New robocall deception plaguing spouses

'Spouse spoofing' becoming more common

It’s the latest twist in telephone’s version of “Catfish.”

Call it “spouse spoofing.”

“We could have our cellphones side by side, and it could ring at any given time,” John Markham said. “And

it could say ‘Aileen’s cell' or 'John’s cell.’”

There are many variations of the so-called spoofing con game.

Neighborhood spoofing uses a number with your area code so you’ll trust the number behind the call and answer.

“It’s kind of scary to me that they have so much power,” Aileen Markham said. 

“This was just from the home phone, and it’s like 30 calls in 10 days.”

John and Aileen Markham’s unofficial tally sheet confirms a steady wave of such robocalls that have been placed to their home line and their cellphone numbers.

They said the spouse spoofing started in late November, with a message never being left.

“Everybody hates robocalls,” Aileen Markham said. “How can they make any money off of this thing?”

Alex Quilici, with YouMail Inc., said spoofing appears to just be getting started across the nation.

“The only thing I’ve always been worried about with spoofing is that they’re going to be able to spoof your contacts because that’s when you’re going to pick up the phone,” Quilici said. 

One way to be sure a call really is from your spouse is to wait for them to leave a message, then call them back.