In this technological age, online and phone scams are becoming more and more common. But criminals aren’t just using the same tried and tested techniques of the past, they’re becoming smarter and better at tricking even the savviest phone users. If you’ve been feeling worried about getting scammed, then this blog is for you. It has lots of tips you can start using right away to help keep yourself safe. Just because there’s a higher risk of getting scammed than there used to be doesn’t mean it’s now unsafe to use your phone. It’s all about learning how to be cautious and understanding the kinds of things that could go wrong.
Know who’s calling
Nearly everyone has received a call from an unknown or unfamiliar number before. It’s easy to hit redial without thinking, but this can land you in an awful lot of hot water if you’re charged at a premium rate for the call. If you’ve had a missed call, it’s important to discover whose number is this before you get in touch with them. By searching for information on the number that called you online, you’ll be able to get a better idea of whether other people have had trouble with the same caller. Lots of people will report whether the number was a silent caller, a scammer or a nuisance sales call.
Don’t give out personal details
Lots of scammers will ring you claiming to be someone from your bank or phone company. They might tell you there’s a problem with your account and ask personal questions. Even giving out seemingly innocent details like your name and date of birth can have detrimental consequences, so you should always be wary. Check with your bank about the kinds of details they might ask you to confirm over the phone and never give out your passwords to anyone.
Say you’ll call them back
If you’re in doubt about the person calling, offer to call them back. Once you’ve hung up the phone, don’t redial the number in your call log. Instead, go to your bank’s website and find their phone number. Make sure you enter it into your phone even if it looks the same as the one that called you. Lots of scammers disguise their phone numbers to look like the ones from trusted companies, so it’s always best to call the number yourself rather than take their word for it.
Report suspected scams
If you suspect someone is trying to scam you, the best thing you can do is to report it. Not only will this help you to confirm whether it was a scam or not, but it will help to prevent you from being targeted again by the same people. Lots of companies now have a service where you can report people who may have been pretending to be a representative. Equally, if you’re worried you have been scammed, you need to get in touch with the relevant people to see if there’s anything they can do.