Re : Rogers Cell Phone Numbers being used in Spoofing (telemarketing)

[kyleheney]

Hi,

Over the past couple months, I've been receiving calls that appear to be coming from a local Rogers cell phone number. The difference, though, is that the numbers appear in my call display as oddly spaced phone numbers (for example, instead of 613-123-4567, the number appears as 61-312-34567. The problem is that the numbers that are appearing are ACTUAL Rogers cell phone numbers when you delete the spaces. If you try to call back the number that calls, you're directed to the actual cell phone number that is in the call display because the phone deletes the spaces when completing the call.

This has also happened with my own number - - someone has "called me back" asking why I'm calling them. My call log is blank and I don't know this person. The same thing has happened to my wife - - someone called her this morning saying that she received a call from my wife's number 9 times this morning... my wife's call log is blank and she doesn't know this person.

I don't know what, if anything, can be done, but it seems like a telemarketer is using Rogers cell phone numbers in a spoof attack so that their number remains hidden (and the call display doesn't recognized the spaced out number, even though it belongs to an actual user when you removed the spaces).

I'm going to try to *69 the number next time I receive the call. When the calls are actually picked up, it is a recorded message on the other line from a hotel chain or a cruise line, etc. The usual.

***edited labels***

[kyleheney]

Didn't realize this was a french forum... please move to appropriate location so this actually gets read/seen by someone who can take action.

Thank you

[Datalink · Accepted solution]

What you are experiencing is Phone Number Spoofing. Unfortunately, in Canada that appears to be allowed. Its illegal in the U.S. but not in Canada. Someone can correct me if I’m wrong. Doing a quick search, here’s a few interesting tidbits on the subject:

U.S. FCC regulations: (for interests sake) https://www.fcc.gov/guides/caller-id-and-spoofing

https://www.dslreports.com/forum/r28499337-Homephone-call-id-spoofing-and-contact-phishing

From the above DSLreports page comes the following:

1. Spoofing caller id is very easy with VoIP and Asterisk. Some VoIP providers will let you specify any Caller ID because larger companies or businesses need this to be enabled for legitimate needs using IP PBXes like Asterisk.
2. There are two numbers carried with the setup information for every call - the Caller ID information and the ANI information. The former is used for display purposes, the latter for billing. They don't always match.
3. CRTC Privacy Regulations specifically prohibit disclosure of the ANI.
4. The calling party / calling party telco is responsible for the caller ID and ANI ifo. The receiving party / telco has only the info provided by the calling party / calling party telco has no way to validate the info it is provided.

Only solution is to change the laws in Canada so that spoofing telephone numbers is outlawed and comes with a very hefty fine or jail time. Although there may be legitimate reasons to do this, too many people abuse this ability, and the CRTC allows them to hide behind false phone numbers. The CRTC also prevents companies that can determine the real phone numbers from operating in Canada. 

The best thing to do is lodge a complaint with the CRTC. The more complaints received, the greater the public pressure to do something about it. Also, send a complaint to your local MP. Here is the starting point for the CRTC:

https://services.crtc.gc.ca/pub/rapidsccm/Default-Defaut.aspx?lang=E

If you run a google search for “Phone Number Spoofing Canada” and “Phone Number Spoofing Canada legislation” you will see numerous results come up. There doesn’t appear to be much else one can do beside lodge a complaint with the CRTC and possibly the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre:

http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/english/reportit-howtoreportfraud.html

Personally, if I was getting repeat calls from telemarketing spoofers, or from people calling me to compain that I had called them when I obviously had not, I would lodge a complaint with the CRTC and my MP for every call I received. Bookmark the CRTC page and use it for every call. 

Sorry I can’t be of more assistance.

[Gdkitty]

Its like spam email.. you can put all the laws you want.. but places will find a way around them.

Yes, laws could be made to stop the broadcasting of un owned DIDs.. but unfortunately, that only stops people in CANADA.
It wont stop from outsourcing to another country to do the calling.. where the laws dont exist 😞

Blocking yes you can block that one number.. but it really doesnt do much.. usually they  rotate the numbers almost every call.. so they are not likely to call you again with that number 😞

[RogersAsif]

Hi Guys + @kyleheney

Just wanted to chime in as I receive these "spoofed" calls as well.

We take this issue very seriously. It’s something that affects everyone across the industry.

Spoofing refers to a spam call or text that’s sent by a third party, using technology to make it look like it came from a customer’s phone by changing the calling line identification. Call or text spoofing is an issue that affects customers across the industry. All wireline, wireless, and VoIP-based phone lines are affected.

If you receives a call with a spoofed calling line ID (e.g. “you have won a free cruise!”) the best thing to do is to hang up.

You can visit the CRTC's information page on Telemarketing/Spoofing here. It contains information regarding the process on reporting Caller ID spoofing.

RogersAsif

[jimboden]

I find it really strange that spoofing has not been banned in Canada. It's very similar to email spoofing, where a spammer/scammer can send out phishing emails which look like they were sent from your email address.

[OLDYELLR]

Laws passed in Canada can only be enforced in Canada. Most telemarketing calls originate off shore, the Wild West. Even if such a law existed, it would be as effective as the original Do Not Call List, which, as I've long suspected, is used by the bad guys to harvest prospects.

[davidj]

Hi RogersAsif,

You say that Rogers is taking this seriously, but I'm receiving spoofed calls regularly, and they suck up my calling credit. They are mostly from spoofed Rogers numbers similar to my own (250-667-xxxx). When I call the number it usually says the wireless number isn't in service, so it would be possible for Rogers to prevent this spoofing from fake Rogers numbers.

