How Do I Fake my Number?
The question, "how do I fake my number or fake caller ID?" although not as commonly asked as "how do I block my number," is becoming more prevalent. This is because faking your number is preferred over blocking your number. Most people will not answer their phone if a blocked number appears on their call display.
Faking your number is what is know as "caller id spoofing," "call display spoofing," or "spoof calling" among others. Caller ID spoofing allows a user to change the number that someone sees on their call display when they place a call to them. Instead of having to block your number or display your real number, you can fake caller ID to have it display anything (such as 555 or 909-444-1234). If I fake my number, I spoof my number.
So why fake my number? Not only does it help to protect my privacy, there are many uses for caller ID spoofing.
Why Fake my Number?
Some reasons why people spoof call display include:
Often, caller id spoofing is mainly used for privacy protection. However, caller ID spoofing is necessary in various situations.
Wikipedia states several "legitimate reasons for modifying the caller ID sent with a call":
- Commercial answering-service bureaus which forward calls back out to a subscriber's cell phone, when both parties would prefer the CNID to display the original caller's information.
- Most calling-card companies display the Caller ID of the calling-card user to the called party.
- Business owners have been known to use Caller ID spoofing to fake caller ID into displaying their business number when calling from outside the office (for example, on a mobile phone).
"My privacy is important. I fake my number so that people I don't know will not see my real one. Caller ID spoofing is really the only answer."
A variety of individuals choose to fake caller ID.
Individuals may use it solely for entertainment (such as calling
friends from strange numbers). Law enforcement or bounty
hunters might fake the number they are calling from in order to get
easier access to criminals or suspects. As well, celebrities
fake caller ID to keep themselves private.