Scammers will pretend to be anyone! You might get a call, text, or email from someone saying they are from the government, your work, your cable company, even a close friend! Spoofing phone numbers to make incoming calls and texts look official is easy for scammers. Make sure you can verify the identity of the caller before you give any personal information away. If in doubt, hang up and call a known phone number of the organization to confirm if the call was legitimate.
Most of us have had a call where we're told there's a virus on our computer, a warrant out for our arrest, or that we owe someone money. Like the impersonation scams, the easiest way to determine whether these calls are legitimate are to hang up and call a known and verified phone number. Be aware of organizations preferred method of communication. Most will let customers know that they will send letters before calls, never ask for information over the phone, etc.
On the flip-side, some scammers will try and catch you by claiming you've won some sort of prize. If you haven't entered into any kind of sweepstakes or raffle, be suspicious! If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
A tell-tale sign that something is a scam is a sense of urgency. You might be pressured not to hang up, or to take immediate action or else you might lose your car, house, or be arrested! Don't fall for these scams. The perpetrators are trying to get you panicked so you will act without thinking and give them what they want.
Of course, a scammer will out-right ask for money. They will insist cryptocurrency payment, a wire, or payment through an app like CashApp or Venmo. You may even be sent a check for you to cash and then send the money. However, these checks are fraudulent, and after you send the money, the check will be discovered as fake and you've just sent your own money to the scammer!
While scammers have been getting more and more creative in their attempts, there are a few key things to remember that can help you avoid falling victim to their schemes.
Make sure to block unwanted calls and texts. Many smartphones these days also have spam filters so these communications don't even show up in your inbox! If you do get on the phone with someone you don't know, make sure ot never give out your personal or sensitive information. Legitimate organizations won't call and ask for this over the phone, through text, or through email. If you think a communication you got is real, it's best to reach out to the company or person directly using a phone that is verified or through their official website.
Take a beat to think, and don't let scammers pressure you into acting quickly. You can also recognize scammers by the ways they will try and ask you to pay. Cryptocurrency, wire transfers, payment apps, gift cards, and check deposits are all signs that you are talking to a scammer.
To report a scam, you can go to the Federal Trade Commission.
