Crooks seem to keep coming up with new and creative ways to separate people from their hard-earned money. Whether in good economic times or bad, there are steps you can take to reduce the likelihood that you’ll be a victim.
Don’t answer the phone
Maybe I should phrase this as don’t answer the phone if you don’t know who is calling. This is a change from days past when people answered every call and honestly thought it rude not to pick up the phone. However, you now have voice mail and caller ID. Anyone who really wants to talk to you – and not try to sell you something – will leave a message. Most people who are trying to cheat you will simply go on to the next number.
And if the phone only rings once, don’t let curiosity cause you to call it back. Even though it may show a number from your area code (they are banking on your thinking it’s a neighbor because the numbers are so similar), it could be someone overseas. When you call back you might end up paying for per-minute fees.
If you do answer…
Get all the information. Ask the person who is calling you their name and ID number, company name, phone number, website address, email address, etc. Crooks will give you fake information, but that will be easy to verify once you’re off the phone. Never go forward with any transaction without checking out the organization.
Give out none. If someone calls and asks is this Bob Bernard, simply ask them who they are calling, even if you’re Bob. Never give out your address, banking information, date of birth, or Social Security number in response to an unexpected request. There’s no reason to be rude, but there’s every reason to be firm.
Never use the phone menu. The call may have a recorded menu – to talk to an operator press 1, or to have your name removed press 2. Don’t do it. Simply hang up. Often crooks are using these menus to see if your number is live and will follow up with even more solicitations.
Talk to someone on a trusted line
No matter how they contacted you, find a number you can call them back on and talk to them using that trusted number. If your bank calls and says we’re concerned about someone using your credit card overseas, call them back using either a local number or the number on your credit card. If ABZ Prize Co calls, look for them online or in the Better Business Bureau (they usually have contact information). While you’re there, read their reviews.
Don’t allow someone to overpay
One scam I hear about quite often is a con artist will meet you to buy something and present a check that is written for more than the agreed-upon price. You may think you’re safe because they apparently have so much in the account that they are able to give you a check for this larger amount. (Never forget you can write a check for any amount.) If you agree to deposit it and refund them the difference, you may initially believe everything is proper. But banks can take weeks to determine if a check is good. When you find out the check was fake, not only have you lost the item you were selling, but you’re out the extra money you gave them.
Never EVER buy gift cards as a means of payment
I don’t understand why people are willing to buy gift cards on demand. Has a police officer ever asked you for $500 in gift cards to bail out your uncle or pay your traffic ticket? Has your boss ever said to pay a vendor with gift cards? No legitimate company should ask you to pay with gift cards. Once you give the scammers those numbers from the gift cards, you’re just holding worthless plastic.
Even trusted email and websites can be spoofed
I keep up with our neighborhood on social media. Lots of dogs running loose and yard sales. However, about a month ago one post caught my eye. A person had received an email from their church asking for gift cards for a special fundraiser. This person said she was ready to hit the store when something made her stop. She called the church and found out it was bogus. Yet the email address appeared to be from the church.
Crooks are easily able to spoof email and websites. They will often send links to websites they created (perhaps WelsFargo vs WellsFargo). Unless you read them closely, you may end up entering your sign-on or other personal information in an illegitimate site, providing this information to the scammers.
Never pay upfront for winning
You’ve won a weekend for two at the beach or a big-screen TV. All that’s required is for you to pay an administrative fee or maybe shipping and handling. A prize means you don’t have to pay. If you do, they are either covering the cost of the “prize” with the payment – so what you’ll get will be practically worthless – or they are just scamming you. Don’t pay upfront for any prize.
Take a minute
Perhaps the best thing you can do is slow down. If Uncle Joe’s really in jail and you need to bail him out, taking five minutes to call Aunt Betty won’t matter. If your credit card was used in Honduras, finding the last bill and calling the number on that bill to verify isn’t going to cause you any more grief.
But also question why they are calling. Why is someone contacting you at this moment for that specific need? Would the government really call every American family to make sure they had the right Social Security number for a stimulus check? So why are they calling you?
If you’re nervous and need an answer, that’s okay. Find a trusted number and call to verify. If you can’t find a trusted number, call a trusted friend or family member and tell them what you’ve heard. And consider doing a fraud search online to see if others have received similar calls.
Photo by JP Valery