Masking call presentation number

The same way you can mask an email address to send emails it’s also possible to mask a phone number. Basically someone with bad intentions can send us an email from a trustworthy domain without it actually belonging to him. Or he can also call us from a phone number that doesn’t belong to him to win your confidence or just so we don’t recognize who he really is, and answer the call.

For example: It’s really common to have a Call Center software that hides their CID or uses a random presentation phone number. In such a way that the people who get this call won’t be able to identify that it is just an advertising call. 

Can I know if I’m receiving a fake call?

It’s difficult to recognize if the number you are getting the call from is supplanted. That’s why we can only give you few recommendations:

• Don’t pick up calls from unknown phone numbers.
• Be suspicious of unexpected calls.
• If you think the call does not pertains to a real entity, it’s better to hang it up and search for that entity’s number and call them by ourselves. 
• Don’t give personal information.
• Don’t answer every question they ask you. “Think twice”
• If we are still doubting it’s better to hang up and call the phone number by ourselves. 

If you have been victim of identity fraud you should report to the corresponding regulatory agency. 

How does someone supplant a call identity? 

Some PBX, Call Center software or softphones allow call presentation number personalization. These apps can process a call masking the phone number and showing what they want to show. 

Each country has its own regulations but the most common scenario is that the phone service provider is responsible to verify their customers are sending the correct call presentation number. 

Sadly some operators still allow this call number presentation masking or to happen or just don’t restrict it. So people with bad intentions just have to search for this kind of permissive operators.

What can I do if someone supplants my phone number?

If you receive a call saying you called them, but you didn’t, it’s very possible that someone has supplanted your phone number. You should try to explain that it was not you.

Scammers normally change their phone number in a matter of minutes since what they want is to not be recognized. So your phone number will probably be free and replaced with someone else’s phone number.

If you want to investigate this identity fraud, the person who got this call could reach his operator and this one can find the origin of the call. This way it could alert the company that originated the call of this criminal practice or report them if it’s necessary.

If you need more information on how to secure your business phone system, please contact VoIPstudio.com.