If your phone has been ringing more than usual with strange calls lately, you are not alone.
Several Austin County residents have reported getting repeated spam calls, sometimes several in one day. Many of the calls appear to come from local or familiar-looking phone numbers.
The problem is that the number showing on your phone may be fake.

Scammers Can Fake the Number You See

This is called caller ID spoofing.
It simply means scammers can make almost any phone number they want show up on your Caller ID. They often use a number with a local area code because you are more likely to answer a call that looks like it came from someone nearby. They can even make a call look like it came from a real business, government office or another person in the community.

So remember: Just because the number looks local doesn’t mean the caller is local.

What If You Call the Number Back?

Some residents have tried calling these numbers back and heard a recording saying the number is “unallocated” or not in service.
That is another clue that the number you saw on your phone may have been fake.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) says a call cannot actually come from an unallocated number. Scammers can make one appear on your Caller ID, though.
Sometimes scammers also use real phone numbers that belong to innocent people. If you call one of those numbers back, you may reach someone who has no idea their number is being used.

What Should You Do?

If you don’t recognize the number, you don’t have to answer it. Let the call go to voicemail. If you do answer and something doesn’t sound right, hang up.

Never give an unexpected caller your:
-Bank or credit card information
-Social Security number
-Passwords
-Verification codes
-Other personal information

Be especially careful if someone tells you that you must send money immediately or something bad will happen. Scammers may claim you owe money, that your account has been hacked or even that you are going to be arrested. They want to scare you so you will act before you have time to think. Hang up.

If the caller says they are from your bank, credit card company or another business, find the company’s phone number yourself and call them directly. The same goes for someone claiming to be from a government office or law enforcement agency.

You Can Report the Calls

Spam and scam calls can be reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Complaints about unwanted calls and caller ID spoofing can also be reported to the FCC. If you decide to make a report, write down the number that appeared on your phone and the date and time of the call. Blocking the number may help, but don’t be surprised if another strange number calls later. Scammers can keep changing the numbers they use.

The bottom line is simple:
Don’t trust a phone call just because the number looks local. If something doesn’t sound right, hang up.