Another scam is rearing its head in the area, and people can be particularly susceptible to it because the number on your caller ID displays appears to a local 427 number.
A local senior, who preferred not to be named, said she received a call the other day, which she called “threatening”. After requesting personal information and making threats, it said press one to speak to an RCMP constable.
At that point, the senior became suspicious and hung up the phone.
“It really threw me because the number was local,” she said. “It was a very threatening call. I knew enough to hang up, but maybe not everybody will.”
Making the number appear local is known as Caller ID spoofing, according the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission.
• The Caller ID may be altered to match the first 6-digits of your telephone number so that it looks like a local call, perhaps from a neighbour in your area, also known as ‘neighbouring.’
• The Caller ID may display your own telephone number, also known as ‘mirroring.’
• The Caller ID may display the number of another individual and/or organization (i.e., pose as a recognizable brand).
Robocall technology needs just a few numbers to spot the pattern and generate thousands of numbers from the same area code. Fraudsters use automated dialers to make hundreds of spoofed calls to that area.
Your best bet is to avoid answering calls from numbers you don’t recognize, even if they appear to be local, says the Better Business Bureau.
And remember, no legitimate agency, including police or Canadian or provincial governments, will call you and ask for personal information.
