Protect Yourself From Telephone Scams
Remember these tips to avoid being a victim of a telephone scam:
Do
- Register your phone number with the
National Do Not Call Registry. You may register online or by calling 1-888-382-1222. If you still receive telemarketing calls after registering, there’s a good chance that the calls are scams.
- Be wary of callers claiming that you’ve won a prize or vacation package.
- Hang up on suspicious phone calls.
- Be cautious of caller ID. Scammers can change the phone number that shows up on your caller ID screen.
This is called “spoofing.”
- Independently research business opportunities, charities, or travel packages that the caller offers.
Don’t
- Don’t give in to pressure to take immediate action.
- Don’t say anything if a caller starts the call asking, “Can you hear me?” This is a common tactic for scammers to record you saying “yes.” Scammers record your “yes” response and use it as proof that you agreed to a purchase or credit card charge.
- Don’t provide your credit card number, bank account information, or other personal information to a caller.
- Don’t send money if a caller tells you to wire money or pay with a prepaid debit card.