What are the differences between spoofing and phishing?

Spoofing is a technique used to falsify data, such as email addresses or phone numbers, to impersonate trusted sources. Phishing is a specific type of attack that can use spoofing to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information, often through fraudulent emails or messages designed to steal credentials or financial data.

What happens when you are spoofed?

If your details are spoofed, attackers may impersonate you to deceive others, potentially leading to fraudulent activities carried out under your name. This form of identity theft is very hard to prevent but can result in long-term legal and reputational damage.

Not all forms of spoofing are illegal; it depends on the intent and context. Legal spoofing could include faking your location to view another streaming library, or arranging a holiday meet-up ahead of time via a dating app. However, these actions may violate platforms’ terms of service and could result in account suspension or termination.

How do you tell if your phone number is spoofed?

If your phone number is spoofed, you may notice strange calls from unknown numbers claiming to be you, or people reporting missed calls from your number without your involvement. Additionally, if your number appears in scam reports or call-blocking apps, it’s a sign your number may be misused in spoofing.

What is spoofing? How to protect yourself with 12 different examples

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Get powerful spoofing protection

Install Norton 360 Deluxe to help block unsafe links, defend against scams, and keep your personal information safe.

Get it now

Get powerful spoofing protection

Install Norton 360 Deluxe to help block unsafe links, defend against scams, and keep your personal information safe.

Get it now

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