Have you already fallen victim to a phone scam? Click here for some tips on what to do next.
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Tips to avoid becoming a victim of a phone scam The best way to avoid falling victim to a phone scam, is don't share anything with a caller. Be suspicious and don't trust that the caller is who they say they are. If you are being pressured into making a quick decision, STOP. THINK. Scammers often use fear and intimidation to get you to let your guard down. Don't let it happen.
But my Caller ID says... It doesn't matter. Caller ID is easily manipulated. If you've seen some of my other web pages, you know that I occasionally make silly prank calls. I can make any number I want appear on caller ID using a technology called number spoofing. If you think it may be a legitimate caller, lookup the number to the person or company you need to reach and call them yourself.
Large companies do not care enough about you to personally call or email you when something is wrong. Such messages are a scam and should be ignored.
It's not Microsoft on the line. A common phone scam is when somebody calls pretending to be Microsoft and says your computer has a virus. They will them try to gain remote access to your computer and show you a bunch of nonsense and try to trick you. Sometimes they try to install a virus, other times they want to steal your data or financial information. Don't let them in. Just hang up. If you see a pop-up saying your computer is
infected, call this number. Don't. It's a scam, but you should scan
your computer for viruses and malware.
MalwareBytes
Social Security is not calling you. If Social Security needs to get in touch, they will send you a letter via USPS. They do not call, and anyone saying your SSN has been suspended for fraud or something similar is a scammer. Hang-up immediately. Don't share anything.
The IRS is not calling, you are not going to jail. Another common scam is somebody claiming to be with the Internal Revenue Service calls to let you know you owe taxes, and a warrant for your arrest has been issued. But you can pay it now over the phone with a gift card or wire transfer. STOP. This is a scam. The IRS communicates by mail. They do not call. iTunes Gift Cards are not used to pay taxes and you should NEVER, EVER wire money to a stranger. Hang up immediately.
Your family member is not in jail, and there is no flat tire. Some scammers will try to trick you into thinking a friend or loved one is in serious trouble and needs money to bail them out. Stop. Think. Hang-up and call your loved one directly if you are concerned. Do not give the caller any information.
Your car does not need an extended warranty. A scam that is going around a lot these days is a recording saying your car's extended warranty has expired and you need to protect yourself from huge repair bills with a new warranty. Stop. This is a scam, yes, car repairs are expensive, but this isn't the solution. It's an attempt to steal your money. Just hang-up.
A side note: as far as your car goes, just take care of it with regular oil changes, check your fluids, tire pressure, and repair things as they break. All cars get old and all cards eventually need repairs. It's part of owning a vehicle. Read your owners manual for more info on how to maintain your car and minimize repairs.
Don't press buttons. "Hi this is Rachel with cardholder services..." "Hi, this is your final notice to reinstate your cars extended warranty... press 1 to be connected or press 2 to be put on the do not call list..." Sound familiar? Don't press buttons, even if it says you will be removed from their list. All this does is confirm that your number is real and you will get even more calls. Just hang-up.
This page was created on Saturday December 4, 2021 and was last updated on Wednesday, November 08, 2023. ©2015-2021 Matthew Furman
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Have you fallen victim to a phone scam? Click here for some tips on what to do next. To return to Telemarketer 101 homepage click here. To return to the Furman Computers Support Site, click here.
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and your Anti-Virus software are two scans you need to run. Do both,
Malware and Viruses are similar but different. 