Q: With all of the scams out there today, I’m almost afraid to take care of personal business over the phone. I don’t know who to trust. How do I know when someone is trying to take advantage of me?
Answer: It’s true there are many different types of phone scams, and unfortunately, scammers have figured out countless ways to cheat people out of their money.
In some scams, the caller tries to make the person who answers the phone feel afraid or cause them to panic and act quickly while in others they act friendly and seem very helpful.
Sometimes the scammer even impersonates a government agency, utility company or legitimate organization that the person has done business with before. They may even use a technique called “spoofing” to make a number that you recognize and trust appear on the caller ID. This can certainly create a challenge when you are trying to handle personal affairs over the phone, but all is not lost.
Knowing what to watch for, how to prevent scams, and what to do if you fall victim to a scammer can help minimize your risk of loss.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, a call may be a phone scam if:
• The caller asks for sensitive information like a Social Security number, mother’s maiden name, passwords or other identifying information. Always be cautious about giving out personal information over the phone, even if the caller says that they work for the IRS or Social Security Administration.
