Hello, fellow squirrels. Today, I will be opening the nutshell about Phone Call Scams.
What Are Phone Call Scams?
Phone call scams occur when a scammer pretends to be someone else over the phone in order to trick people into giving away money, personal information, account credentials, or access to their devices. These scamming chipmucks may even use AI to alter their voices and pretend to be a family member or a representative from a trusted organization.
What Types Are There?
There are many different types of phone scams. Here are three common types that I will be covering.
The first type is Government Impersonation Scam. These scammers claim to be from the FTC, IRS, Social Security Administration, FBI, or local law enforcement. They may tell you that you owe money, that your identity has been stolen, or that there is a warrant for your arrest. Their goal is to create a sense of panic so that you act without thinking. The FTC has stated that legitimate government agencies do not call demanding money or instruct people to pay through gift cards, cryptocurrency, cash deliveries, or similar methods.
The second type is Bank Fraud Scam. The scammer claims to be from your bank. They may say that your account has been compromised, suspicious transactions have been detected, or that your debit or credit card is being canceled. They are often fishing for your account credentials, answers to security questions, and multi-factor authentication codes. A legitimate bank generally will not call and ask for your passwords, authentication codes, or answers to security questions.
The third type is Family Emergency Scams. In this scam, the caller impersonates a family member or someone close to you. They may claim they need money because of an accident, arrest, travel issue, or medical emergency. Some scammers may use AI-generated voices or voice cloning to make the call sound more convincing. They rely on panic and emotions to keep you from stopping to verify the story. As squirrels, we should always pause before handing over our acorns.
Spoofing!
One thing we all look at when answering a call is the caller ID. Unfortunately, scammers can spoof phone numbers to make it appear that they are calling from a trusted business, government agency, or even someone you know. Because of this, you should never rely on caller ID alone to determine whether a call is legitimate.
What to Look For!
There are a few warning signs that can help you determine whether a caller may be a scammer:
- Demanding immediate action
- Threatening arrest or penalties
- Claiming there is an emergency that requires immediate payment
- Asking for gift card payments
- Requesting cryptocurrency payments
- Asking for banking information
- Wanting verification codes sent to your phone
- Refusing to let you hang up and call back
How To Stay Safe!
- Hang up and call back. If the caller claims to be from an organization and you suspect a scam, hang up and contact the organization using a trusted phone number that you find yourself, such as the number listed on its official website.
- Never share security codes over the phone. Banks and legitimate companies do not call asking for authentication codes.
- Keep calm during unexpected calls. Scammers rely on creating a sense of urgency so you act before thinking. In reality, very few legitimate situations require an immediate decision.
That’s all for today’s cyber-stuffed nutshell! So, remember in this digital forest, we the squirrels need to stay alert and protect our stash, while chipmunks try to sneak in and swipe it when we are not looking.
Leave a comment