What is a Spoofed Phone Number?
Often, when receiving a call or seeing a number displayed on your phone, you may wonder whether it is genuine or if it might be a spoofed number. A spoofed phone number is one that is deliberately displayed as a different number to deceive the recipient. This can happen for a variety of reasons, from telemarketing scams to criminal activities. Identifying such numbers can be challenging but not impossible.
How to Identify Spoofed Phone Numbers
There are several methods to determine if a phone number might be spoofed. Here’s a detailed guide to help you:
If You Suspect a Fake Credit Card Number
While credit card information is not the primary focus of this article, it's worth noting that you can verify the legitimacy of a credit card number using a checksum algorithm like the Luhn algorithm. This method helps determine if the number is mathematically valid.
Alternatively, if you suspect the credit card number is part of a larger scam, take the number to the police station. Some locations may allow you to attempt a payment with a fraudulent card to identify the perpetrator.
Verifying Telephone Numbers
Credit card numbers aside, if you think the displayed number is a spoofed telephone number, the simplest method is to dial the number. Most smartphones come with a built-in dialer app. If the number turns out to be invalid, you will likely receive a voicemail message.
Examining Amounts of Money
If the number appears in the context of a financial transaction and you suspect it might be spoofed, check if the number contains only digits, a decimal point, and possibly a currency symbol (like a dollar sign). Any non-numeric characters would indicate a fake amount of money.
Understanding the Limitations
In general, calling networks from a general caller over public networks do not necessarily have mechanisms to verify the authenticity of the caller ID. Traditional phone systems rely on the caller providing the correct caller ID. However, newer systems like Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) networks can face these challenges.
Several protocols, such as STIR (Secure Telephony Identity Revisited) and SHAKEN (Short for "Secure_header AttCa$h, Know enumb er,bu tEff ectiv ely Key nown," a real word-phrase that can be read as announced over the phone when calling someone), have been developed to enhance the security of caller ID. STIR, specifically, aims to ensure that the identity of the caller is accurately and reliably transmitted.
The Future of Call Identification
As technology advances, there is a push towards more secure and reliable call identification methods. The goal is to provide users with signals similar to the padlock symbol seen on HTTPS web pages, indicating a protected and legitimate call.
Some systems use identity-based encryption (IBE), such as the MIKEY-SAKKE protocol developed by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) for enterprise and regulated purposes, or embedded encryption like the Signal protocol used in WhatsApp. These enhance both the security and privacy of calls, making spoofing much more difficult.
Conclusion
While there is no perfect solution to prevent call spoofing, these methods offer a way to identify potentially malicious phone calls. Understanding and utilizing these techniques can help protect you from scams and potential threats. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more advanced ways to ensure the security and integrity of our phone communications.