This video does a lovely job of warning people who are the recipients of spoofing: a scam phone call that uses another phone number as a mask for caller ID. What’s not really explained is what happens when it’s your number that is being used as that caller ID mask. You’d think nothing, right? Scammers would, effectively, be impersonating you by using your phone number without you ever knowing. The call isn’t actually coming from your phone or your account. There is no outgoing call record to verify, so you would have no proof anything is ever happening, right?

The reality is that a good amount of people are inclined to call back when they miss a call on their cell phones, which has resulted in a parade of annoyed and frustrated people who don’t believe me when I tell them I did not call them. Though I suppose being frustrated with me is better than having taken that call in the first place. If you’ve ever received a call like this, don’t give away any of your information!

The only option I have found for people whose numbers are being used for this scam is to change numbers or live with it. If you find out any solution, let me know.