Spoofed number

Spoofed number is a fake caller number made to look like a bank, police station or someone you know, so you trust the call.

Spoofed number: A spoofed number is a phone number displayed on your screen that is not the real source of the call. Callers use software to show a familiar or official-looking number, even your own. It is used to win trust and to make fraud calls look genuine.

You may see a call that seems to come from your bank's helpline, a government office or a family member. Because you trust the number, you answer and relax. Some people have even received calls that showed their own number. The display can be changed, so what appears on the screen is a poor proof of who is calling. This trick is cheap for criminals and works well on busy, worried people.

The test is what the caller asks for, not who the screen says they are. Real banks do not ask for OTPs, PINs or screen sharing. If a call worries you, end it and call back using the number on your card, passbook or official app. For a call claiming to be a friend, ring them separately on their usual number.

Tips

• Judge the request, not the number shown on your screen.
• End the call and call back using the number printed on your card or in the official app.
• Use a family code word to confirm a relative asking for urgent money.

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