Scammers Get Real
Scammers Get Real
There seems to be a rise of scammers, especially during the pandemic, who have become more cunning and, therefore, more dangerous. From phone calls with company names that show up on caller ID to official-looking emails designed with logos and button links, it’s hard to tell what’s real anymore.
So, how can you handle these sophisticated scammers?
Here are suggestions on how you can do just that.
If a number pops up on your cell phone that you don’t know, don’t answer. If the call is legitimate, they’ll leave a message. When you call back, if they are scammers, they’ll eventually get around to asking for sensitive information. Remember, these bad actors have no moral compass, and who knows what they’ll do with your information?
Debt relief scams, by phone or email, prey on desperate people who got trapped in a debt cycle. There are consequences that can have you trying to manage debt, increase your credit score, and, on the extreme side, rescue your identity.
One of the hot-button issues in our country right now is student loan forgiveness. With predatory lending having come on the scene years ago, students and parents often fall into the trap of these scammers and can lose large amounts of money.
Another few things to pay attention to:
Your bank, phone company, and creditors, among others, will not call you and ask for your sensitive information. If you get one of these calls, hang up and call your bank, etc. to confirm the correspondence is legitimate.
Check envelopes you receive for actually paid postage instead of ‘bulk’ postage. Some of them are mass-produced mailings that can have hidden agendas.
Talk to the young people in your life about what you’ve learned in this article, as the age range most susceptible to fraud is now younger people – people in their 20s.
Now this article is not to scare you but to inform you. The best path to information safety starts with education on what scammers want and do. We encourage you to check your accounts daily to ensure nothing odd is happening.
It’s a safe bet to say that scammers aren’t going anywhere. So, be aware, and reread the thoughts and directions above. It’s better to have your defenses ready than to be caught up in a sophisticated scam.