Spam Callers Using Your Own Number
I just received a spam call from “voda phone” regarding a billing issue. I told them off and promptly marked the number as spam. That’s when I noticed something unsettling: the number they used was almost identical to mine, differing by just one digit.
This tactic has become common among fake call centers as a way to evade phone number blocking services. By altering my number slightly, they avoid being on anyone’s block list.
This issue is one that telecommunications companies could address if they chose to. The ability to spoof phone numbers is something they have the capability to fix but haven’t, leaving Australians vulnerable to losing millions of dollars each year to scammers pretending to be legitimate callers.
Last year, I had a young woman call me from Queensland (I’m in South Australia) claiming she was returning my call. When I told her I hadn’t called, she became quite upset and insisted that I was lying. I asked her to send me a screenshot of the number, thinking there might have been a mistake. Sure enough, it was my number. I then sent her a screenshot showing that I hadn’t called anyone recently. Once she understood that my number had been spoofed, she calmed down a bit, but I could see how distressing the situation must have been for her—she might have thought I was some kind of stalker.
Will telecommunications companies take action to fix this issue along with SMS spoofing? Unfortunately, it seems unlikely unless they are pressured by political forces.
I completely understand your frustration with this issue—it’s infuriating to receive spam calls from a number that’s so close to your own. It’s alarming that scammers are getting more sophisticated in their tactics, using techniques like number spoofing to evade detection and create confusion.
You’re right that telcos have the capability to implement measures to combat this problem, and it’s really unfortunate they haven’t taken stronger action. There have been discussions around solutions like STIR/SHAKEN, which are designed to reduce caller ID spoofing, but implementation can be slow and often requires cooperation across multiple providers.
Your experience with the girl from QLD highlights how this issue can affect innocent people, leading to misunderstandings and unnecessary stress. It’s a shame that so many people are caught up in this mess, and as you suggested, it might take significant political pressure to prompt telecommunication companies to prioritize fixing these vulnerabilities.
It’s essential for consumers to stay vigilant, report these incidents, and share their experiences. Having a unified voice could help push for more concrete actions from the industry to protect us all. Thanks for sharing your story; hopefully, awareness will lead to better solutions in the future.