SpoofCard Phone Case: Messing With Caller ID Isn't Always Funny

The service has a fun name – SpoofCard – but it can land its users in hot water if they employ it for purposes that aren't funny.

SpoofCard phone case: Messing with caller ID isn't always funny Prosecutors pursue New York case alleging illegal phone tampering via SpoofCard.

(ABC News Photo Illustration)

New Yorker Ali Wise appeared in court in New York City this week on charges stemming from alleged misuse of the SpoofCard service may be the latest case in point. Ms. Wise, a former publicity director for fashion house Dolce & Gabbana, is alleged to have used the service to invade and tamper with the phone accounts of four women who dated her ex-boyfriends.

What's a SpoofCard, Anyway?

It's not really a card, but more of a service. Among other things, it allows you to change the phone number that shows up on someone else's caller ID to be whatever you want it to be. In that way, you can represent yourself to a friend as someone you are not – and pull off a clever practical joke. You can place calls directly from the SpoofCard website, or you can download an application for your cell phone.

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In a SpoofCard use that may be more sinister, however, people can change the caller ID number to match the number they're calling. On some phones, that is enough to be granted access to that number's voicemail.

This is what Wise is alleged to have done. Prosecutors say she checked and even deleted voicemails from the accounts of four women, rivals for the affections of Wise's former boyfriends. She is charged with four counts each of computer trespassing, eavesdropping, computer tampering, and aggravated harassment, plus one count of stalking, according to the New York Post.

How Do Most People Use SpoofCard?

According to testimonials on the SpoofCard website, not-so-nice practical jokes are popular. Most stories aren't G-rated, so we won't reprint them here, but here's one of the less-harmful spoofs:

"Telling my friend who is a licensed plumber that his license has been revoked due to unethical practices. It drove him nuts.... it was [sic] hillarious."

The service also includes a voice-distorter that can disguise the caller's identity or even change the tone of one's voice enough to sound like a different gender. (Imagine the fun guys are having calling their buddies as women.) SpoofCard can also be used to record phone calls.