iPhone X iPhone X showed spam call as a legitimate contact

[ozshadow]

Has anyone encountered this? I am wondering if there is a bug in the phone or if someone has found a way to spoof contacts in the phone. Maybe a one time glitch.

A call came in on my wife's iPhone X as one of her friends, who is in her contact list. When she answered, it was a call from some telemarketer.

Anyone had this happen?

 

[jwzimm]

Telemarketers have the ability to spoof their phone numbers. It has nothing to do with Apple or the phone. The phone is just displaying the number that it is given when it receives the call. Not much you can do about it I'm afraid.

 

[orev]

The phone just looks at the incoming number and then shows the contact that matches that number. Spammers spoof phone numbers, usually in a similar area code and exchange as the number they are calling. Your wife's friend probably has a phone number that fits that pattern.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Spammers can technically spoof any phone number, even fake numbers.

 

[Chazzle]

Scam calls are getting harder and harder to block because of this spoofing going on.

For instance, I received a call that showed it originated from my hometown (same area code as my number). Let it go to voicemail and it was some credit card scam. Called the number back while hiding my phone number and some sweet old lady answered and after I told her I had received a call from her, she said “Oh dear I’m sorry, I haven’t made any calls today.” I told her about the spoofing and that she may get more calls like mine and she said thanks for the heads up.

The scammer used a real, active cell phone number for the call. Criminal, but doable.

 

[Newtons Apple]

Spammers can technically spoof any phone number, even fake numbers.

But how would they spoof a number in your contact list? How would they know?

 

[Chazzle]

But how would they spoof a number in your contact list? How would they know?

They wouldn’t. It was coincidence.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I suggest using NoboRobo app. It does an excellent job of dealing with robo and spam callers.

 

[zone23]

Yeah my number has been spoofed for a while now I get calls from people saying i called them when I haven't.

 

[Apple_Robert]

But how would they spoof a number in your contact list? How would they know?

I agree with Chazz. No hacking or problem with the OP's phone. The spammers just happen to use a known number to spam. The spammers also make a point to spam the middle 3 numbers of your local number, hoping you will think it is a known person calling.

 

[Chazzle]

I agree with Chazz. No hacking or problem with the OP's phone. The spammers just happen to use a known number to spam. The spammers also make a point to spam the middle 3 numbers of your local number, hoping you will think it is a known person calling.

Yes, I can attest to this. I get calls all the time from my area code and same next three digits as my number. I just always know it’s spam now. Bummer though as blocking the number blocks that legitimate person’s number that is being spoofed.
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I suggest using NoboRobo app. It does an excellent job of dealing with robo and spam callers.

Nomorobo? Trying to find the app you’re referencing.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I agree with Chazz. No hacking or problem with the OP's phone. The spammers just happen to use a known number to spam. The spammers also make a point to spam the middle 3 numbers of your local number, hoping you will think it is a known person calling.

I find it more “lucky” than possible that the spammers accidentally used a known number in the OP’s contact list. I get spammers all the time that use my area code but never a number in my contact list.
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They wouldn’t. It was coincidence.

If you say so but that would be one heck of a coincidence.

 

[Chazzle]

I find it more “lucky” than possible that the spammers accidentally used a known number in the OP’s contact list. I get spammers all the time that use my area code but never a number in my contact list.
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If you say so but that would be one heck of a coincidence.

Agreed. Quite the coincidence.

 

[NoBoMac]

Re: coincidence: I once got a scammer/telemarketer call "from" my own number.

Re: call blockers: I'm using Hiya. Has an option to send to voicemail any call with the first six numbers not in your contacts. My phone pretty much never rings what with this option and an extensive scammer database to reference.

 

[44267547]

Spammers can technically spoof any phone number, even fake numbers.

That’s true. Even when they call internationally, they can mask any number to resemble a local number and it will show a local area code with a city in your state. It’s happened to me before. There is not much of a remedy in some of these situations. These scam calls are consistently becoming more dynamic all the time.

