Following the news that Ofcom is investigating ways to stamp out spoofing, a popular tactic by scammers to trick people into thinking a phone call is from a trusted person or organisation, Marijus Briedis, cybersecurity expert at NordVPN, has commented.
Marijus Briedis, a cybersecurity expert at NordVPN, comments: “Spoofing is an absolute menace to the UK public so hopefully Ofcom’s actions will help to nip a wave of phone call scams in the bud.
“By successfully imitating the phone numbers of local businesses, banks or even neighbours, scammers have a foot in the door when it comes to persuading people to answer their call and trust them. The results can be devastating, with some victims losing huge sums or giving away valuable personal information that can lead to more fraud.
“The rise in these attacks in recent years, along with other popular types of fraud like phishing emails, is completely unacceptable. Consumers shouldn’t have to spend their days dodging these scams, and the longer they are allowed to flourish, the harder it is to deter new criminals from trying them out.
“Worryingly, advances in AI technology like voice cloning, which can imitate the sound of relatives, are tailor-made for spoofers to make future scams even more convincing.”
“The closure of the spoofing website iSpoof in November was a positive step by the authorities but other spoofing frauds and gangs are sprouting up all the time.
“Consumers must stay vigilant. Remember the only way to stay safe online and on mobile phones is to refuse to give out personal information to anyone who calls you.”
