Caller ID Spoofing Scams 

Written by:

Baylor Cox

Reviewed by:

• Christy Kibben

What Is Caller ID Spoofing? 

Caller ID spoofing occurs when a scammer fakes the number displayed on your phone’s caller ID, making the call appear as though it’s coming from a trusted source—like a credit union, government agency, or a local business. This deception is easy for fraudsters to pull off thanks to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and other call-system tools, enabling them to mimic familiar area codes or even specific phone numbers. 

Why It’s Dangerous 

Callers using spoofed IDs can create urgency to manipulate victims. Common schemes include: 

• Impersonating law enforcement or hospitals to demand immediate payment or personal details. 

• Pretending to be a credit union employee to trick victims into revealing account or login information. 

• Faking a call from someone you trust and pretending to be in trouble and in need of immediate financial assistance. 

How Spoofing Scams Work 

• Impersonation tactics: Scammers pose as trusted entities, asking for sensitive info or demanding urgent action. 

• Emotional manipulation: Fear, authority, and urgency are common triggers, making targets act impulsively. 

• Technical tricks: Using VoIP services, they disguise their actual origin and mimic recognizable numbers. 

How You Can Avoid Caller ID Spoof Scams 

• Hang up on suspicious calls. Especially if the caller makes urgent demands or threatens action; call back the place they are calling from using a verified number. 

• Never share sensitive information such as your Social Security number, account numbers, any kind of passcodes, debit or credit card numbers, or passwords over unsolicited calls. WeStreet will never call you for this information.

• Enable call-blocking features on your device or use trusted third-party apps to help filter suspicious calls. 

• Stay informed about common scam trends, including impersonations of government officials, financial institutions, or urgent medical situations. 

Caller ID spoofing is particularly insidious because it takes advantage of trust by displaying familiar numbers to deceive people into compliance. But members who remain skeptical of unsolicited requests, especially those involving money or urgency, can avoid falling victim. Remember to never give out personal information if it is requested over the phone without prior communication.