In 2025, phone number spoofing remains one of the most commonly used methods of fraud. Spoofing, also known as caller ID falsification, involves impersonating someone else’s phone number (Subscriber A) to make a phone call to another person (Subscriber B). As a result, both parties may suffer damage. Subscriber B, the victim, is misled about the identity of the caller. Meanwhile, Subscriber A becomes an unwitting tool in the scam, as their number is used by the perpetrator, who drags them into the attack.

How Can Criminals Call Using Someone Else’s Number?

Surprisingly, this type of attack doesn’t require advanced hacking skills. To initiate such a call, all it takes is access to one of many spoofing services available online. For obvious reasons, we won’t name these websites, but the process is incredibly simple. For a small fee, you enter the number of the person you want to call and the number you want to appear as the caller. Then you simply click “connect” — and that’s it.

Yes, it really is that easy. What’s more, some of these services allow anonymous payments and IP address masking. This means that even if law enforcement identifies the spoofing service provider, tracking down the actual perpetrator can still be very difficult.

And with the use of artificial intelligence, fraudsters can now create even more convincing scenarios and cause real confusion.

Where Do Scammers Get Phone Numbers From?

Cybercriminals often search the internet for phone numbers, copying them from websites and public contact pages. It’s also important to stay alert on social media platforms, where fraudsters can collect numbers from public profiles and posts. That’s why you should always carefully consider where and to whom you make your contact information available.

How to Protect Yourself from Phone Spoofing

To defend yourself against spoofing:

• Never share sensitive information, passwords, or authentication codes with anyone.
• Don’t trust the caller ID displayed on your phone — it can be easily manipulated.
• If something feels suspicious, hang up and verify the caller’s identity. Call back using a known number or contact the institution directly through its official channels.
• If it’s someone close to you, call them back using their saved contact and confirm the situation.
• Do not download or install software just because someone on the phone asks you to — this could give them remote access to your device.
• Watch out for suspicious behavior, such as vague messages, strange requests, language errors, or a pressuring tone.

Avoid clicking on unknown links sent via suspicious text messages or emails. These may install malware or trick you into giving away confidential information.