WILMINGTON, NC -- You know who you are, but technology makes it easy for people to be you.
Scammers just need a few keystrokes to cover up their number and make it look like it's your name and your number calling. Spoofing is a real thing. But now, there's a twist. And it's not just making you a victim once, but twice.
For example, this call was on Guy Prosper’s answering machine: "Yeah you better not be returning my call and you better not call me anymore. I'm sick and tired of this. Quit wasting your time and my time. Goodbye."
In all of his 85 years, this is a first for Guy. He and his wife have received many messages like this in the last three months. You see the couple says scammers spoofed their number, made scam calls, And now angry people are calling the couple back to respond to the scam.
"We are not responsible for all of these please return the call."
The couple says some callers have gone so far as to threaten them. "I feel sorry for them but with them getting so angry, I'm starting to feel a lot sorrier for me than for them."
Prosper says the constant threats make him and his wife fearful and they've taken some precautions. "Mainly we contacted the sheriff’s department and they're aware of what's going on. So hopefully we bolt our doors and keep all the doors locked especially at night, you know?"
Prosper says he is worried about others affected by spoofing and hopes no one is impacted by it like he was.
"I worry about other people who aren't, you know, don't have the mental stability and it probably bothers them.”