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How To: Protect Against Caller ID Spoofing, Spam and Other Unsolicited Calls

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Overview

If you receive calls that you feel are malicious, a nuisance or unsolicited, a good first option is to block the caller’s number directly from your device.

Refer to your device manufacturer’s user guide for detailed steps on how to do this:

We cannot block calls or texts from a specific number. You are your best line of defense when it comes to protecting yourself against incurring additional charges outside of your plan inclusions.

Understand your plan inclusions prior to using your services; you are responsible for all charges associated with your service

CRTC Mandate

As per the CRTC mandate released in December 2018, all Canadian carriers are required to block nuisance calls with blatantly illegitimate Caller ID. For more information, you can refer to the Compliance and Enforcement and Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2018-484 - Implementation of Universal Network-Level Blocking of Calls with Blatantly Illegitimate Caller Identification

As per the CRTC mandate released in November 2021, all Canadian carriers are required to implement STIR/SHAKEN to digitally sign originating calls for easier identification of verified calling parties.

Learn more About: STIR/SHAKEN

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Tips to Protect Yourself

If you are receiving calls, you believe are malicious in nature, you can protect yourself using the tips below:

  1. Avoid answering or calling back unsolicited, unknown numbers.

  2. Identify the STIR/SHAKEN indicator on your device to help avoid spam calls. Learn more About: STIR/SHAKEN

  3. If you have the phone number of the caller, you can contact the police and give them the details.

  4. Do not provide your name or mobile number if you answer the phone.

  5. Let callers identify themselves first and consider rejecting calls where the number is unknown or withheld.

  6. Be careful not to leave your name or alternative contact number on your phone greeting.

  7. Be careful not to post personal information on Internet websites such as social networking sites or forums.

  8. Do not talk to malicious callers or reply to unfamiliar text messages.

  9. Try putting the phone down for a few minutes before ending the call, this may deter callers from continuing the call as they are wasting their time and money.

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We can trace malicious calls for police using the Malicious Call Tracing (MCT) service, free of charge using the steps below:

  1. Immediately following an incoming harassing or threatening call, dial *57 from the Freedom Mobile phone that received the call.

  2. Freedom Mobile will flag the offending phone number (even if it's unknown or withheld) so that it can be shared with authorities upon request.

  3. Contact the police to file a report, informing them that the offending call was flagged. Upon request, we will provide the flagged phone number to police.

  4. If you already have the number of the caller, you can report the incident directly to the police without Malicious Call Tracing (MCT).

  5. If you would like to take immediate action, or the alternatives are not effective, you can change your number directly from My Account at any time.

Learn How To: Change your Phone Number in My Account

IMPORTANT: Picking a new phone number puts your old phone number into quarantine before it is reused, you will not be able to get your old phone number back.

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Spam Text Messages

If you received a spam text message, forward the text to short code 7726 (SPAM).

Customer Care can help confirm if a text message you received was legitimately from Freedom Mobile.

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Nuisance Calls

If the call is a sales or marketing related, rather than a malicious call, you can register with the Do Not Call List.

This can prevent future calls of this nature.

The Do Not Call list is an independent government funded service. Most calls that immediately hang up when answered or silent calls are generated by companies using automated dialers that generate large volumes of calls. These calls aren't intended to be of a malicious nature and it's possible they may eventually contact you again.

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Caller ID Spoofing

Caller ID spoofing /spam may be generated by an unknown caller looking to trigger a certain type of response with potentially unethical intentions. This caller may be using an outbound Caller ID different from the actual number being dialed from.

There are however legitimate purposes for altering the Caller ID information provided when placing a call. 

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FAQs

Don’t see what you’re looking for?

If you don’t see your answer in our FAQ section, we’re here to help. 

Contact us