Fake number, real damage: Europol urges action against caller ID spoofing

Europol is calling for a coordinated European response to tackle caller ID spoofing, an increasingly common tool, used for online fraud and social engineering scams.

Caller ID spoofing occurs when criminals falsify the information displayed on phones, making numbers appear legitimate to deceive victims. This practice is driving substantial financial and societal harm, with an estimated EUR 850 million lost worldwide each year.

Phone calls and text messages remain the primary entry point for these scams, representing roughly 64% of reported cases. By hiding their true identities and locations, criminals trick victims into revealing personal information, transferring funds, or granting access to devices and accounts, making it extremely difficult for law enforcement to trace and prosecute them.

Read more at Europol