How to Beat Phone Scams

Phone scams are becoming more and more common, but there are a few things you can do to protect yourself. Let’s look at some techniques scammers use and how you can avoid becoming a victim.

Neighbor spoofing

Neighbor spoofing is a common technique used by phone scammers to make people think that someone is calling from their local business. This technique involves making the caller ID look like it’s coming from a neighbor’s house, pharmacy, or dry cleaner. The trick is to pique someone’s interest enough to answer the phone.

Neighbor spoofing can be a dangerous phone scam. The Federal Communications Commission warns consumers against answering the phone to unknown callers. While some of these callers may be legitimate, many are scam artists trying to steal personal information or sell products. They use neighbor spoofing to phish for information, and some may pretend to be a credit card company or bank.

Neighbor spoofing uses a number that is close to your neighbors’ zip code. This makes it appear like a call is coming from a friend, a business, or even a government service. These bogus callers will also use your local area code to make the call seem more genuine.

Caller ID

The first step in preventing phone scams is knowing how to spot them. If you notice a strange number on your caller ID, it may be a scammer trying to steal your sensitive information. You might be tempted to give the number back if you think it’s an important call, but you may only play into their hands.

When you get a phone call from someone pretending to be a bank or other official organization, check the number. If you see a number that is unfamiliar, hang up immediately. If you suspect it is a scam, file a complaint and block the number. Don’t give any personal information over the phone.

Besides blocking the number, you can also set your phone to automatically reject calls with this number. By blocking the number from your phone, you can avoid scam calls altogether. You can also choose to receive notifications about unknown calls. This way, you will know about their location before answering them.

Phone Lookup

If you want to know more about a number that is calling you, use a phone lookup. This will give you the name and address of the person or organization behind the number. You can also see if there have been any complaints filed against them.

A reverse phone lookup is a valuable tool in the fight against phone scams. It can help you identify unknown numbers and avoid giving out personal information to scammers.

Do Not Call Registry

The best way to fight back against phone scams is to sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry. By signing up for this free service, you can stop telemarketers from calling you. The Federal Trade Commission maintains the registry, and is available to anyone in the United States.

The Do Not Call Registry will not stop all phone scams, but it will reduce the number of calls you receive. It is a valuable tool in the fight against unwanted calls.

Text message scams

If you receive suspicious text messages from unknown numbers, do not respond. These messages often contain malware or links that can steal your personal information. You can check your monthly phone bill to see if any suspicious text messages are being sent to your number. If they are, you can contact your phone provider. Many phone providers are aware of the scams that can occur and can help you to avoid them. You can also avoid giving out your mobile number on public websites or in contests.

Another scam method involves sending text messages through an unscrupulous carrier. Scammers usually use wholesale carriers who sell access to the same phone system as your actual carrier. AT&T and Verizon are two examples, but anyone can set up their own carrier in the US phone system. These scammers can send texts as if they were any other type of text message, so they need to find a weak link in the chain-the carrier that is willing to take money from sketchy texters.

A legitimate organization will never ask for your financial information through text. The same goes for bank-related scams. Those scammers use fake numbers and fake accounts to get your personal information.

AT&T Call Protect app

If you’re worried about getting phone scams, AT&T Call Protect can help. The app can filter incoming calls and texts to block scammers. Moreover, it will notify law enforcement if the number is a suspected robocall. The app is available for free on iOS and Android. However, the paid version offers additional security features.

This app works with AT&T’s HD Voice network. It automatically starts monitoring incoming calls and will block any spam or fraudulent numbers before they even get to your phone. Moreover, you can easily review all your activity from the home page of the app. You can also report suspicious numbers so that the app can recognize them as spam and block them from contacting you again.

Conclusion

Phone scams are a serious problem, but there are steps you can take to protect yourself. With these tools, you can help protect yourself from phone scams.