Italy has been blocking phone calls with spoofed numbers since November 19, in a bid to cut down on telemarketing spam and scams

https://www.agenzianova.com/en/news/telemarketing-da-domani-attivo-il-filtro-anti-spoofing-anche-per-le-chiamate-dai-numeri-mobili/

by DurangoGango

19 comments

  2. There are some systems in place here in Ireland too that seem to have reduced the volumes. We seem to now be getting mostly calls spoofing +44 or +31 and +33 numbers. The spoofed Irish numbers are not getting through as much.

  3. The way this used to work was that illegal telemarketing operations routed their phone calls through foreign services. Since there was no verification of caller number for incoming foreign calls, they could spoof calling from an Italian number, which people were much more likely to pick up. With the numbers being spoofed, it was useless to block them, and it was much harder for authorities to invesrtigate abusive practices.

    Now Italian phone network operators have implemented a verification system that automatically refuses to route incoming calls from abroad that present with a spoofed Italian number. You can still run an illegal telemarketing operation, but now you’re forced to either use foreign numbers (which people tend to ignore), or use legitimate Italian numbers, which people can block and authorities can quickly connect to a registered owner.

  4. Finland has started to to that some time ago. It massively reduced the calls and then even the attempts because they started to notice it wasn’t working. All countries should block these calls.

  8. Since today, I started receving calls from foreign numbers instead of spoofed local mobile numbers. Got 3 so far today.

  9. How is this not a no-brainer? What reason could there be *not* to block those?

  11. Nice. Even if it doesn’t stop it, it should help.
    I’ve even gotten calls from people saying I called them, I didn’t, it was probably a scam call randomizing a spoof number and my number was drawn.
    Quite awkward calls

  12. It’s getting insane in Portugal!!! I am so sick of it!!

  13. The US isn’t allowed to have that because gigantic corporate telemarketer campaign contributions?

  16. I received one supposedly from Netherlands today. I typically never answer them but I was waiting for a call from Belgium so I took the bait 🙄🙄

    Telemarketing is supposed to become illegal altogether in France next year but I know damn well it won’t make these spam calls stop

  18. UK just announced they’re (finally) going to be block spoofed caller ID…. but only from international calls.

    10 second fix but nobody does it because spam /scams are PAYING the telcos to make the calls.

  19. Y’know – i’ve just realised i haven’t had a spoofed/scam call in the last 3 months now.

    Before this, i’d be getting one a week or so.

    I still get the occasional SMS that Customs have a parcel, or that i’m due a Tax rebate – but honestly – the scam calls, especially the foreign ones – are way, way, way down in occurrence.

Comments are closed.