Is Verizon working with the FCC and FTC regarding spoofing?
DesertRat96
Enthusiast - Level 3

Over the past few weeks, one of my phone lines has been slammed with calls from businesses "returning calls from someone named ***."

I have seen some threads with responses from Verizon that they are working with the FCC to curb call spoofing. Is it really happening?

When I go to the FTC and FCC websites, both of their online complaint forms do not have the option to complain about being the victim of spoofing. So I am stuck talking to a live person on the phone. I have a case number with the FTC right now. It took some convincing to get it.

If Verizon could also convince these agencies to update their online complaint forms to include victims of spoofing, that would be helpful.

From what I am seeing, it's not illegal to spoof someone's number as long as no other laws are being broken (mainly, no one is getting physically hurt). Why doesn't spoofing fall under identity theft?

Consider this situation: When a VZW customer opens an account and obtains a new line and phone number, they are leasing that number from VZW. That number is a unique identifier that is tied to that customer account, and any other relevant personal information. To me, these unique identifiers (either in long or short term possession) are like your social security number, or a leased car's registration to a specific individual. When those numbers are used to commit a crime (fraud), that person registered to the unique identifier are held responsible until they can prove their innocence.

That's how I got a case number from the FTC: I didn't want to be blamed for businesses getting spammed with one of my numbers. My only back up is my call history that VZW has on record.

Shouldn't apps like Burner be denied the ability to generate numbers that are already in service? Before the digital age it was almost impossible to get someone else's number because of how the numbering system worked. It's the technology that needs to be reined in.

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Re: Is Verizon working with the FCC and FTC regarding spoofing?
glitchedpixel
Specialist - Level 1

Spoofing isn't going away any time soon. Just the other day YouTube was proudly advertising an ad for a spoofing app in the middle of a video I was watching.

Re: Is Verizon working with the FCC and FTC regarding spoofing?
pzjagd1
Contributor - Level 3

I've seen a news report in the last couple days touting a new feature that Verizon, AT&T, and (maybe) Sprint plan to implement by the end of the year. There were no details, but it appears to be a warning that an incoming call may be spoofed. It doesn't block the number, it just identifies it as possible spoofed number based on history.

Re: Is Verizon working with the FCC and FTC regarding spoofing?
DesertRat96
Enthusiast - Level 3

As much as I use YouTube, I have noticed the same thing:

There are tons of videos out there teaching how to hack someone's phone, plus how to spoof. Accepting advertising money for shady app/software developers is a new low though.

Since I'm in California, and endlessly frustrated by hacking and spoofing personally affecting me, Google (and it's affiliates) completely ignore California privacy and identity protection laws that they are supposed to uphold. Take note of that, Verizon!

Here's what the FCC says regarding the Caller ID spoofing law of 2009: Under the Truth in Caller ID Act, FCC rules prohibit anyone from transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud, cause harm or wrongly obtain anything of value. Anyone who is illegally spoofing can face penalties of up to $10,000 for each violation.

I understand many of these spoofers are located outside of the United States, and therefore difficult to catch and prosecute. But that's why I noted that neither government agency has an online reporting feature for victims of spoofing, especially revenge spoofing where a person's number is targeted to solicit sales quotes etc from legitimate businesses.

As long as companies, like Google, don't enforce the laws they are required by their home state to uphold, companies like Verizon, etc will keep running in circles with their Caller ID software etc. It's like plugging one hole in a breaching dam with a thousand other holes.

Re: Is Verizon working with the FCC and FTC regarding spoofing?
D1sgrunt13d
Enthusiast - Level 1
Great post brother, if I wasnt so exhausted from all the calls to support to no avail and overages and well everything terrible about this company id raise you a novel of complaints including number spoofing.
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Re: Is Verizon working with the FCC and FTC regarding spoofing?
KOOLDOG
Enthusiast - Level 2

Typical Politics is whats happening no actual effect to fix the issue, the telephone companies blame fcc / do not call list, and vice versa.

The correct solution to FIX SPOOFING  rests 100% on the phone services companies to fix their phone systems and update it so each number is registered and has a hash code tag with it thats invisible past the phone number that only the gov and phone company attach to a real phone number registered to a legit phone PERSON.   This way any calls that don'T have the hash tag along with it aka a SPOOFED PHONE NUMBER WONT HAVE THE INVISIBLE HASH TAG CODE SO IT WILL BE FAKE AND REJECTED BY THE PHONE COMPANY AND CANT BE DIALED.

This type of system is the only way to fix such issues.  Then they cant copy a phone number because they wont have access to the secret hash code also along with the phone number to make a call.

