Telephone scam calls are on the rise. Every day, people unknowingly give out their personal information to these scammers. These scammers are good at what they do, and they can trick people into providing their sensitive information. The information is then used to access your online accounts, banking, and can result in identity theft and financial loss.
Phone scammers invent different types of elaborate and convincing plans to try and scare you or earn your trust. The goal of a phone scam, or “vishing” call, is to steal from you.
What is Vishing?
Vishing, or voice phishing, is a type of phishing scam where the caller impersonates a legitimate company or business. The caller tries to lure you in, claiming that you have an outstanding invoice due or credit on file. During these calls, scammers try to collect or fish for your personal information, banking and credit card details, and even passwords.
Tips
- Be suspicious of any unknown callers. If you don’t know the number, it’s okay to let the call go to your voicemail.
- Don’t trust the caller idea. If the phone number looks familiar or local, it doesn’t mean that the call is coming from your area.
- Ask the caller to identify themselves or the company they work for to see if they are legitimate.
- As a rule, you should avoid giving personal or financial information over the phone, especially if you didn’t initiate the phone call.
- If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t believe anyone saying you’ve won a prize, have a credit on your account, or a work-from-home job offer.
- If the caller claims you have a debt that you need to pay immediately, don’t believe them. Remember, there are certain laws and regulations in place that give you the right to receive written verification.
- If you receive any scam calls, notify the company and be sure to report the caller to the Federal Trade Commission.
Don’t be afraid to hang up if something about the call seems suspicious. If they’re trying to steal your information, all phone manners go out the door. Hang up and call that business directly to confirm the status of your account, or if you have any questions regarding the phone call. If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from a business and they are requesting any kind of personal information, do NOT give out any of your information.
If you have any questions about this type of scam, please give call us at 401-762-0660.