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And if a government department can adopt it, surely banks, with
all the resources at their disposal, can do so too. We’re calling 23
on all banks to join ‘do not originate’ by the end of the year. Why
it could take years before spoof calls are stamped out There is
a longer-term tool in the fight against malicious number spoof-
ing, called Secure Telephone Identity Revisited (STIR).
The STIR standard will verify that a ‘presentation number’
(the number a call appears to come from) is valid and truthful,
by consulting a database of numbers. Intriguingly, Ofcom is ex-
ploring how blockchain, the technology powering cryptocurren-
cies such as Bitcoin, could be used to create an unhackable
numbering database. Blockchain allows information (such as phone numbers) to be stored in
multiple places simultaneously rather than in one centralised location, so it’s effectively impos-
sible to alter the record. ‘Scammers hijacked my number’ Penny Fisher is a ‘secondary victim’
of number spoofing.
One day she began receiving ‘return’ calls to her landline number from all over the UK,
from concerned individuals claiming they were returning her call, which had in fact been made
by scammers. The problem escalated dramatically, with Penny receiving up to 12 calls in 40
minutes. She’s had to divert all incoming calls to voicemail and record a message explaining
she had been spoofed. Which? would like to see more protection for ‘secondary victims’ such
as Penny. But there is a great deal to do before STIR or a comprehensive numbering database
can be implemented. The UK’s first phone call was made in 1877 and the old copper network
is only today being replaced by fibre, to enable internet-based calls.
All calls will need to be made over the internet, and the old phone network switched off,
for STIR to work – something that’s scheduled for 2025. But, Ofcom believes a partial numbering
database and caller verification could be implemented by ‘some time in 2022’. While we wait,
it’s critically important that the institutions we rely upon use all the resources at their disposal to
fight fraud – including the ‘do not originate’ scheme. So what’s stopping them? How can I protect
myself? If you receive a call claiming to be from your bank, the police, a government department
or some other trusted source, and the caller is requesting personal or banking details, do not
assume it’s genuine.
Calmly put the phone down, and step away for five minutes. This gives you time to think
rationally about what you were told. Check the organisation’s phone number independently –
for example, by looking at a bill, letter or bank statement, or calling 101 for the police in a non-
emergency. Call the organisation using those details to check whether what you’ve been told is
genuine. You can find more information about scams and how to stay safe in our range of guides.
Based on original reporting from Faye Lipson for Which? Money Magazine.
The full investigation appeared in the November 2019 issue. You can try Which? Money
today for just £1 to have our impartial, jargon-free insight delivered to your door every month.
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