pretexting
n.— «Another method is “pretexting,” in which the data broker or investigator pretends to be the cell phone account holder and persuades the carrier’s employees to release the information.» —“Online Data Gets Personal: Cell Phone Records for Sale” by Jonathan Krim Washington Post July 7, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when people disagreed over the best word to use when answering the phone. Alexander Graham Bell suggested answering with ahoy! but Thomas Edison was partial to hello! A fascinating new book about...