June 10, 2020

What Is Legal Spoofing? Simply put, legal spoofing represents any instance of caller ID spoofing done within the rules set down by the FCC. Though the rules often change, it is typically very easy to identify legally spoofed calls because they clearly state their intentions from the start of the call. Based on the definition of illegal spoofing, we can extrapolate that legal spoofing means any instance that does not intend to cause harm, defraud, or wrongly obtain anything of value. If the number correctly represents the party who is making the call, if it is showing the name of the business as part of the caller ID, and if you can call it back, then it is legal, even if the number is spoofed. Recommended Read: How Does Caller Name Delivery Work? Examples of Legal Spoofing Medical professionals spoofing their number to display their office number so as to not reveal their personal phone number. Businesses that have toll-free numbers will often spoof all their numbers to display a toll-free one on the caller ID instead. Telemarketers that call on behalf of a company or have the spoofed number associated with the company within the call ecosystem, and that have the same number available for callback. Exceptions Some companies resort to many different tactics to maintain compliance. Current systems allow for spoofed numbers to be associated with a company and be called back. They are therefore usable for telemarketing purposes. Other companies go the international route. The FCC does not have authority over other countries’ governments. For instance, many spoofed calls in the US originate from India. India and other countries that send spoofed calls have their own laws that deal with spoofing. However, with a bit of research, you can discover that the law in question for India was drafted in 1885, and references “telegraph lines.”

Day: June 10, 2020

Is Spoofing Illegal? Yes and No. A Thorough Review