How Number Spoofing Works

Number spoofing (or caller ID spoofing) is when a scammer disguises their phone number to make it appear as though the call is coming from a trusted source — like your bank, a government office, or even a family member's number.

This is why you might receive a call that shows your bank's official number on your screen, yet it is actually a scammer on the other end. The technology to do this is widely available and inexpensive.

In the Philippines, spoofed numbers are commonly used in government impersonation scams (fake NBI, BIR, or SSS calls) and bank fraud attempts. The spoofed number makes the call seem legitimate.

To protect yourself: never trust caller ID alone to verify identity. If someone claims to be from your bank, hang up and call the official number yourself. Legitimate organizations will not mind if you verify their identity first.