Prevent Phone Scams

In today’s society it is important for an individual to be aware of their finances and personal information. Many people live their lives day to day not worrying about who their personal information is going out too. With online scams, telephone fraud and identity theft on the rise, Americans need to begin taking all precautions to keep themselves safe. Find out how you can keep you, your family and your credit safe from telephone scammers around the world.

As of April 2003 almost 12 million American citizens have been victimized by identity theft. Unfortunately this number is on the rise. A very popular way to steal personal information is by calling a person and tricking them into giving up their information. Thieves have created clever scams to get victims to believe they are talking to legitimate companies. A few popular way of deceiving people is by calling and telling them they have won an item. An example would be a scammer calling as a retail store employee and telling the victim they have won a gift certificate. The victim is tricked into giving up a bank account number for a processing fee and before they know it their information is in the hands of a criminal.

What to Look For

By taking the time to research who is calling and double checking the information they are giving you it can be very easy to avoid a problem. Thieves have figured out what type of comments and statements get people to react. Here are some examples of what a thief may say:

• You must respond immediately
• There’s no time to contact…
• Do not pass up this opportunity

High pressure statements like these try to get victims to feel like they MUST respond immediately. It is always best to ask questions and find out about the caller. A company trying to help you will have no problem providing answers to your questions. Do your research!

Don’t become a victim

A few additional prevention tips include always asking for information about the offer or business. Always find out who and what company you are talking with. Always get employees information, name and company. Never make quick decisions. Always take your time when making choices. If there is an offer that sounds too good to be true, take
interested. By taking your time in decisions and always doing your research on the caller, you can keep yourself much more protected.

Related:

• Identity theft facts