Believe it or not, phones are still favorite weapons of choice for many schemers around the world looking to swindle some money out of your pocket. Following the constant evolution of modern smartphone technologies, new and creative phone scams can nowadays literally cost you your entire life savings.
This comprehensive guide will teach you how to recognize the most common phone scams and avoid serious consequences. We will cover both landline and mobile frauds, so the next time you receive a dubious phone call, you will know exactly what (not) to do.
Landline Phone Scams
The most likely targets of these frauds are people over 50 who still use landline phones as their primary mode of communication. To protect your parents or older relatives from falling victim to any fraudulent behaviors, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the most common landline scams at the moment.
Fake Fundraisers & Charities
Every now and then, seniors receive a phone call inviting them to contribute to a local fundraiser for a worthy cause. Once the scammers obtain their target’s financial information, they can basically withdraw any amount of money from the connected accounts.
If your older relatives feel like contributing anyway, they should first call the official number of the said organization and check if the aforementioned fundraising campaign even exists. The FBI recommends requesting some form of written material concerning the charity, but this can be easily faked as well.
You can also check the official website and phone number of the organization since most scammers do not go to extreme lengths to make their stories completely airtight. However, the only way to make sure nothing malicious happens is hanging up immediately.
Fake IRS Calls
You can understand how these inspire fear and panic in senior citizens, which is exactly what scammers are aiming for. Con artists have mastered the art of emotional manipulation and they know exactly how to cause a sense of urgency and get people to act without thinking.
Scammers might threaten with deportation or sending the person to jail if they do not act quickly, which is usually more than enough to overwhelm senior citizens and nullify any skepticism they might have about the call.
If the IRS wants to contact you, they will do it by mail. Resorting to threatening emails, text messages, and phone calls is simply not the way the IRS does business. It will also never contact anybody through any social media.
If you want to check your current tax debts, you can always call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 and resolve any potential issues with their operators.
Tech Support Scams
Phone scammers have no problems sounding official and convincing. Therefore, if you receive a call from a “technology service” prompting you to confirm certain information or install the latest updates, just tell them you will call them back and hang up. The most common tech support fraud at the moment involves impersonating Microsoft’s technology staff.
Note that this scam usually includes spoofing official caller ID numbers so you should not rely on this fake legitimacy. Additionally, you should never follow any URLs or phone numbers shared during these conversations.
If you want to check the state of your devices or software, you should call the official number of the company whose services or products you are using.
Mobile Phone Scams
Whether we are in our beds or on the toilet, our smartphones are always with us. Different smartphone apps and programs provide us with unprecedented levels of utility in all areas of life, but they also give con artists a very wide playing ground. In order to prepare you for their attacks and develop an effective game plan from the start, let us go over the most common mobile phone scams.
Subscriber Fraud
This happens when a malicious entity obtains your personal information and starts generating mobile phone accounts in your name. Chances are, they will manage to skyrocket your phone bill before you ever realize something is wrong. After discovery, you will have to go through a painstaking process of proving that you did not create the said account and clearing the incurred debts, which can take even more time.
Cloning
Phone cloning is only possible if a con artist manages to obtain your phone number and the serial number of your device. Once they program a different phone with that information, any charges they incur will go directly to your phone bill.
If you receive a call where a person requests this information, you should definitely ask for credentials and return numbers and check them with your provider. If you suspect your mobile phone has been cloned, you should immediately contact your provider to trace any calls not made by you. Some insurance policies also cover unauthorized phone calls.
Text Scams
Text scams come in many different forms, which makes them extremely difficult to identify. For example, you might receive a text from a friend inviting you to call them back or respond with a text. If you do so, you will be charged a very high rate that increases by the second.
Another common form of text scam involves receiving a fake message from your bank informing you about serious problems with your account and prompting you to call a certain number or visit a website. If you do so, the scammers will be able to obtain your bank account information as well as personal data.
To protect yourself from these scams, you have to pay attention to the numbers you are responding to. If you receive any of these messages, simply call your bank to check your account and find out if the reported problem actually exists or not.
One-Ring Scams
These frauds usually begin with a call from an unknown number that rings once and then stops. Scammers hope that you will call back once you see a missed call on your phone. If you do, you will be charged a hefty connection fee, followed by a very high per-minute rate. These scams predominantly originate from the Caribbean and the usual area codes include 268, 284, 473, 809, and 876.
The bottom line is that if you receive such a call and it only rings once, you should never call back. However, if you do fall victim to this scam, make sure to contact your carrier immediately.
Phone Insurance Scams
These scams usually target people who have just bought a new phone. The caller will claim association with the company that sold you the device and offer some type of phone insurance, usually featuring very attractive rates paired with unrealistic pay-offs.
If you receive such a call, you should request official credentials and a return phone number. Additionally, you should never disclose any identifying or financial information.
Ransomware
When it comes to ransomware, con artists hold your phone “hostage” until you agree to pay the requested ransom. When surfing the web, your phone will suddenly freeze and a pop-up window with an official-looking message will appear. The said message will usually mention some type of legal violation and request a fine in order to restore the functionality of your device.
To prevent this from happening, you should never download any apps outside of your branded app store. Also, avoid entering your bank account and other confidential personal accounts when on public Wi-Fi. These networks are designed with lesser security to allow public access, which makes them extremely vulnerable to hack attacks.
Recorded Message Scams
With these scams, scammers leave voicemails, usually inviting you to call back to claim a certain reward. Of course, there is no prize, but you will incur enormous fees, similar to the ones explained in the one-ring scams. To avoid this, simply do not call back.