Caller ID: Do You Really Know Who's Calling?

KingFishKingFish
edited August 2004 in Science & Tech
This week, a company is launching technology that will make it possible for someone to choose what appears on phones that have Caller ID, the feature for displaying identifying information about an incoming call.
It could be a different phone number, or even a few words, said Jason Jepson, founder of Star38, which has developed the commercial Caller ID spoofing service. Sales of Star38 will be limited to licensed private investigators and collection agencies, Jepson said. The service will cost $20 a month plus airtime charges. The technique for replacing the usual bits of identifying information, such as phone number and name, that accompany inbound calls was discovered a few years ago by hackers. Privacy advocates fear that in the wrong hands, commercial services have the potential to be abused. For instance, telemarketers could use technologies similar to Star38's to trick people into answering a call that looks like a familiar phone number.
Limited to private investigators? Yeah, right! If there's a buck to be made you can bet anyone can get their hands on it. -KF

Source: c|net

Comments

  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    And pretty soon the phone company will be able to add an 'anti-caller-ID-spoofing' service, and get more money from us.
  • JimboraeJimborae Newbury, Berks, UK New
    edited August 2004
    Yes I know exactly who's calling me when I'm at work. ;)
  • NecropolisNecropolis Hawarden, Wales Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    Jimborae wrote:
    Yes I know exactly who's calling me when I'm at work. ;)

    We all cant work for vodafone ;)
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited August 2004
    So I can call somebody as "Farmington Hills Police"?
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