Caller ID

Although caller ID spoofing started out several years ago, it wasn't as well known as it is today. Still fairly unfamiliar with most people, it is becoming much more widely used. Supporters praise its use, others question its purpose.For those new to the expression "caller ID spoofing," it refers to the act of manipulating what is seen on a call display unit. When a user places a call, instead of blocking their phone number or revealing their real one, they can choose to have any number they wish show up.

Companies such as SpoofTel have been providing this service for years to a variety of individuals including celebrities and VIPs, professionals, law enforcement, and regular people who simply prefer to hide their number.Celebrities and VIPs use it to disguise their number when calling even people they know, just in case someone's phone was ever lost with their number listed in the caller ID. Regular people use it for responding to ads or returning calls to people they don't know. In some cases, caller ID spoofing can be absolutely necessary.

A lot of people have questioned whether caller ID spoofing could be used illegally. The service itself is in fact perfectly legal and most caller ID spoofing providers work towards preventing malicious use of their service. Most claim that they will even work with law enforcement when necessary. As a society that is, for a large part, working and living through the internet, we are cautious of some of what we come across. However, it seems that caller ID spoofing can do more for protecting our privacy than it can towards harming us in any way.