Consumer Alert

Beware of Call Spoofing Scams

The Consumer Protection Unit of the Alaska Attorney General’s Office warns Alaskans that call spoofing may be on the rise in Alaska.  Caller ID spoofing occurs when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity.

Both robocallers and live scammers use neighbor spoofing, which displays a phone number with a 907 area code even though the scammer is calling from outside Alaska or even outside the United States.  The scammers are hoping that when you see a local number on your caller ID you will be more likely to answer your phone and to provide personal information.

A robocall trying that is seeking to sell something to the recipient is illegal unless a company has the recipient’s written permission to make robocalls.  If you receive illegal robocalls or live scam calls, you should hang up and report the call to the FTC.  Reports can be made at ftc.gov/complaint. For more information on how to combat robocalls and other telephonic scams, you can visit ftc.gov/calls.

Consumer Protection Unit
June 2019