This way when you register on the do not call list, when someone does SPAM you, you can file a small claims court against then since is registered the owner will be known now ( not spoofed ) so they will pay you $500.00 fine for it.  Like many they say they get lots of spammers a day,  file claims on 20 bad calls a day x 500 bucks and you can get rich off the scammers.

If the phone companies stop blaming others and get FIX thier phone system so all numbers are FCC registered and all numbers when dialed have a secret hash code check 1st to insure its real registered person, not a spoof.

The phone companies have the ability to fix this is just all of them completely fail to  impliment such systems for blocking spoofers due to they dont want spend the money for upgrades on the antiquated systems most of the worlds phone calls currently transport through.   Your phone my be new but calling transport systems is outdated which is why the 20+ year old spoofing techniques still work on them.

Re: Is Verizon working with the FCC and FTC regarding spoofing?
KOOLDOG
Enthusiast - Level 2

Typical Politics is whats happening no actual effect to fix the issue, the telephone companies blame FCC / do not call list, and vice versa.

The correct solution to FIX SPOOFING  rests 100% on the phone services companies to fix their phone systems and update it so each number is registered and has a hash code tag with it that invisible past the phone number that only the gov and phone company attach to a real phone number registered to a legit phone PERSON.   This way any calls that don't have the invisible hash tag along with it aka a SPOOFED PHONE NUMBER  SO IT WILL BE FAKE AND REJECTED BY THE PHONE COMPANY AND CANT BE DIALED.

If the phone companies stop blaming others and get FIX their phone system so all numbers are FCC registered and all numbers when dialed have a secret hash code check 1st to insure its real registered person, not a spoof, will 100% fix the issue.

The phone companies have the ability to fix this is just all of them completely fail to  implement such systems for blocking spoofers due to they dont want spend the money for upgrades on the antiquated systems most of the worlds phone calls currently transport through.   Your phone my be new but calling transport systems is outdated which is why the 20+ year old spoofing techniques still work on them.

Recent FCC report says appox 4 BILLION SPOOF/SPAM calls occur every MONTH !!!!! now.  The phone companies think giving you 20 or 100 number block list with work for that kinda volume of calls, lol.  They need to be in the real world and fix their antiquated systems vs blaming others for the issue.

Making a call and transporting it, needs a 100% new MODERN SYSTEM OVER HAUL.  Thats the real issue nobody wants to spend for it, yet millions get scammed out of billions yearly for it !!!!!

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Re: Is Verizon working with the FCC and FTC regarding spoofing?
DesertRat96
Enthusiast - Level 3

Good response!

We basically pay to rent these numbers, and like a vehicle registration, the number we are assigned should be tied in much tighter to our accounts. The most important tie in should be the IMEI, or serial number, on our phone. If it doesn't match, it shouldn't be allowed to make a call. Most other posters are saying VOIP systems are being used to spoof and spam.

Next question: Is it considered identity theft if someone is using your phone number as a callback on online forms? Say, insurance quote and mortgage-type sites? Someone is maliciously misusing a phone number (which they DO NOT pay for) to spam businesses as well as flood the victim's phone.

For now, I'll be signing up for CallerNameID and Robokiller subscriptions.

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Re: Is Verizon working with the FCC and FTC regarding spoofing?
DesertRat96
Enthusiast - Level 3

Hey Verizon Support!

I have a question regarding Caller Name ID service: Occasionally I will get an Unknown Caller from a medical office that is legitimate. How do I allow Unknown Callers to go through? I don't want to miss important calls because I subscribed to Caller Name ID.

Also, I called a number back just to get them to stop. They said that "They only call numbers of people who filled out a form online requesting a phone call." So I did a look up online of the number. They are scammers! They don't have a website to even see if there is a form, etc.

Is this a new technique by scammers to cover their back sides by saying they are calling Fred Flintstone because he filled out an online form with our phone number?

I would really like to know if this type of spam calling is being done to others.

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Re: Is Verizon working with the FCC and FTC regarding spoofing?
DesertRat96
Enthusiast - Level 3

Hey, VZW Support.

I subscribed to Caller Name ID. The apps are set to medium spam filter, and now the spammers are calling using No Caller ID, No Number. Some leave a voicemail, most do not.

Are spammers able to detect a subscription to anti-spam services? Or are they simply savvy to circumventing the straight to voicemail process by going NCID-NN? Some are getting the hint, others are circumventing the subscription service SOP. But it's still 6-10 spammers per day on one line.

I don't want to max out the setting because I don't have every trunk line of businesses I have a relationship added into my contact list.

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