Spoofing refers to the ability to disguise the originating
caller identification number when placing a telephone call. The calling party
may select an alias or dummy number to appear on the called party telephone
display.
Proponents of this technology laud its uses for law
enforcement and private investigators. They claim the technology protects
agents from being discovered in undercover operations. Agents can freely make
pretext calls to criminal elements by using caller ID spoofing. A pretext call
is one that allows law enforcement to solicit information over the telephone by
representing themselves as someone else.
Caller ID spoofing is now marketed by a number of websites
to any business or individual who wishes to subscribe to the service.
Individuals can hide or mask the call origin with whatever number they desire.
This guarantees anonymity. Collection agencies or government tax agencies often
find it difficult to reach defaulters. This service could help these companies
contact an individual using call screening.
Critics of the caller ID spoofing claim that using this VoIP
phone service makes it easy for scam artists to make it appear that they are
calling from another phone number.
Jokesters could masquerade their caller ID as The Oval
Office, Ed McMahon or Paris Hilton. Hackers and con artists could utilize
spoofing to break into unsecured voice mailboxes that rely on caller
identification for authentication. For example, Secure Science Corporation
discovered that hackers could use caller ID spoofing to break into the voice
mailboxes of over 15 million subscribers of wireless service provider T-Mobile.
The company scrambled to add an optional pin code authentication to thwart
tampering.
Criminal elements could utilize caller ID spoofing to
reverse the tables on law enforcement, harass victims and break into
interactive voice response systems that use the caller’s phone number as
authentication. A child molester could contact a home and disguise number as a
parent’s work number. An alarm company or emergency response dispatch could be
contacted and reassured of false alarm by a burglar breaking into a premise.
Methods and kits on how to emulate and display spoofed
caller ID messages are now available on the Internet. Anyone with a general
understanding of the concept and a compatible modem can construct a device that
will provide caller ID spoofing.
In the end, caller ID spoofing, like any other technology
does have some merit, especially for law enforcement. However, this technology
is very easy to use unethically and perhaps criminally. The lesson here is
don’t trust caller id display. If you are unsure of the caller id information
of a suspicious caller, take the number down, return the call or alert
authorities.
Comments