Easy WaysTo Protect Yourself Against Phone Scams (NAPSA)—As children, we were taught not to open the door to strangers or let an unidentified caller know our parents weren’t home. Today, as adults, we’ve been warned not to believe an email claiming a loved one is stranded in London without money, and not to sign the back of our credit cards with anything other than “See (876) 390-941 LANDLINE Possible fraud or scam Kingston, Jamaica & ST % LANDLINE MARCH 17 A 224PMilocaltime Photo ID.” We can take precautions, but it still won’t stop technically savvy criminals from trying to take advantage of consumers. Scams have become so advanced that even the most prepared could easily fall victim, with new methodssurfacing too frequently. Two recent phone scams that have hit unsuspecting people with fraudulent charges are the IRS phone scam and the onering scam. Here’s how they work: IRS phone scam In this particular scam, a criminal will call pretending to be an IRS agent, requesting personal information like date of birth and Social Security and bank routing numbers. Scammers prey on consumers’ fear, so many people wanting to show compliance with a government agency relinquish their information to the fraudster. One-ring scam Another recent innovative scam is called one-ring, which involves scammersdialing American mobile phones from robo-calling facilities outside the United States, typically in the Caribbean, from 10-digit numbers that appear to have U.S.based area codes. Their trick is to hang up after one ring in the hope that the recipient will be curious andcall back, thinking that he or she has missed an importantcall. Since the numberis actually international, callers are charged exorbitant connection and long-distance fees, as scammers attempt to keep victims on theline. So how can you protect yourself? Hang up immediately. If you get a call from a government agency or other business asking for a payment, hang up. No one from a federal government agency will ask for moneyover the phone, even the IRS. Don’t call a suspicious numberback In the case of the one-ring scam, the number appearslike it’s from the United States when it’s not and, therefore, is not legitimate. Scammersare able to set up systems to ensure all incomingcalls If you get a call from a government agency asking for a payment, hang up. No one from a federal government agencywill ask for money over the phone. are charged—mostof the time consumers are unawareof the charges. Use mobile apps There are many apps that can identify callers to help ensure verification. WhitePages Current Caller ID takescall identification a step further, warning you of potential seams and providing alerts for both incoming andoutgoingcalls to signal users if a numberis one of thousandsidentified as a scam. Neverprovide personal information Avoid giving out credit card information, Social Security number or other personal details to an incoming caller whom you do not know, even if you are familiar with the business they claim to represent. Some scams spoof wellknown entities like Microsoft or Verizon tech support. Do not pay money up front If you have been contacted that you’ve won a contest or have been accepted for a new insurancepolicy, do not provide any payment. For any legitimate offer, an upfront paymentis not required. In addition to hanging up the momenta call seems suspicious, the most important rule of thumb is to never return a call to a number you do not recognize. If it is a legitimate caller, they will leave a voice mail or call back. And if you feel that you have become a victim of a scam, report the phone number to local authorities, the FTC and your mobile carrier. If you shared personal information, make sure to monitor your credit report and immediately contact your credit card company and other financial institutions.
