Never give out passwords full credit card numbers
Posted: Mon May 26, 2025 4:26 am
One-Ring Scams (Wangiri Fraud): You receive a call that rings only once from an unknown international or premium-rate number. The goal is to entice you to call back, leading to hefty charges on your phone bill, with the scammer receiving a cut of the revenue.
Tech Support Scams: Scammers call, claiming to be from a well-known tech company (like Microsoft or Apple), stating your computer has a virus. They then try to persuade you to grant them remote access to your device or pay for unnecessary "repairs" or software, often by requesting gift cards or wire transfers.
Grandparent Scams/Emergency Scams: Fraudsters call, often dataset from a spoofed number, pretending to be a relative in distress (e.g., "Your grandchild is in jail and needs bail money") and pressuring you to send money quickly, often via non-traceable methods like wire transfers or gift cards.
How to Respond and Protect Yourself:
Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Calls If you receive an unexpected call, especially one demanding immediate action or personal information, be suspicious.
Verify Legitimacy: If a caller claims to be from a company or government agency, hang up immediately. Then, use an official "phone number details" (from their website or a trusted statement) to call them back and verify the claim. Do NOT use any number provided by the suspicious caller.
Never Share Sensitive Information: (including CVV), bank account PINs, or your full SSN over the phone unless you initiated the call and have fully verified the recipient.
Set Up a Mobile Account PIN: Contact your mobile carrier and set up a strong PIN or password on your account that must be verified for any changes, especially SIM card transfers.
Register for "Do Not Call" Lists: Sign up for national "Do Not Call" registries to reduce unwanted telemarketing calls.
Report Scams: Report suspicious calls to your mobile carrier, relevant government authorities (e.g., consumer protection agencies), and law enforcement.
Tech Support Scams: Scammers call, claiming to be from a well-known tech company (like Microsoft or Apple), stating your computer has a virus. They then try to persuade you to grant them remote access to your device or pay for unnecessary "repairs" or software, often by requesting gift cards or wire transfers.
Grandparent Scams/Emergency Scams: Fraudsters call, often dataset from a spoofed number, pretending to be a relative in distress (e.g., "Your grandchild is in jail and needs bail money") and pressuring you to send money quickly, often via non-traceable methods like wire transfers or gift cards.
How to Respond and Protect Yourself:
Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Calls If you receive an unexpected call, especially one demanding immediate action or personal information, be suspicious.
Verify Legitimacy: If a caller claims to be from a company or government agency, hang up immediately. Then, use an official "phone number details" (from their website or a trusted statement) to call them back and verify the claim. Do NOT use any number provided by the suspicious caller.
Never Share Sensitive Information: (including CVV), bank account PINs, or your full SSN over the phone unless you initiated the call and have fully verified the recipient.
Set Up a Mobile Account PIN: Contact your mobile carrier and set up a strong PIN or password on your account that must be verified for any changes, especially SIM card transfers.
Register for "Do Not Call" Lists: Sign up for national "Do Not Call" registries to reduce unwanted telemarketing calls.
Report Scams: Report suspicious calls to your mobile carrier, relevant government authorities (e.g., consumer protection agencies), and law enforcement.