I'm sure you've all had the experience of getting a call from an unknown number - and you're not quite sure if it's legit or not. You might go ahead and answer, but before you know it, the person on the other end has hung up. This is called spoofing, and it can be irritating, to say the least.
Spoof calls are usually irritating and can be very frustrating. They are made to sound like the call is coming from a known individual, but it probably isn't.
If you’re looking for ways to stop spoof calls, don’t worry - Ownage Pranks has come to save your day! Who would’ve thought, the spoof call authority ourselves, would give you tips on how to stop getting ones?
What are spoof calls?
Before we talk about how to stop spoof calls, it is important to know what they are. Spoof calls are illegitimate phone numbers that don't belong to the person you're talking to. Sometimes they're done by criminals trying to get personal information from you and other times it's a telemarketer trying to sell you something.
The easiest way that you can avoid getting spoofed is not answering your phone if the number isn't familiar or was unknown before. If a call comes in from an unknown number, but the caller seems believable and has a good reason for calling, give them a call back at their legitimate number rather than letting them go directly through to your voicemail.
There are many ways one can identify if a phone call is spoofed or not. The caller ID can be checked, or if there is no number displayed, it may be possible to reverse lookup the number online. If there is no phone number shown on your caller ID, but you think it's a trusted contact you can either ignore or answer and then end the call right away.
It is important to know how to recognize a spoof call and how to stop spoof calls before they can do any damage.
There are many ways to identify a spoof call:
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When the number does not match the area code of the caller
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When you cannot tell where the call is coming from.
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Look at the phone number – is it a number you recognize? Does the area code match the state the person is calling from?
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Look at the caller-ID – if it says "unknown" or "blocked," that's a sign that it could be a spoof call.
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If there is no number displayed, it may be possible to reverse lookup the number online
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If there is no phone number shown on your caller ID, but you think it's a trusted contact you can either ignore or answer and then end the call right away
How to Block Your Number From Spoof Calls
It is not uncommon for businesses, or even personal numbers, to receive spoof calls. Callers often use spoof technology to hide their identity and make it seem like they are calling from a different phone number. This can be problematic because businesses can’t block these calls using Caller ID services.
There are two ways to try and stop these types of spam calls: you can block your own number or you can use an automated call-blocking service that blocks all the numbers.
If you want to manually block your own number, there are some phone companies that will let you do this. But it will also stop other callers from reaching you too, so it may not be the best option if you need to take care of any urgent business calls. When it comes to call-blocking software, there are many different programs so you have to make sure that you find trusted and effective ones.
How to Block Calls Made from an Unknown Number
This is actually a very simple thing to do. All you have to do is go into your settings on your phone and find the blocking feature. Once you find it, all that is left for you to do is enter the number of the person who you want to block and their call won't come through.
How to Keep Your Phone Number Private and Stop Hackers and Thieves From Spoofing it
So, you've become a victim of phone number spoofing and now you're wondering how to keep your phone number private and stop hackers and thieves from spoofing it.
Your phone number is one of the most valuable pieces of information you possess, whether it’s your cell phone number or an office or other type of work-provided number. Fortunately, there are a few ways to protect your digits from potential hackers and thieves.
The first thing is to set up a passcode on your device so that people can't unlock it without the code. Next, take a look at what apps have access to your contact list. Do you need them? If not, disable them from accessing your contacts list. Finally, update your security software regularly since anti-virus software can be breached as well.
If you don't want certain people to have access to your phone number, but still want to share it with others, there are services like Google Voice that allow you to block certain numbers from receiving texts and call notifications. If you want all your texts blocked, but still want people to be able to contact you by email or social media, there are apps that will let you do this for free. Lastly, if blocking certain numbers just isn't enough for how much security you need for your phone number, there are paid apps that can provide even more protection against those who want to access your private information.
How to Stop Spoof Calls
Requiring your caller ID to be verified before answering your phone
There are services that are now available for those who want to be more selective about the calls they receive. The service works by identifying and verifying the caller's phone number before letting them speak to you. All of your contacts will show up as verified numbers in your phone, meaning that you can confidently answer any call without any hesitation or worry that you are picking up a fake number.
Adding your number to the National Do Not Call Registry
The National Do Not Call Registry will block your number from being called by telemarketers. This will prevent them from bothering you. When a company registers with the registry, they promise to stop calling anyone on that list. You can register your number for free and it only takes a few minutes.
Calling back unknown numbers and asking them to identify themselves
There is a big risk of privacy and security breaches when calling back unknown numbers from their phones. The phone number could be from a scammer, telemarketer, or someone you just don't know. If you call the number back and it doesn't identify itself, then you should disconnect the call as soon as possible.
We hope you learned how to stop spoof calls through this article. However, if you’re on the other end - the one making the spoof call - we suggest you try and download our spoof call app for a seamless spoof calling experience!
As always, happy pranking!
Read Next: Is Spoofing A Phone Number Illegal?
