A spoof that's no comedy
Protect yourself from international phone call “number spoofing”, says Paul Lewis.
Calls from abroad that appear to come from a UK number have been banned by the telecoms regulator Ofcom. BT says it has used the new rules to block a million such calls a day.
The ban is needed to prevent a common technique used by thieves to convince people they intend to rob that they are calling from their bank or broadband provider – or even HMRC. Devices can be cheaply bought that fool caller ID displays to show a different number from the one the thief is actually calling from. If during the call you question who they are or ask why you should trust them, the response is, “You are right to be suspicious of me. So check the number of the caller display and compare it with the number on the back of your bank card.” And of course, when you do check the two are the same.
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This leads many people to believe the thief really is calling from their bank and can be trusted. The next step is to persuade people to take steps that allow the thieves to access their bank accounts – which they then drain.
The new ban on what is called “number spoofing” began at the end of January, after more than three years of discussion, but only applies to calls originating outside the UK. Phone companies say it is technically too difficult to stop thieves from number spoofing within the UK until the whole network is digital. So my advice remains the same: never trust caller ID. It can easily be changed to show a different number from the one actually calling you.
Better still, never even look at caller ID. If you get a call from someone you do not know that raises fears about the safety of your money in your bank account, just press “end call”. That raises an impenetrable barrier between you and the thief. Then, if you want to check if it is indeed your bank (or HMRC) calling, wait a few minutes after hanging up, and call them on a number you find independently. Ask if they have just called you. Around 99% of the time the answer will be no. And you will have kept your money safe.