Cybersecurity researchers warned us that it would happen. Earlier this year, hackers were able to remotely pilfer German bank accounts by taking advantage of vulnerabilities evident in an important yet outdated communications protocol known as Signaling System 7, or SS7.

The inspector general's office in the Department of Homeland Security is warning that identity thieves and fraudsters are spoofing caller ID systems to make it look as if victims are being called from the IG's anonymous tipline.

The Diameter protocol, which replaces the older SS7, can disrupt services to both specific users and nodes that provide access for entire regions.