Your phone rings.
The name of your bank appears on the screen.
Or maybe it says:
“Police Department.”
“Social Security Administration.”
“Electric Company.”
Or the number has your own area code and looks completely local.
That makes the call feel legitimate.
But there is something important to know:
Caller ID can be manipulated.
The name or phone number you see on your screen does not always tell you who is actually calling.
This technique is commonly known as caller ID spoofing.
And scammers use it because familiar numbers make people more likely to answer — and more likely to trust what they hear next.
What Is Caller ID Spoofing?
Caller ID spoofing happens when the information displayed on your phone is altered so that the call appears to come from a different number.
Instead of seeing the scammer’s real number, you might see:
A local phone number
Your bank’s phone number
A government agency
A police department
A utility company
A medical office
A busine
