Financial scams can happen any time. Use this guide to have conversations with family and friends about how to proactively protect against scams through texts and calls
(UN)Official Caller
What would you do if you get a call that appears to be from your bank, law enforcement or a company you may know and you are asked to send money or provide sensitive information?
Have This Conversation:
Don’t answer unless you are expecting a call. If an organization is making a legitimate call, such as your bank, law enforcement or insurance company, they will usually contact you via mail and/or leave a voice mail. Numbers displayed on your device may be spoofed to make you think the call is coming from a legitimate source. If it appears to be legitimate, look up the company’s number to verify that you are calling the correct organization. Scammers may provide a phone number for you to call back, but these numbers will be routed to an imposter’s call center. Don’t provide sensitive information such as your social security number or bank account information, unless you have confirmed you are speaking to a legitimate company. You can find the organization’s contact information by looking it up on the company’s official website. Never provide your passcode or access codes to anyone. Do not send money to anyone you do not know personally. Scammers may ask you to provide cash, gift cards, access to your bank account, send or invest in cryptocurrency, or use a peer-to-peer payment app. These are red flags that you are being scammed.
What to Do:
Saying just a few words such as “yes” or your name gives the scammer enough of a voice sample to impersonate you.
If the caller is a suspected scammer:
- Report the call as junk or spam.
- Block the number.
- Delete the number.
- If you continue to receive spam calls, let your cell phone provider know. They usually will have additional tools to help block and filter these calls.
Unknown Caller
Do you answer calls from numbers you don’t recognize?
Have This Conversation:
Don’t answer a call from a number you don’t know. Answering a call from a scammer could lead to more calls. With artificial intelligence, they could record your voice, then try to impersonate you.
What to Do:
Saying just a few words such as “yes” or your name gives the scammer enough of a voice sample to impersonate you.
If the caller is a suspected scammer:
- Report the call as junk or spam.
- Block the number.
- Delete the number.
- If you continue to receive spam calls, let your cell phone provider know. They usually will have additional tools to help block and filter these calls.
Random Text?
What would you do if you got a text message from someone you don’t know? For example, “When are we meeting for lunch tomorrow?” or “I just got a new phone and lost my contacts. Who is this?” or simply “Hi!” or “Have a great day!”
Have This Conversation:
Don’t respond. Once you send a text back with a message like “Who is this?” or “Sorry, wrong number,” the scammer tries to pull you into a friendly conversation, which is the start of the scam. The conversation is a ruse designed to get you to let down your guard or try to establish an emotional connection so you will be more likely to give the scammer what they want.
What to Do:
Forward the scam text to 7726. The major carriers use this information to report and block similar messages
Additionally:
- Report the call as junk or spam.
- Block the number.
- Delete the number.
- If you continue to receive spam calls, let your cell phone provider know. They usually will have additional tools to help block and filter these calls.
Our Fraud Resource Center has plenty of tips and information you need to be aware of to keep yourself – and your information – safe!
