How to know if your phone is stolen?

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Scammers have several methods to defraud honest people of their hard-earned money. One of the most common methods is identity theft. For those who don't know, identity theft involves deliberately falsifying the information displayed on your calling number, displaying a local number or business instead of the actual caller.

We have encountered some of these scammers and we know how to deal with them. If you have never faced this situation, you probably cannot tell if your phone is being spoofed or recognize a spoofed call. This article explains how to tell if your phone is being spoofed, what steps you can take to stop it, and how to unmask the scammer.

How to know if your phone is stolen?

Your number is likely being spoofed if you receive messages or calls in response to conversations you were never involved in or if people call and text you asking who you are. Receiving these calls or messages from numbers you've never contacted is a major sign that your phone is being spoofed.

Another way to know if your phone is being spoofed is to receive calls from your phone number. You will probably be scared at first, but this is just a scammer spoofing your number and not a ghost. Another sign that your phone is being spoofed is when people tell you they saw your number on Truecaller.

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My phone number is stolen, what can I do?

If you can determine if your phone is being spoofed, here are some steps you can take to protect yourself:

  • Set a voicemail password or change it if you already have one. If your phone is spoofed, the scammer likely has access to your voicemail.
  • Improve your call security settings
  • Get an app to prevent unknown numbers from calling your phone.
  • Contact your mobile operator. He may be able to help you resolve this issue.
  • Check your phone bill. Theft of your number could be a sign of identity theft. So check that everything is okay on your invoices and telephone reports.
  • You can wait a few weeks to see if the theft stops.
  • Add a new voicemail message. Just let people know that your phone is being spoofed and they should block your number. This will make your number less desirable to the scammer(s).
  • File a complaint with the FCC
  • Get a new number – if all else fails

    • Unfortunately, there is no real way to stop scammers from spoofing your number. These are just a few steps you can take, hopefully they will work. Once you know if your phone is spoofed, you can try the steps above.

    Also Read: How to Stop Spam Messages from Different Numbers?

    How do I stop someone from stealing my phone number?

    To prevent someone from spoofing your phone number, you can try using an app that blocks calls from unknown callers. One such app is ‘SHOULD I ANSWER’. After getting the app, you should also edit your voicemail message to politely let people know that your phone is being spoofed and that they should block your number from receiving calls. The app will direct unknown callers directly to your voicemail, where they will hear the new message you set. This reduces the number of people the scammer can call using your phone number.

    Also Read: Why am I receiving unsolicited text messages?

    Can you unmask a spoofed caller ID?

    No, you cannot unmask a spoofed caller ID. Spoofed calls look exactly like normal calls, making them impossible to unmask. Trying to identify the scammer who is stealing your phone would take a lot of time and effort that might amount to nothing in the end. Here are some common methods you can try:

  • Google the phone number, this might help you identify the real owner of the number.
  • When the scam call comes, answer it, then call the number on another phone. If they're busy, they're probably not a scammer.
  • If you receive scam calls from a company, research that company and call their official number.

    • It is important to be very careful when answering calls from strange numbers. Never give out personal information, do not press any buttons and hang up if you think it is a scam call. Protect yourself and those around you from scammers and identity thieves by sharing your knowledge on how to tell if your phone is being spoofed and how to deal with spoofed calls.

    Read also: How to give a phone number to telemarketers?