Your phone says it's your bank, the police or your grandson. It can be faked.

Posted October 14, 2026. Based only on the FTC and FBI warnings linked below.

What it looks like

Your phone shows your bank's real number, a police department, a government office or a family member's name.
Or a text looks like it's from your bank, a delivery company or a store you use.
The caller or text says there's a problem and you need to act now: confirm your account, pay, or read back a code.
Sometimes the number looks a lot like yours, with the same area code and first digits.

Why it works

The FCC says scammers deliberately fake what shows on your caller ID, so a call can look like it's from a company or government agency you trust, or a local number. The FBI says spoofing can disguise a phone number, an email address or a website, often by changing just one letter or number. Seeing a real number on your screen doesn't prove who is calling.

What to do

Hang up. The FCC says to hang up on unexpected calls asking for personal information, and not to press any buttons to stop the calls.
Call back yourself. Use the number on your statement, the back of your card, or the official website. For family, call the number you already have saved.
Don't answer questions, especially ones you could answer with yes or no. Never give account numbers, your Social Security number, passwords or codes.
Don't tap links in texts you weren't expecting. The FTC says to contact the company using a phone number or website you know is real.
Slow down. The FCC says to be careful when anyone pressures you for information right away.
Report it to the FCC at consumercomplaints.fcc.gov or the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Forward scam texts to 7726 (SPAM).

Text this to someone you love

Heads up: scammers can fake caller ID so a call or text looks like it's from your bank, the police or family. If anyone asks for money, codes or account info, hang up and call back using the number you already have.

Sources

FCC: Caller ID Spoofing https://www.fcc.gov/spoofing
FBI: Spoofing and Phishing https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/common-frauds-and-scams/spoofing-and-phishing
FTC: How to recognize and avoid phishing scams https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams

Step-by-step help: Call shows a real number I trust

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