Islanders face rise in robocall spoofers

Most people are familiar with automated telemarketing calls promoting everything from lower credit card interest rates to computer security, and most recognize that the majority of these are scams. However, the latest rash of "robocalls" plaguing Grand Manan has had some people scratching their heads. Within the past couple of months, residents have been receiving numerous calls with a poor‑quality recording offering a free night at a Marriott hotel or a Westjet discount, and these calls appear to be coming from Grand Manan. People who normally ignore unfamiliar area codes are fooled into picking up "662" calls, which look like Grand Manan cell numbers. Others have found these numbers on their caller‑ID displays and called back only to find the number is not in service. A few people have even received calls apparently from their own numbers.
Telephone number "spoofing" is nothing new. The technology was originally developed for use by law enforcement and collection agency workers. However, it is now the subject of rampant abuse by fraudsters. Computer‑virus scammers and others can disguise their location and real phone numbers through easily accessible Internet‑based services, and this practice has been around for years. Through these services, callers can make up a phone number and name to display on caller ID. But with consumers getting wise to calls from numbers like 000‑000‑0000 or 123‑456‑7890, the most recent tactic is to spoof local cell numbers, or nearly‑identical numbers to the recipients', with only the last digit or two differing. A year ago, CBC News reported this new twist, and this year it has reached Grand Manan.
The calls are difficult to trace, and residents who have complained to Bell Aliant say they've been told there is little the phone company can do. The Canadian Radio‑television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) regulations prohibit the use of phone soliciting via automatic dialling equipment unless that particular consumer has provided express consent to receive such calls from that particular company. The callers are also circumventing the CRTC's Do Not Call list.
Island RCMP constable Joe Roy says the local detachment hasn't heard much about it because such complaints are usually routed by dispatchers to a call center staffed by officers who deal with fraud. He doesn't know of any Grand Mananers who've fallen for the schemes and says that most of the calls are coming from outside Canada. He suggests checking with the phone company if you receive a call from your own number, to ensure there have been no fraudulent charges on it. Contacting Phonebusters and the Canadian Anti‑Fraud Call Centre at 1‑888‑495‑8501 or <www.antifraudcentre.ca> is also recommended. The center is a cooperative venture between the RCMP, Competition Bureau Canada, Ontario Provincial Police and the federal government, and the website provides information on protecting yourself from fraud, identifying suspicious telemarketing calls and reporting scams. "The Little Black Book of Scams," a 36‑page guide to recognizing and avoiding a wide variety of fraudulent schemes, can also be downloaded.
The Better Business Bureau advises recipients of such calls to "hang up, don't press any buttons and... don't call the scammer back." Never provide personal or financial information to unknown callers or apparent businesses if you did not initiate the call.