So, you received a call, and the person on the other side offered you a great deal. If you deposit $190 right away, you will be able to save 50% on a $1.000 cruise around the Caribbean. However, months later, when it is time for your trip, you find out that the pitchman was a con, the cruise line never existed, and that you have been scammed. With the money trail gone cold and no company to challenge, it was no longer a case for a consumer advocate, but a district attorney. Of course, it was not your fault that you have been ripped off.
Telemarketing fraud is a plague of the modern age, accounting for about 19 percent of all fraud complaints reported to the FTC. In this article, you will be able to read about a few basic rules for dealing with scam calls. Let’s take a look at the list:
1. Do Not Call Me – the first rule you should follow is to totally ignore pitches and pleas of anyone who calls you uninvited. This includes charities, salespeople, or companies. You have no way to determine they are whom they say they are and you should not rely on the caller ID. In the era of technology, they can be fakes as well.
Source: FlexJobs
2. Give Them Nothing – these scam callers are hunting for information. The best way to defend yourself is to give them no information. If they try to confirm your name and surname, do not tell them, or simply give them another name. If they ask if your partner is at home, do not reply. And if they try to verify your address, hang up the phone. Any information that you give to these cons can be a very powerful tool that they can use against you.
3. I Will Call You – if the person calling you insists on having to speak with you, tell them that you are busy at the moment and that you will call them back directly. At this point, these scammers will offer you a phone number that you can call as proof that they are whom they say they are. However, do not believe them for a second. Instead of accepting the number, it is much safer for you to look it up first. There are various online companies that will allow you to reverse phone lookup, and if you want to see how it works, click here.
Source: Pinterest
4. Stay alert – even if you start the call, you could not be safe. Before you give any financial or personal information, check the credentials of the company calling. Ask the person to mail the information to you, check the Better Business Bureau, and take a look at the company reviews and website.
5. Take Your Time – cons often try to create a false deadline. If you feel pressured to make the decision on an offer that they are offering you, hang up your phone immediately.
6. Be A Part of the Solution – you can help prevent other people from getting scammed. If you or your family members receive calls, mail, or emails that you think might be a scam, you should report the incident to the FTC by calling the consumer hotline at 877-FTC-HELP.
Source: Whitepages
Conclusion
As you were able to read from this article, if you want to prevent being scammed, you should follow these tips. You will be able to protect yourself, family, and your money from these con artists.
