As of 2019, there were 167,798 reported cases of scams that cost Americans a total of $142,934,416. A large number of such scams were phone scams and phishing scams that targeted people who fell victim to money and identity theft. As the years go by, scammers become smarter, and it is up to us to stay ahead of them.
To avoid becoming a 2020 scam statistic, use these tips that will help you avoid scams and the grief they cause:
Do not wire money to people
One of the most common scams these days is pretending the victim is a familiar individual and asking them for money. People who commit such scams send an email pretending to be a relative and asking for emergency money. While you might feel the urge to help out your family members, do not be quick to believe every call for help. Instead, call the person who supposedly sent you the email and ask them what is going on. In most cases, you will find out they did not send you any request for money and that imposters were those who tried to get your money.
Hang up when a robot calls you
Robo sales calls are illegal, and the products they offer are nonexistent or of poor quality, at best. So, if you hear a recorded sale’s pitch when you answer the phone, hang up; do not press any number to continue, and report the call to FTC to have the caller traced and penalized.
Do not panic when official calls or email come in
One of the largest phishing and call scams is the IRS/Insurance scams that create a sense of urgency and make people ignore their better judgment. With these types of scams, the caller or the scammer who sent you an email will let you know that you are in debt or that you have to pay an X sum of money so that your insurance won’t expire. Then, the crafty scammers will ask you for your personal and account information to pay the government or insurance debt. Once they have that information, they will sell it on the dark web or use it for their purposes. To avoid such scams, it is important for you to know that the IRS and Insurance companies send letters before they try to contact you. Also, you should not click on links or call phone numbers that appear in emails or text messages. Instead, search for the formal site or phone number of the entity that supposedly contacted you to ask what is going on. You will then be able to find out if you are truly in debt or if someone has tried to scam you out of your personal information so they can steal your money or identity.
Run a check on whoever is trying to contact you
These days, you can use public records search directories, like GoLookUp, to perform a search on people/companies who are trying to contact you. If, for instance, you receive an email from someone you do not know, you can perform an online reverse email lookup to find out who the email belongs to. You can also perform a people search or reverse phone number search to find out if the sources of the calls/emails are fraudulent. Then, you can report the people/entities who tried to scam you and help other people avoid falling victim to scams.
Install anti-phishing software
One of the best ways to fight online frauds and phishing scams to install protection software. Such software will alert you when someone is trying to scam you by identifying fraudulent websites, email, and other scammers. Anti-phishing software will also block scammers and prevent them from taking over your computer and using it for illegal purposes.
With millions of Americans falling victim to scams every year, it is important to be alert and aware of the phenomenon. By taking the necessary precautions, you will be able to protect your identity and assets and prevent yourself and your family from getting scammed both online and offline.
