Phone scam & caller ID terms, in plain English

Caller ID

The name and number your phone shows when someone calls. The number is reported by the caller's own equipment and the name is typed in by whoever controls the number — which is why both can be faked for free.

Caller ID spoofing

Faking the name or number that shows on someone's phone when you call them. Cheap internet calling services let anyone do it in minutes, which is why the number on your screen is never proof of who's really calling. More on this →

Neighbor spoofing

A scam trick where the caller fakes a number with your own area code and prefix so the call looks local — like a neighbor, a school, or your doctor's office. It exists purely to get you to pick up. More on this →

CNAM (caller ID name)

The 15-character name that can appear with a phone number — like a person's name or a business name. It comes from a database controlled by whoever owns the number, not verified by anyone, so treat it as a label, not an identity.

Carrier (voice provider)

The phone company that actually services a number and routes its calls. Unlike the caller ID name, the carrier is recorded in the phone network's own routing system — a caller can't fake it. More on this →

Line type

Whether a number is a mobile phone, a traditional landline, or an internet (VoIP) line. Line type is a strong scam signal: a caller claiming to be your bank while calling from a disposable internet line doesn't add up. More on this →

VoIP number

A phone number that works over the internet instead of a phone line or cell tower. VoIP numbers are legitimate technology, but because they're cheap, instant to create, and disposable, they're also the number type behind most phone scams. More on this →

Robocall

An automated call that plays a recorded message the moment you answer. Americans received over 52 billion robocalls in 2024; operations behind them rotate through thousands of numbers, which is why blocking one number rarely helps. More on this →

"Scam Likely" label

A warning your carrier stamps on calls its automated analytics believe are scams. It's a statistical guess, not a verdict — it labels rather than blocks, misses brand-new scam numbers, and sometimes flags legitimate high-volume callers like pharmacies. More on this →

Porting (port-out)

Moving a phone number from one carrier to another — what happens when you switch phone companies and keep your number. An unexpected port of YOUR number is serious: it can mean a criminal moved it to their own carrier to intercept your calls and texts.

SIM swap

A scam where a criminal takes over your phone number — by tricking your carrier or porting the number away — so your calls and login codes go to them. It's how attackers break into bank and email accounts protected by text-message codes.

Text-enablement

Turning on text messaging for a number through a separate internet provider — which can be done to a landline or toll-free number, and in the worst case to a number you own, without you realizing. The provider that carries a number's texts isn't always the one that carries its calls.

Toll-free number

An 800/833/844/855/866/877/888 number that's free for the caller. Toll-free numbers belong to businesses, never to an individual's cell phone — so a 'personal' call from one is a red flag by definition.

Reverse phone lookup

Looking up a phone number to learn what's behind it — the servicing carrier, line type, caller ID name, and spam reports. A live lookup reads the phone network at the moment you ask; a cheap one reads a stale database copy. More on this →