Feb
4
Gloria Moore asked:
Though there may be times when caller ID spoofing is harmless, those using it often know that you will not pick up the phone if you knew the true origin of the call. This is not something that everyone will have to deal with, but the practice is more common than you may think. There are many reasons why someone would choose to use caller ID spoofing when calling your home, and these are all things that any consumer should know about for their own protection and privacy.
One of the most harmless uses of caller ID spoofing is by collection agencies. These are people who do have legitimate business with you, but they may not have had any success in contacting you. Most do not use call spoofing, but some of them do. The number they use will vary, but the result is all the same. They want to get you to answer the phone, and will try to accomplish this by pretending to be someone else.
Another reason caller ID spoofing is used can be on the iffy side. Some law enforcement may use this, along with private investigators, to get someone to answer a call. This is not common, but it has been done. When someone does not wish to be found, they will not answer the phone for just any number. Some will use caller ID spoofing by using a number that would feel safe to the target to get them to pick up. This may not get someone to talk, but it can confirm a number and even a location.
Most troublesome would be the use of caller ID spoofing to steal identity or to harass someone. If someone has some information on you, but needs more to get credit in your name, they may use pretext to call your friends and family in the hopes that they will get them to say what the thief needs to know. They can use the caller ID spoof to make your loved ones believe the call is coming from someone they trust or from a legitimate company. Along the same lines, this same thing is used in conjunction with scams to get you to sign up for an offer or service that you would naturally assume is coming from a company that you trust.
Though you can find the owner of a phone number here, this may not always get you what you need. It doesn’t hurt to try though. Any information you can get will be helpful if you are the victim of fraud or identity theft. When in doubt about any number calling your home, even if the number is something familiar, let your answering machine do the screening for you. Those with real and legitimate business with you will often leave a message. Those that do not may have something to hide.
JESUS
Though there may be times when caller ID spoofing is harmless, those using it often know that you will not pick up the phone if you knew the true origin of the call. This is not something that everyone will have to deal with, but the practice is more common than you may think. There are many reasons why someone would choose to use caller ID spoofing when calling your home, and these are all things that any consumer should know about for their own protection and privacy.
One of the most harmless uses of caller ID spoofing is by collection agencies. These are people who do have legitimate business with you, but they may not have had any success in contacting you. Most do not use call spoofing, but some of them do. The number they use will vary, but the result is all the same. They want to get you to answer the phone, and will try to accomplish this by pretending to be someone else.
Another reason caller ID spoofing is used can be on the iffy side. Some law enforcement may use this, along with private investigators, to get someone to answer a call. This is not common, but it has been done. When someone does not wish to be found, they will not answer the phone for just any number. Some will use caller ID spoofing by using a number that would feel safe to the target to get them to pick up. This may not get someone to talk, but it can confirm a number and even a location.
Most troublesome would be the use of caller ID spoofing to steal identity or to harass someone. If someone has some information on you, but needs more to get credit in your name, they may use pretext to call your friends and family in the hopes that they will get them to say what the thief needs to know. They can use the caller ID spoof to make your loved ones believe the call is coming from someone they trust or from a legitimate company. Along the same lines, this same thing is used in conjunction with scams to get you to sign up for an offer or service that you would naturally assume is coming from a company that you trust.
Though you can find the owner of a phone number here, this may not always get you what you need. It doesn’t hurt to try though. Any information you can get will be helpful if you are the victim of fraud or identity theft. When in doubt about any number calling your home, even if the number is something familiar, let your answering machine do the screening for you. Those with real and legitimate business with you will often leave a message. Those that do not may have something to hide.
JESUS
Aug
21
Andrew Regan asked:
Many people will not experience a crime like identity fraud during their lifetime. However, the crime is not uncommon; most of us will at least know someone who has been a victim of ID theft, if we ourselves have not been. Because of this fairly high proliferation of identity fraud - particularly during times when the economy is tough - it is advisable that you get to know a little more about this crime, how to tell when it’s happening to you, and what to do about it.
