Ring Ring, Hello, I'm You!

How much can someone with ill intent find out about you by listening to all your voice mails? A criminal just might be able to piece together enough information to start stalking, extort, or blackmail just by listening to your phone voice mails. How? Simple, the $5.00 SpoofCard app which spoofs (impersonates) any phone number the user wants. Once that user gets your phone number, he will simply dial your number, by spoofing your number with the app, once your phone answers, the dialer presses * or #, and your voice mails will start playing.

SpoofCard screenshots on iPhone and Windows phone

                   

The app will trick the phone carrier into believing that that the phone call is coming from your phone and access your voice mails. (See how this app can be used to stalk someone in the CYBERSTALKING post, Dec 13).

Now how do you protect yourself from this type of privacy invasion? Simple, change your phone voice mail preferences and setting up a strong password or PIN.

AT&T

1.  Press and hold 1 to call into the voice mail system from your wireless device.

2.  Press * to skip to the main menu.

3.  Press 4 for personal options.

4.  Press 2 for administrative options.

5.  Press 1 for password options.

6.  Press 1 to turn password on or off.

7.  Press 2 to turn password on.

When prompted, enter your four- to 15-digit password, then press the # key.

Sprint

1.  Access your voice mail account from your Sprint phone.

2.  Once in the main menu, choose "change personal options."

3.  Next, choose "administrative options."

4.  You will hear "skip passcode is currently turned on." To turn it off, follow the prompts.

5.  The passcode you originally created will be played to you. Be sure to remember it, as you will need to enter it to gain access to your voice mail in the future.

T-Mobile

To turn off/on your voice mail password security, follow these steps:

1.  Call your voice mailbox from your mobile phone by pressing and holding the 1 key or by dialing 123.

2.  Once you arrive at your voice mailbox, press the * key to ensure you are in the main menu area.

3.  To access the password security menu, press the 5 key.

4.  To toggle your password on or off, press the 2 key.

Verizon

Verizon is the one major cell carrier in the U.S. that requires you enter your PIN every time you access your voice mail. In fact, you have to jump through a little hoop if you want things set differently. So odds are, if you're a Verizon customer, you're already safe from this kind of an attack on your voice mail.

Change your default PIN

But, you're only as safe as your personal identification number. If you've never set up a PIN for your voice mail account, you might have a default one, and anyone could dial in from any number, use the default PIN, set up a new password thereby locking you out of your own voicemail account. They’ll be able to listen to your listen to your messages, but you won’t. To keep your voice mail private, you should set up a PIN or change your default PIN as soon as you can. Avoid using birthdates, addresses, or any other number associated with you.

Talk Safety.