Fed up with Caller Id Spoofing

It's definitely frustrating, and you're not alone. Our team sees 'spoofing storms' like this all the time, where these fraudulent callers rotate through blocks of numbers (i.e. ___-___-5567, 5568, 5569, etc.) for a while before moving on to the next block of numbers to avoid detection. While changing your number is always an option, our network team often advises a wait and see approach for 2-3 weeks if possible. If you change your number now, there's a small chance your new number could've been spoofed by someone last week.

Since you've already done the right thing by reporting this to the CAFC (Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre), here's a few other things you can do:

- Update your voicemail: Set a temporary greeting, including something like 'If you're calling because you missed a call from this number, please be aware that my number has been spoofed, I didn't call you.'  This usually de-escalates those angry 'callbacks' before they even happen.

- Enable TELUS Call Control: You can learn more at www.telus.com/callcontrol and turn this on in your My TELUS settings. It forces callers to enter a random digit to connect the call. While it doesn't stop people from seeing your number on their Caller ID, it drastically reduces the volume of bot-driven interactions on your end.

Lastly, if someone does threaten police action, feel free to give them your RCMP file number. Fraudsters rely on anonymity. Once this person realizes you're not responsible, it usually calms things down. If it's just too much, change your number. But if you can hold the line for a few more weeks with a descriptive voicemail and Call Control, this spoofing storm will likely pass as the scammers move to their next target.