 

[SRLMJ23]

Is it possible for Apple to invent a technology to stop these spam calls, or is it almost impossible since they can spam ANY number they want? Seems to me though that this would be a very hard thing to stop.

I never answer a number I do not know. I figure if it is someone who really needs to get ahold of me, they will leave a voicemail. The spam calls I get which is very few, they never leave a voicemail, hence, I know it is spam for sure. Then the number is instantly blocked. I guess right now that is the best we can do?

Edit: Ohhh duh! For people who have AT&T postpaid service, and live in an area with HD Voice you can use the app AT&T Call Protect. I completely forgot about it. It works very well, occasionally a number get through but there is a feature in the app to report that number and then it is blocked, if it is spam of course. I completely forgot to install it on my iPhone X...what an idiot I am. Hope this helps people with AT&T. I would imagine Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile have something similar?

Here is the App Store link:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/at-t-call-protect/id1181632589?mt=8

 

[44267547]

I never answer a number I do not know. I figure if it is someone who really needs to get ahold of me, they will leave a voicemail. The spam calls I get, they never leave a voicemail, hence, I know it is spam for sure. Then the number is instantly blocked. I guess right now that is the best we can do?

I’m just going off my own logic here, but I wish carriers could get together and formulate a way to help prohibit these types of calls from incoming or enable some sort type of restriction base to filter scam calls. But being this type of activity is so dynamic, it’s difficult to keep up with all the changes and how scamming has evolved over the last five years.

 

[jtara]

Is it possible for Apple to invent a technology to stop these spam calls

Only if they convince the landline phone companies to use their invention, which would have nothing to do with iPhones.

These are VOIP calls. The Caller ID is set to whatever the VOIP subscriber configured. There is no check that it belongs to the caller, or even if it is a real number. The reason is to give the callee a phone number that they can use to actually reach the caller. So, when you get a call from: your medical insurance company, your bank, or whatever, and they've used VOIP to originate the call, you have a useful caller ID with a number you can use to reach them. When VOIP calls are handed-off to the conventional telephone network, the ACTUAL originating number of the call on the phone network is that of the VOIP provider that connected the call to the telephone network. If you called that number, you wouldn't reach the caller. You wouldn't reach anybody, as those lines are not answered.

Like social security numbers and credit card numbers, the naive assumption was made many years ago that this capability wouldn't be abused, and they would be used as intended.

The real phone number is also sent, and is called ANI (Automatic Number Identification), but isn't available to normal subscribers. It is available internally to the phone company (it's original purpose was billing) and also to emergency services and to inbound 800 subscribers. But in this scenario, fat lot of good it does to police or 800 subscribers, since all it does is identify the VOIP provider.

There is no system/standard for sending the caller's actual number, which may not even be known or knowable, since most of the calls originate from computer equipment connect to the VOIP provider over the Internet - not from the wired or cell phone network.

 

[SRLMJ23]

I’m just going off my own logic here, but I wish carriers could get together and formulate a way to help prohibit these types of calls from incoming or enable some sort type of restriction base to filter scam calls. But being this type of activity is so dynamic, it’s difficult to keep up with all the changes and how scamming has evolved over the last five years.

Do you have AT&T or another provider? If you have AT&T, I highly suggest you download their app which is free. T-Mobile also offers a spam blocking service for free which is basically implemented on a network level, so no app needs to be downloaded. Then you have greedy ass Verizon (so glad I have AT&T for so many reasons) that charge $3.00 for a similar service as T-Mobile that requires no app download as it is implemented on the network itself. Greedy, greedy, greedy! Oh wow! Sprint does the same thing Verizon does and get this for post paid customers it is $2.99/month and for prepaid customers it is $3.00/month! I mean seriously Sprint!?!?! Charge a damn penny more for prepaid customers? That is low!

Here are some links explaining:

Verizon: https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/30/15906800/verizon-anti-spam-robocall-call-blocking-att-t-mobile

Sprint: http://newsroom.sprint.com/sprint-p...f-premium-caller-id-find-out-how-it-works.htm

Edit: Cellular providers need to combine like you said, and do something like the Federal Government did with the Do Not Call List/Registry, which worked/works pretty well. They already have the technology, look at the links above. AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile could easily combine their technologies to create a spam blocking service for FREE. I am still amazed that Sprint charges for it. Verizon did not surprise me as they are one of the most greediest companies around. Shame on them.

