[Villager Joyce]

My phone rang and it is my number and made up name on the caller ID because I saved it that way. I presume whoever did this is planning to identify themselves as me. I have credit freezes, etc. How do I protect against this?

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by Villager Joyce

My phone rang and it is my number and made up name on the caller ID because I saved it that way. I presume whoever did this is planning to identify themselves as me. I have credit freezes, etc. How do I protect against this?

Say what?!

Are you saying that your phone rang, with your own phone number and made up name (or just name)...showing?

This is pretty spooky and I can't imagine what someone is planning on doing with it (In fact, I didn't even know this could be done)...but it can't be for anything but nefarious purposes.

Good luck.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by ColdNoMore

Say what?!

Are you saying that your phone rang, with your own phone number and made up name (or just name)...showing?

This is pretty spooky and I can't imagine what someone is planning on doing with it (In fact, I didn't even know this could be done)...but it can't be for anything but nefarious purposes.

Good luck.

It happened to me as well, on my cell phone, a slew of times last summer. I turn all that techie stuff over to our son. He blocked my number on my phone. I think he had to set up a fictitious person, assign them my cell phone number, and then block that person, thereby blocking any calls from my number to my number... I think. Anyway, it worked.

[Villager Joyce]

Originally Posted by CFrance

It happened to me as well, on my cell phone, a slew of times last summer. I turn all that techie stuff over to our son. He blocked my number on my phone. I think he had to set up a fictitious person, assign them my cell phone number, and then block that person, thereby blocking any calls from my number to my number... I think. Anyway, it worked.

I knew I should have had a kid!

[dewilson58]

It's an app.

The app can use your number, or a number which looks like your number so you think it might be someone you know.

Soon they will probably be able to get into your address book and actually use a valid name.

A lot of creative minds out there.

If you caller ID says President Trump.................it's probably Donald.

[Villager Joyce]

Originally Posted by ColdNoMore

Say what?!

Are you saying that your phone rang, with your own phone number and made up name (or just name)...showing?

This is pretty spooky and I can't imagine what someone is planning on doing with it (In fact, I didn't even know this could be done)...but it can't be for anything but nefarious purposes.

Good luck.

Yep. My picture as the contact photo, made up name and my phone number. I feel it's for no good, but what?

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Villager Joyce

I knew I should have had a kid!

They do come in handy on occasion!

[CWGUY]

Originally Posted by Villager Joyce

My phone rang and it is my number and made up name on the caller ID because I saved it that way. I presume whoever did this is planning to identify themselves as me. I have credit freezes, etc. How do I protect against this?

So instead of "Reach out and touch someone"..... it's "Reach out and touch yourself"

[Sandtrap328]

It is called "spoofing" and an app you can buy for your phone will let anyone do it.

No, it is not used to open credit cards or apply for loans but merely to have you answer the phone for some spiel.

I have my own phone number blocked so if "I call my landline from my landline" , it will automatically hang up. It has happened a few times.

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by Villager Joyce

Yep. My picture as the contact photo, made up name and my phone number. I feel it's for no good, but what?

That's a great question.

Just having one's number/name show up on another persons phone is one thing and seems relatively harmless, but if it is somehow being used as a gateway hack to get personal information (ie: passwords, banking app's, etc.)...then that is a whole 'nother matter.

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by Sandtrap328

It is called "spoofing" and an app you can buy for your phone will let anyone do it.

No, it is not used to open credit cards or apply for loans but merely to have you answer the phone for some spiel.

I have my own phone number blocked so if "I call my landline from my landline" , it will automatically hang up. It has happened a few times.

Does the phone user have to download the app themselves to show their own number/name, or do you do it yourself...and then can "spoof" other people of which you have a phone number?

In other words, if Joyce didn't do it herself...then how else could it get there?

Thanks for the heads up...but I'm still .

[SFSkol]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

It's an app.

The app can use your number, or a number which looks like your number so you think it might be someone you know.

Soon they will probably be able to get into your address book and actually use a valid name.

Gosh. Not good to make up stuff to scare people. Spoofing gives no access to anything except the phone number. Then they need to talk you into something. Just hang up.

The tactic has been used in the past by "swatters" who call the police to report hostage crisis hoaxes, so armed police respond at an unsuspecting victim's door. It's even been used to break into people's voicemail boxes, which often do not require a password if called from the phone number associated with it.

[Villager Joyce]

I just know it wasn't so they could call grandma, pretend to be me and sing happy birthday to her. Beyond that, I've got nothing.

[buzzy]

Had an appointment with doctor yesterday. Was told that they can't call my landline. Even demonstrated it to me. So, at home I checked my blocked callers, on the answering machine, and theirs was in the list. When they call out, there is no caller ID for the doctor or practice name. Pretty stupid for a business.

[Topspinmo]

I called myself, there was no answer