Cyber-Bob’s Daily Cyber Safety Tip — #103

“Don’t Trust Caller ID — It Can Lie to You!”

Every day, scammers come up with new tricks — and one of their favorites is caller ID spoofing. 📞😈
That’s when the number that pops up on your phone is completely fake… even if it looks like your bank, Medicare, or your doctor.

Scammers can make a call appear to come from:
✅ Your bank
✅ Social Security
✅ Medicare
✅ Your local area code
✅ Your own phone number (yes, really!)

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🔹 Step 1 — Don’t Trust the Number

If the caller sounds urgent — “your account is frozen,” “you owe money,” “your benefits are suspended” —
STOP.
Urgency is the scammer’s favorite trick.

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🔹 Step 2 — Hang Up (You’re Allowed!)

You don’t need to explain.
You don’t need to argue.
You don’t owe scammers good manners.
Just hang up. 📞✋

Cyber-Bob says: “If your gut says no — end the show.”

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🔹 Step 3 — Call the Real Number

Use the phone number printed on your card or listed on the company’s official website.
If it’s real, they’ll confirm it.
If not —
🎉 Congrats, you just dodged a scammer!

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💬 A Quick Example

You get a call from “Medicare” claiming:

“Your benefits are suspended. Please confirm your Social Security number.”

Sounds official.
Feels official.
But it’s 100% NOT official.

Hang up.
Call the real Medicare number from their website.
That one simple step protects you from identity theft.

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🧠 Try This Now

Open your call history.
See any calls that look “local” but don’t make sense?
Any numbers suspiciously similar to your own?
Any calls from your own number?

That’s caller ID spoofing.
Knowledge is power. 💪

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 Cyber-Bob’s Motto

“If Caller ID looks too perfect — it’s probably pretending.”

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Cyber-Bob — Helping Seniors Outsmart Scammers — One Tip at a Time! 

(I created the prompt, ChatGPT created the information.)