Growing Number of Users Receiving Spam Group FaceTime Calls

[MacRumors]

As reported by Ars Technica, a significant number of Apple device users are being bombarded with spam group FaceTime calls during late hours of the night from people they've never met.

The spammers, or "pranksters," utilize the fact that Apple doesn't provide a setting to accept FaceTime calls only from people within a user's address book. Apple does allow users to block individual numbers, but doing so does not prevent group FaceTime calls, even if the blocked number is in the call. As explained by Ars Technica, some users have been getting inundated with the group FaceTime calls, and as soon as they hang-up, another call comes in.

As described by one Apple Support forum user, the spam calls have been ongoing non-stop, and as a result, they've blocked more than 300 numbers. Another user describes their experience:

Starting around 2 am this morning I began receiving group FaceTime calls from a mix of numbers in my contacts and random numbers I didn't have saved. Since then I've received about 7 more calls throughout the day. The calls only ring once or twice before ending. What's even more interesting is that, after going back through the numbers involved in the calls in the "recents" tab of the FaceTime app, there were more than the 32 total people involved with the highest being 59. The reason I think this happened is that every number was repeated once or twice.

It seems this is not a new occurrence, with posts dating back as far as March of last year complaining about the issue. Unfortunately, there's no current remedy, but hopefully the growing number of users reportedly being targeted will push Apple to provide a solution. We've reached out to Apple for comment and will update this article if we hear back.

Article Link: Growing Number of Users Receiving Spam Group FaceTime Calls

 

[cashville2400]

Wow, that must be pleasant. Hopefully Apple finds a way to stop it.

 

[yurc]

Apple should only allow FaceTime calls from numbers that on your address list, or add option to block contacts which isn't listed on address list.

 

[centauratlas]

AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile etc need to implement anti-spoofing measures ASAP also. At least with calls though Apple allows you to block unknown numbers. Seems like it should be obvious that this should include FaceTime.

 

[mazz0]

At least with calls though Apple allows you to block unknown numbers. Seems like it should be obvious that this should include FaceTime.

I can’t believe it doesn‘t! What a strange oversight.

 

[slowpoke]

Seems like a cool way to meet new people during the Bunker Era, imo

 

[Zerlina]

looks like the new Omegle ?

 

[Steve121178]

Oh great. Here in the UK we are bombarded with scam calls & SMS every day of the week, now FaceTime?

What a massive oversight by Apple though! Should be restricted to contacts only or at least users should have the option...

 

[ArPe]

After I got invited to **** Clubhouse two people tried to phone me using phone numbers that were almost exactly the same as my phone number. I didn’t answer because I never answer any number that doesn’t exist in my address book.

 

[profets]

Spam FaceTime, calls, text, email, etc is all such a challenging problem.

Spam phone calls alone are such a pain where I am. They’re always just spoofing numbers that are local to your area and you can never really filter them out.

FaceTime seems pretty safe to limit only to people you have saved as contacts. I feel like that could solve the issue for the most part.

 

[jlc1978]

Can you spoof Facetime numbers? If not, it seems tracking down the callers would be straightforward; as well as using their phone number to sign up for various services, or just randomly calling them with their number spoofed.

 

[mazz0]

They’re always just spoofing numbers that are local to your area and you can never really filter them out.

You can filter unknown callers, for normal calls.

 

[Captain Trips]

You can filter unknown callers, for normal calls.

Or don't answer the phone and wait and see if the caller leaves a voicemail - then you can tell if that number you don't recognize has anything of value to say.

And I do get the spoofed numbers for my local area. Clear sign it is a telemarketer / scammer.

I love the calls where the voice has a robotic tone. Like, that (robotic voice tone) was probably "high tech" back in the 1980s, but now?

To get back on topic to the main article, it would nice if for FaceTime that Apple can implement something like "only accept calls from people in my address book" and "filter / block calls when a blocked number is in the group" as people have already suggested.

 

[DanTSX]

Nobody even fake facetimes me ?

 

[LeadingHeat]

It’s been said over and over in this forum already, but yes there should be a filter setting to only allow calls from contacts by default, similar to airdrop only accepting from contacts. (Lewd photos randomly being requested to be sent to me was common in highschool/college, just a mass airdrop attempt to anyone nearby).

FaceTime routes through Apple’s servers, no? This should be a very easy server-side fix.

I personally have never had this happen before, but if MR is posting about it, it must be common enough to be a problem.

 

[mikhaelj]

I've had this happen to me but not facetime group. regular 1-1 FaceTime. I think its due to me getting a number that was recycled recently and released for usage. I get these random calls that ignore. same concept apple needs to allow only FaceTime from users in address book.

 

[Razorpit]

So we now know an iOS 14.6 feature.

 

[ian87w]

Does Apple provide a way to report and block the numbers doing the spam calls? Should be easy on Apple's side, no?

 

[and 1989 others]

looks like the new Omegle ?

What is OP?

 

[sockdoggy]

This is why we can’t have nice things...

 

[billk711]

Oh great. Here in the UK we are bombarded with scam calls & SMS every day of the week, now FaceTime?

What a massive oversight by Apple though! Should be restricted to contacts only or at least users should have the option...

So you are upset before being bombarded with FaceTime calls, that's normal

 

[smoking monkey]

Can you remove your phone number as a way of contact for Facetime and just use your Apple ID???

 

[JosephAW]

Whenever I answer an unknown number and it’s a real person I speak in a foreign language or either Russian or Mandarin. Only one call switched to Mandarin to try to tell me I had a package from DHL, the rest just hang up.

 

[esposimi]

People still leave their phones on overnight?

 

[CarbonCrew]

Apple uses Caller Verification Services. You can see it in your call logs. What boggles the mind is that Apple does not use it to filter calls. Blocking unverified numbers would be a huge help.