Edit #2: I apologize, I got one thing wrong. Verizon does require an app to be downloaded and apparently it sucks. Here is a comment from one of the links I posted:

"From the description on Verizon's website it doesn’t appear the app actually catches and blocks anything, just identifies calls. This makes it even the more outrageous that Verizon would charge $3/month for this when you can use an app like Hiya for free to get the same functionality."

 

[44267547]

Do you have AT&T or another provider? If you have AT&T, I highly suggest you download their app which is free. T-Mobile also offers a spam blocking service for free which is basically implemented on a network level, so no app needs to be downloaded. Then you have greedy ass Verizon (so glad I have AT&T for so many reasons) that charge $3.00 for a similar service as T-Mobile that requires no app download as it is implemented on the network itself. Greedy, greedy, greedy! Oh wow! Sprint does the same thing Verizon does and get this for post paid customers it is $2.99/month and for prepaid customers it is $3.00/month! I mean seriously Sprint!?!?! Charge a damn penny more for prepaid customers? That is low!

Here are some links explaining:

Verizon: https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/30/15906800/verizon-anti-spam-robocall-call-blocking-att-t-mobile

Sprint: http://newsroom.sprint.com/sprint-p...f-premium-caller-id-find-out-how-it-works.htm

Excellent information. Thank you for the links.

 

[SRLMJ23]

Excellent information. Thank you for the links.

You are very much welcome sir!

I would love to know if anyone in this post that has Verizon or Sprint is going to pay the $3.00 for their spam service? I know it is only $3.00, however, that would just infuriate me that you are paying basically for the same thing that AT&T and T-Mobile have, yet both of them give it to their customers! $36.00/year extra, and I bet there is tax on it as well. That is just so wrong, on so many levels.

 

[jtara]

The AT&T free anti-spam service is pretty good. I get very few spam calls. Most are just totally blocked, I get a few that show up as "Telemarketer" and of course I don't answer. There are some misses: they identify calls from AAA as spam. Too aggressive at pitching supplemental life insurance, and other BS?

What it doesn't protect against is the *&^%$! perky-voiced chick that claimed I stayed in one of their resorts (which of course I didn't). They are always random numbers in my local exchange.

 

[csurfr]

The T-Mobile version is pretty decent as well. Most calls just show as “Scam Likely”.

 

[orev]

I find it more “lucky” than possible that the spammers accidentally used a known number in the OP’s contact list. I get spammers all the time that use my area code but never a number in my contact list.
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If you say so but that would be one heck of a coincidence.

It's not really a "heck of a coincidence", it's just luck of the draw, and not actually very lucky at that. There are only 9999 numbers available to spammers, and when calling 1000s of people in that range while selecting another random number within that range, it's very likely they will hit someone who has a contact that matches the spoofed number. It's a variation of the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birthday_problem where you need only 367 people to have 100% chance of finding a match. This would be very likely to happen for someone who has a bunch of friends in their local area setup as contacts.

To be clear, the spammers have NO IDEA that a contact exists in the phone with that number, it just matches up by chance.

 

[Newtons Apple]

It's not really a "heck of a coincidence", it's just luck of the draw, and not actually very lucky at that. There are only 9999 numbers available to spammers, and when calling 1000s of people in that range while selecting another random number within that range, it's very likely they will hit someone who has a contact that matches the spoofed number. It's a variation of the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birthday_problem where you need only 367 people to have 100% chance of finding a match. This would be very likely to happen for someone who has a bunch of friends in their local area setup as contacts.

To be clear, the spammers have NO IDEA that a contact exists in the phone with that number, it just matches up by chance.

Not telling me anything I do not know.

You said:
"heck of a coincidence", "it's just luck of the draw"

Not a lot of difference here . . . . . . .