Screening calls has become the norm …whether received on a wireless device or home telephone. Unfortunately, scammers use fake caller ID information to mislead us into thinking it is someone local. This practice is known as Caller ID Spoofing. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) tells us “that it is nearly impossible to tell if the Caller ID information is real”. Here are a few tips on how to handle these calls:
- If you get a strange call from someone who says they represent the government, for example, the IRS, hang up.
- Don’t give out or confirm your personal/financial information over the phone.
- Don’t wire money, send loadable cards, or pay someone who calls.
- If you feel pressured to act immediately, hang up. That’s a sure sign of a scam.
- Hang up on Robocalls. These are calls generated by a computerized autodialer to deliver a pre-recorded message that sounds like a robot.
- If the offer is too good to be true…it probably is a scam.
- Sign up for free scam alerts from the FTC at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/scams-alerts
If you have any questions or concerns about Caller ID Spoofing or other scams please give us a call 1.800.687.3222. To learn more about Brazos Communications visit us online at www.brazosnet.com.