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Pretext calling is defined as a deceptive means of obtaining personal information. Pretext callers could possibly contact bank employees, posing as their customers, to access personal account information and status. Information obtained from pretext calling is usually sold to debt collection services, attorneys, and private investigators to use in court proceedings. Identity thieves also engage in pretext calling to obtain personal information to create fraudulent accounts and credit cards.
A pretext (adj: pretextual) is an excuse to do something or say something that is not accurate. Pretexts may be based on a half-truth or developed in the context of a misleading fabrication. Pretexts have been used to conceal the true purpose or rationale behind actions and words. In US law, a pretext usually describes false reasons that hide the true intentions or motivations for a legal action. If a party can establish a prima facie case for the proffered evidence, the opposing party must prove that these reasons were pretextual or false.