHIRLEY (not verified)
In reply to HOW CAN WE KNOW IF WE HAVE by SHIRLEY (not verified)
In reply to They can spoof landline #s as by AZRat (not verified)
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In reply to I've had fake calls call me by mmsorok (not verified)
The below listed phone numbers are the latest known phone numbers to be in use by the IRS Impersonation Scam suspects: (202) 239-1939 (202) 239-2883 (202) 239-8820 (202) 506-9122 (202) 600-9696 (202) 792-8931 (202) 836-9550 (209) 729-3815 (305) 602-3108 (347) 418-0597 (404) 857-1987 (408) 418-0072 (415) 363-0183 (626) 739-3024 (646) 680-0873 (650) 720-8573 (703) 239-6351 (718) 354-8929 (844) 395-7940 (844) 395-7947 (973) 206-4150 (202) 704-3264 (516) 204-0213 (607) 304-3136
In reply to The below listed phone by CICT (not verified)
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In reply to Add this number got a a call by sunnyday (not verified)
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In reply to Received a scam call this by Hung (not verified)
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In reply to I rec'd a call on Sunday from by Fitgirl (not verified)
In reply to I received two calls in the by Teetee09 (not verified)
Please add: 202-506-9026 and 202-506-8335 to the list.
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In reply to The IRS doesn't make phone by Rick Witty (not verified)
Someone just called me and I recognize that number from somewhere but I never answered then it was a male saying he was from a corporations idk and he said if anyone who is 17 uses my phone and I said no (I'm 13 ) and he asked me if my parents used my phone and that's it , it was a weird call idk what it was
In reply to The IRS doesn't make phone by Rick Witty (not verified)
In reply to Screw with them.keep them on by Edward (not verified)
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