Popular phone scams
Phone scams are one of the most common forms of scams today. Fraudsters use various schemes to trick people into getting access to their money and personal information. In this article, we will look at 10 popular phone scams.
1. Internet banking, bank technical support, pretending to be bank representatives, scammers call customers and ask to confirm personal data, such as an account number or password. Never provide your personal data over the phone, if necessary, real representatives of the bank may ask you to confirm your identity without resorting to disclosing personal data over the phone.
2. Installing antivirus software (software) is very common in the list of scammers. In this approach, they will carefully and convincingly explain to you that your computer is infected with a virus that, without installing the necessary software, will erase personal data or write off money, block access to a personal computer, and so on. When installing the "antivirus" itself, they may be asked to provide remote access to the desktop. We kindly ask you not to install programs from any people, even acquaintances, because they may be hacked, and your communication is conducted directly with the attacker.
3. Offer of a job, in this scheme you receive a call from the personnel department of a large company. They may ask you to pay for tuition or for registering on the site, but after paying you may never get a job.
4. "I'm in trouble, help!". In this scheme, you are told that your relative is in trouble and needs money to pay hospital bills or ransom after being kidnapped. Before sending money, always try to make sure that it was your relative who contacted you. In case of "kidnapping", it is better to go to the police.
5. You won the lottery or contest! They may ask you to pay for taxes or shipping the prize, but once you pay, you will never receive your winnings.
6. An offer of a loan or a loan, during which you send money to process the application.
7. Fraudsters may call and pose as employees of government organizations such as the tax office or the police. This is followed by blackmail, the tax office knocks out some unpaid tax from you, and the police, first intimidating you with the criminal code, which they themselves do not know, offer to resolve the issue "peacefully". Remember, real police authorities, if they have a reason, will contact you with a subpoena, whether you are a witness or a suspect.
8. Investment offer, in large companies that show great promise or are leading in the market. If you want to play as an investor, it is better to contact official brokers and follow their advice.
9. Lawyer offering help for a small fee. In this matter, it is better to turn to the search and find a specialist with reviews.
10. Security personnel, as well as technical support, have access to your personal information and may contact you to confirm any action you have taken in the system. But, if their question concerns your personal data in an unkind way or it looks like: "code from sms", "your favorite color" and so on, of course, these are scammers.
In conclusion, phone scams are a serious problem that can lead to loss of money as well as personal information. Be careful not to share your personal information over the phone with strangers. If you receive suspicious calls, report it to the police or your bank's security team.
