855-202-9449 | 18552029449 - Phone Scam Alert! (2024)

FAQs

How do you check if a phone number belongs to a scammer? ›

One way to check if a number is potentially a scam is to use a reverse phone number lookup service. These websites and apps allow you to enter a number and see public information associated with it, such as the registered name, location, and carrier.

Use of high-pressure sales tactics and “limited-time” offers. Reluctance to answer questions about the business or the offer. Request that you “confirm your personal information” Request payment by means other than credit card –including cash, gift card, wire transfer or private courier.

When you call back a spam number, you're playing directly into the scammer's hands. You could expose sensitive data on the call or make yourself a target for further scam attempts.

By answering a spam call and speaking to the scammer, scammers can record your voice and use it for vishing attacks. Vishing is a type of phishing that uses voice calls to trick people into doing something. Often, cybercriminals try to impersonate a familiar voice to a victim to gain their trust.

Getting calls and messages from numbers you think are spam? You can now confirm whether that number is spam with Truecaller's Spam Number Lookup! Enter the number in the search bar. Truecaller will show spam stats if it's a spam number, giving a detailed breakdown of their activities.

Scammers and hackers can use your phone number in numerous ways to compromise your data. If you think a phone number is only a means of communication, think again. Some criminals use cell phone numbers to impersonate others, steal private information, and access financial benefits.

It's better to ignore spam calls. When you decline a call, it can alert the spammer that your phone number is active, prompting them to call you again. If you use a call-blocking tool that uses caller ID, you should never answer calls labelled as spam.

It's impossible to get hacked by simply answering a phone call made through your network service provider. But that doesn't mean a phone call can't be exploited to compromise your security via a social engineering attack.

If you answer the call, your number is considered 'good' by the scammers, even if you don't necessarily fall for the scam. They will try again because they know someone on the other side is a potential victim of fraud. The less you answer, the fewer robocalls you will receive.

Can someone steal your identity through a phone call? ›

Scammers use auto-dialers and spoofed area codes to trick people into picking up the phone. From there, it's a numbers game. The scammers want to get as much personal information from the call recipient as possible. That can include anything from names and birth dates to credit card numbers.

Scam artists spoof calls to make them appear to be from a local telephone number. Even if a number appears to be local, it is best to avoid calls from numbers with which you are not familiar. Hang up. If you answer a call that seems suspicious, hang up.

Don't bother with “people finder” or phone number lookup services. Scammers are too smart to be tracked down via online phone number lookup services, email search tools, or “people finders” (like BeenVerified and Social Catfish) that share public records.

With Truecaller, you can identify and block spam calls or SMS, and search for unknown numbers with ease.

In the past, hackers couldn't do much damage with just your phone number. But today, a cell phone is more than just a digital address book. It stores vast amounts of personal information — such as photos, emails, and passwords for online accounts. At best, you may receive a lot of scam and robocalls.