Phone scams are not a new phenomenon. We have been talking about it for many years and yet many people around the world still fall into the trap. Lack of vigilance, and fear of missing an important call – some people are more likely than others to be victims of a scam. It is therefore worth reminding you today of the various scams in place in order to avoid falling into the trap.
In this guide, we will look into the different types of phone scams and how to stop these types of calls once and for all.
The experts and governments yearly recommend tips that are aimed at warning about modalities implemented by opportunists who seek to take advantage of defenseless situations. In addition, contact channels to make complaints have been created.
In this sense, it is worth noting that, in general, older adults are the people who are deceived in imaginary situations involving family members.
The strategy is based on calls to landlines and, to a lesser extent, to cell phones. Even these calls are usually made in the early hours of the morning with the intention of taking the person off-guard. In this way, it is easier to confuse and play with emotions.
The most recurrent forms of deception to which citizens should pay attention are:
– Supposed kidnapping of relatives.
– Family member requesting bank details to access an account.
– Presumed police officer reporting the accident of a family member.
– Supposed health personnel who request data to issue vaccination shifts against the coronavirus.
– Supposed banking executive offering promotions for a limited time.
– Supposed operator of a company that communicates to notify that you won a prize.
The different types of phone scams:
When it comes to scams, malicious people are not lacking in imagination. Let’s take a look at the scams you may face every day, on your landline or mobile phone.
– The ping call: A number you don’t know calls you. You pick up, but the caller hangs up. The objective is to make you think that you missed the call and to encourage you to call back the number that is displayed. However, this number is surcharged.
– The false call: A person contacts you pretending to be a community, a well-known company, etc. It will lead you to entrust it with confidential information (account number, identifiers, credit card number, etc.) to use later and steal your identity.
– The worrying call: Someone calls you saying they have a problem and hangs up. In a rush, you don’t wonder who it is and you remember the number. Again, this will be a premium rate number.
– SPAM by SMS: You receive an SMS telling you that you have won a contest and asking you to call the number indicated. Does the message indicate that you are the victim of fraud or that there is a problem with your telephone line and that you must call back urgently? There is a good chance that this number will be overtaxed.
– A virus by SMS: You receive an SMS with a link. Clicking on it is a major risk, that of seeing a virus getting into your smartphone in order to allow access to all your data.
How to stop or avoid phone scams?
While anyone can be the target of such phone scams, there are practical things to do to avoid falling victim to them.
– Never call back a number that called you or left you an SMS and that you do not know. Assume that if it’s an important call, you’ll be left with a message.
– Never click on a link in an SMS if you do not know the sender.
– Never give out any contact details over the phone. Your bank, Social Security, medical office – no one asks you for information by phone for the simple reason that they already have it.
– Do not rely on the phone number: Today, malicious people manage to buy fake phone numbers, making you believe that they are numbers 01, 02, 03, 04, or 05. Despite the number you see displayed, the call can come from anywhere.
– Consult a reverse search directory if you have any doubts about the number displayed.
It is also possible to file a complaint, even if it is unlikely to succeed given the number of telephone scams that exist and because of the location abroad of the people who call most of the time.
Some other suggestions:
– Cut the call if the person you are talking to is not known.
– Don’t share your personal details or any information with the unknown caller. It is advised to look the number up on Nuwber to see who it really belongs to. This site uncovers home and email addresses, social links, family details, social links, and much more.
– If possible, prevent children from answering the phone.
– If you identify yourself as a family member, friend or neighbor, hang up and call that person to confirm that it is true.
– Have a code word between family, friends, or neighbors to recognize each other at the time of a phone call.
– Be careful with the personal information that is published on social networks. They serve to facilitate criminal actions.
– If it is a bank promotion of any kind, contact the bank or the company directly to investigate.
Regarding digital electronic media, it is recommended to:
– Block access to the cell phone with a lock code, a PIN, or a biometric mechanism.
– Regularly update the applications and the mobile operating system to have the latest security updates.
– Never install apps outside of the Play Store or App Store as they cannot be guaranteed to be legitimate.
– Do not use the same password for different accounts, especially if they are high-risk accounts such as banking or commercial services.
– Do not disclose passwords under any circumstances, even if they are requested through phone calls that appear to be genuine.
– Do not use personal information such as birthdays or anniversaries, vehicle registration, pet’s name, addresses, or any data that can be obtained by a fraudster.
In case of receiving a suspicious call or perceiving any action that is strange, or unusual in relation to the aforementioned, the complaint must be made at any of your nearest police stations.