The first step in identification is quite obvious, really. If you’ve had your bank or credit cards stolen or have lost them, you could become a victim. The same goes for entering your bank details on dodgy sites that do not have the small padlock indicating a seal of online security or have an untrustworthy URL when it should be straightforward. Prevention in these cases is easy: for lost or stolen cards, cancel them immediately. And as for online security, simply ensure that all websites you deal through are trustworthy and secure.
However, identity fraud can occur even when you’re being careful, and if you notice money disappearing from your account and being spent on things you know you didn’t buy then it is quite likely that you have had your bank details stolen. We all pay for this, eventually - in higher prices and increasingly expensive credit card terms, even if we ourselves are not affected by such crimes. That’s why it’s important to do your best to prevent becoming a victim to identity fraud.
What’s worse is that, although many banks are good natured about identity fraud, some will refuse to reimburse you should you be unable to prove that you did not buy what has appeared on your card. Therefore, insurance is important - on your cards and on other important possessions, like home contents insurance should the identity fraud prove to be an exceptionally bad case that can affect more than just your bank balance.
If you’re worried about online security, it may be wise to acquaint yourself with some of the most common fraud occurrences that happen online. This can particularly involve email accounts, which many trust unquestioningly when they should consider certain emails more carefully. For example, never give your details to anybody from another country claiming to wish to transfer funds into your account that you’d then pay back, keeping some for yourself. In addition, never trust any lottery win emails - especially if you never played in that draw! Finally, acquaint yourself with ‘phishing’ and watch out for it - it is the biggest email scam likely to succeed.
Identity fraud can be a scary and violating occurrence - so ensure that your cards are well looked after and that the websites you deal through have the https:// in the URL, as well as the security padlock demonstrating that they are safe. This could save you the stress, time and possible loss should you become a victim of this crime.
BENNETT
Many people will not experience a crime like identity fraud during their lifetime. However, the crime is not uncommon; most of us will at least know someone who has been a victim of ID theft, if we ourselves have not been. Because of this fairly high proliferation of identity fraud - particularly during times when the economy is tough - it is advisable that you get to know a little more about this crime, how to tell when it’s happening to you, and what to do about it.
The first step in identification is quite obvious, really. If you’ve had your bank or credit cards stolen or have lost them, you could become a victim. The same goes for entering your bank details on dodgy sites that do not have the small padlock indicating a seal of online security or have an untrustworthy URL when it should be straightforward. Prevention in these cases is easy: for lost or stolen cards, cancel them immediately. And as for online security, simply ensure that all websites you deal through are trustworthy and secure.
However, identity fraud can occur even when you’re being careful, and if you notice money disappearing from your account and being spent on things you know you didn’t buy then it is quite likely that you have had your bank details stolen. We all pay for this, eventually - in higher prices and increasingly expensive credit card terms, even if we ourselves are not affected by such crimes. That’s why it’s important to do your best to prevent becoming a victim to identity fraud.
What’s worse is that, although many banks are good natured about identity fraud, some will refuse to reimburse you should you be unable to prove that you did not buy what has appeared on your card. Therefore, insurance is important - on your cards and on other important possessions, like home contents insurance should the identity fraud prove to be an exceptionally bad case that can affect more than just your bank balance.
If you’re worried about online security, it may be wise to acquaint yourself with some of the most common fraud occurrences that happen online. This can particularly involve email accounts, which many trust unquestioningly when they should consider certain emails more carefully. For example, never give your details to anybody from another country claiming to wish to transfer funds into your account that you’d then pay back, keeping some for yourself. In addition, never trust any lottery win emails - especially if you never played in that draw! Finally, acquaint yourself with ‘phishing’ and watch out for it - it is the biggest email scam likely to succeed.
Identity fraud can be a scary and violating occurrence - so ensure that your cards are well looked after and that the websites you deal through have the https:// in the URL, as well as the security padlock demonstrating that they are safe. This could save you the stress, time and possible loss should you become a victim of this crime.
BENNETT