David

[OLDYELLR]

The spoofing telemarketers are off-shore, so beyond the reach of our laws or anything Rogers can do.  I don't think I've had one of those calls on my cellphone because it's only on when I need it. I see quite a few on my landline and they don't cost me even if I answer them.  Nevertheless, it would be nice if Rogers could identify them and stop them, just like your ISP stops most spam, since it comprises over 70% of all emails sent.

[RogersArthur]

Good day @davidj,

Thank you for your post!

We understand the inconveniences of this situation, I also receive these types of calls where my call display indicates the call is from a local number in my area. We are working with the CRTC and other federal enforcement agencies to investigate what can be done about call spoofing.

You can visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre's information page on Phishing scams here. Or CRTC's information page on Telemarketing/Spoofing here, they both contains information on Caller ID spoofing.

Hope this helps

RogersArthur

[Gdkitty]

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@OLDYELLR wrote:

The spoofing telemarketers are off-shore, so beyond the reach of our laws or anything Rogers can do.  I don't think I've had one of those calls on my cellphone because it's only on when I need it. I see quite a few on my landline and they don't cost me even if I answer them.  Nevertheless, it would be nice if Rogers could identify them and stop them, just like your ISP stops most spam, since it comprises over 70% of all emails sent.

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Problem is the ways that PHONE and EMAIL are scanned are very different.

Email spam is much easier to filter.. most of it is filtered it by scanning the CONTENT of it. 

Same cant be done for a phone call. 😞

Not sure, but i dont BELEIVE that there is a way to diferentiate if the CID comming through is one that is original or modified..

makes it that much more difficult 😞

[JohhnyRockets]

I actually think that now someone is spoofing the Rogers 1-888-764-3771 phone number. I received a call today from that number from someone who could hardly speak English. They asked me if I was aware of new special Rogers promotions. That is when I hung up. First, are they not aware of the great deal we have with Rogers until the fall of 2016? Secondly, are they not aware of the fact that we have chosen to opt-out of all of Rogers telemarketing calls by having our marketing permissions up-to-date? Or is this feature totally ineffective?

[OLDYELLR]

@JohhnyRockets, spoofing the Rogers number would be a brilliant ploy for telemarketers and if that happens often enough, it should get Rogers attention for sure. However, it could have been a legitimate call From Rogers to random customers irrespective of their individual plans.

[mdmenzel]

About once a week, I get a robot phone call from someone claiming to be either WestJet, Air Canada, or Expedia.  They use someone else's local cell number as a mask (I presume it is a Rogers cell, as it has the same prefix as my cell number).  WestJet informs me this is a scam, so I presume the calls claiming to be from the other two are also a scam.  Is there any way I can inform Rogers about these fraudulent calls?

[Gdkitty]

If you look at the 5th post on this thread, there is a link that @RogersAsif posted about reporting to the CRTC..
Nothing really to report to rogers though.

A) its really not going to make a difference.. most of these people that are doing it, can enter ANY number they want... could be all 0000000000 even there is no restriction.

B) you cant gauge a number being one carrier or not really anymore.  One carrier may start off with a block of number, but since you are now able to port a number back and forth between any carrier.. they could be anywhere.

[OLDYELLR]

I'm sure it's something that can be detected and stopped if enough resources were put into it. (Just yesterday I got a call displayed as from a local number, but it was a some telemarketer posing as Air Canada.)  For landlines it's just an annoyance, but for cellphones it costs customers money. The fact that carriers make money from this traffic means they have no incentive to stop it.

[ryanC63AMG]

I don't feel like they are taking this seriously.  I called into rogers and the customer service rep said there's nothing you can do about it, it's just something you'll have to deal with and the calls will eventually stop.  WHEN?! When I finally block every single number?!  Very frustrating!!!! 

[OLDYELLR]

You have to realize that email spam bloats the system and earns no revenue, so ISPs actively try to limit it. Phone spam, in this day and age of migration from landlines to cellphones, is revenue for the phone companies. Another analogy is snailmail. We receive more junk mail than legitimate mail, but Canada Post gets paid to deliver it, albeit not 85 cents a crack. (Wow, has it ever gone up since I last sent a letter!) In fact, junk mail is a significant portion of Canada Post's revenue.

[joemart]

Today, for the second time in the last month or so, I've received a call on my Home Phone from my own number. At least, that's what it looked like, according to the Call display on the TV screen and the phone's Caller ID list. I could not resist the temptation to see who was calling and why, but there was no one at the other end, only a click.

Has anyone else noticed something like this happening? It’s almost like those spam emails when they use your email address to make it look like you’ve sent it.

I wonder if there is a way to find out who is using my number/making it look like it.

Could this get me into trouble because of the Do Not Call law?

[OLDYELLR]

I haven't seen my own number spoofed, only numbers using my area code and exchange. That's very common now to trick people into answering, thinking it might be a neighbour.  As for that "Do Not Call List", that was an absolute failure. Only telemarketers within Canada could be fined for abusing it. However, all telemarketers had access to it and would harvest the numbers. I'm sure I saw an increase in telemarketer calls after I added my number to the list.

[OLDYELLR]

Okay, I just now saw my own number calling me on my landline. Clearly, I wasn't calling myself, so I just cancelled it. Not a very smart telemarketer, but maybe it was just random.

There used to be a way to call your own number just to see if it was working or to use your phones as an intercom.  Now my cordless phones have an intercom function.